Writer: Joshua Andino
2 min read August 2023 — Mayor Donna Deegan has completed her first month in office, and while still early, has used her proposed budget to bolster businesses across Jacksonville
The mayor presented her first budget to the city council earlier last month, with additional funds to expand small business support and make city government more responsive to small business needs.
“When we’ve taken care of our infrastructure and ensured our citizens are healthy and safe, that is when our local economy can really thrive thanks to the small businesses that drive 80% of it,” Deegan said when she presented her first budget earlier last month.
For many, the city’s planning and permitting process can cause additional delays that cost time and money. Deegan has publicly stated that her aim is to streamline the process, making it more efficient and business friendly.
In her July budget proposal, Deegan provided an additional $21.72 million for planning, permitting and building inspections. It also included nearly $1 million funding for additional positions in the office, harkening back to Deegan’s acceptance speech where she noted that the process was too long, due in part to a lack of personnel.
“We’re just not doing business in as efficient a manner as we should be able to do it. And if we are really going to call ourselves the small business capital of the South at some point, or the Southeast, it’s going to have to be with a lot more help for small businesses who shouldn’t have to sit there for two or three years waiting for a permit,” Deegan said at the time.
The budget also provided $1.25 million for small business development support and an additional $108,000 for the University of North Florida’s Small Business Development Center. The center offers low-to-no cost business training and consulting services, which includes helping businesses secure lucrative government contracts.
The proposal came as the Downtown Investment Authority’s (DIA) Strategic Implementation Committee discussed ways to provide or expand small business incentive programs as a result of both the current economic environment and the mayor’s focus on small business, reported the Jacksonville Daily Record.
As for the budget itself, there will be a number of hearings to discuss potential amendments and priorities. Assuming the process goes smoothly, Jacksonville will see its new budget implemented Oct. 1, with the full schedule available here.
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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