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Proposed city budget amendments would block funding for DEI, abortion and undocumented immigrants

Proposed city budget would block funding for abortion and undocumented immigrants

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Funding for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, immigrants without legal status in the country and abortion would be prohibited by the city budget proposed by the Council Finance Committee.

The trio of amendments were added just before the committee wrapped up its final budget meeting Friday afternoon.

It throws a major wrench into the city’s budget process with the mayor issuing a statement condemning the move Friday evening.

“These divisive amendments do not belong in a budget bill. I’m extremely disappointed that the majority of this Finance Committee went along with yet another attempt to polarize our community with toxic DC culture wars that hurt our city. We have so much momentum right now and I will not let us be distracted,” said Mayor Donna Deegan.

Councilmember Rory Diamond (R-District 13) brought up the three last-minute amendments.

On the abortion amendment specifically, Diamond acknowledged he’s been told the city doesn’t fund abortions and even stated he doesn’t think it does.

“So, this should be relatively noncontroversial. If we’re not doing it, we’re not going to do it, this should be no big deal,” said Diamond.

All three amendments faced pushback, but were approved on narrow votes.

Councilmember Ju’Coby Pittman (D-District 10), the lone Democrat on the committee, made her disapproval abundantly clear.

“Councilman Diamond, we are not in DC and you need to stay out of people’s bedrooms and what they do with their body is totally up to them,” said Pittman. ”You are totally wrong. You have no business going down the road you’re going down today. Period.”

The changes could send the budget into uncharted territory.

Mayor Deegan already vetoed legislation earlier this year that sought to block city dollars from being expended on immigrants without legal status.

Because the policies would be tied into budget and she is only able to veto specific funding line items, she may be faced with the decision of whether to veto the entire budget.

Council could potentially override a full budget veto, but council staff was unclear as to whether that could be done with a simple majority, or whether it would require a supermajority.

Council Finance Chair Raul Arias (R-District 11) voted against all three amendments, arguing they don’t belong in the budget and only stand to cause controversy.

“Ultimately, when you add more controversy to an already extensive process, it’s gonna add more issues, but at the end of the day I still think we’re gonna bring back a good budget,” said Arias.

The spending prohibitions will still have to survive the whole council and it’s unclear whether they have the support needed to pass.

When asked why he supported adding the controversial policy items into the budget, Council President Kevin Carrico (R-District 4) argued they worth the fight.

“Listen, they were proposed by one of our colleagues. These are values that I value and I wasn’t going to vote against them. So, I voted for them,” said Carrico.

If a new budget isn’t in place by October 1st, spending levels would continue at the amount set in the previous year’s budget, until a new spending bill crosses the finish line.

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