The air traffic control tower at Cecil Airport on Jacksonville's Westside | Jacksonville Daily Record
Published on August 3, 2026 at 9:44 am
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The Jacksonville Aviation Authority has pulled back from its threat of filing a lawsuit against the city of Jacksonville but will ask the Florida Legislature to better define who controls the independent agency.
The aviation authority, which manages Jacksonville’s four airports, and Mayor Donna Deegan’s administration issued a joint statement Friday reaffirming that officials on both sides will continue its partnership.
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The announcement comes two weeks after the authority’s board of directors’ voted unanimously to hire an outside attorney and give the city 30 days to come to an agreement over a multiyear push, led by City Council President Nick Howland, to exert more authority over the airport system’s budget and spending priorities.
Here’s the statement:
“The Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) stands ready and willing to partner with the City of
Jacksonville and the State of Florida to serve the people of our region and users of the JAA’s four airport system while fostering economic growth for the community. The Authority seeks to do so in ways that are consistent with federal law, existing contracts, and the JAA’s charter. As a creation of the State, the JAA looks forward to the Florida Legislature providing clear direction as to the Authority’s structure, roles and responsibilities in their 2027 session. With that clarity defined, the Authority can once again turn its full attention to managing a world-class airport system.
“Mayor Deegan looks forward to working alongside the Jacksonville Aviation Authority and the Florida Legislature on this important matter.”
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Lawsuit resolution
If the agreement had not been reached by Aug. 16, the board had given its outside counsel the go-ahead to file a lawsuit against the city to get a legal interpretation about who governs the airport authority — the city, state, and/or aviation board.
Officials also drafted a memorandum of understanding released Friday that says incoming Florida House Speaker Sam Garrison intends to have the Legislature “provide clear direction to the (city of Jacksonville) and the JAA via legislative action.”
The document, signed by the city’s chief administrative officer, Mike Weinstein, and aviation authority board member Michelle Barnett, says the city and authority are jointly requesting state lawmakers put that clarity on the airport authority’s chater into a bill.
Airport adminsators and Howland, who reappointed himself as the council’s liaison tothe agency for the next year, have been at odds over the city lawmaker’s desire for the authority to invest more money into economic development at Cecil Airport and Spaceport on Jacksonville’s Westside, one of the four airport facilities it manages.
Last September, the Howland persuaded the City Council to amend the airport’s budget to set aside $10 million for a proposed facility expansion of Florida State College of Jacksonville’s aviation mechanics program at Cecil.
The airport authority is limited and regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration on how it spends its money — for airport operations, infrastructure and services.
Howland has argued that airport officials have never sat down with federal officials and advocated for the aviation mechanics program as an allowed expenditure.
Howland told Jacksonville Today on Friday that, while he’s pleased the lawsuit has been avoided, he questions the need for the Legislature to step in.
“JAA’s focus should be on creating jobs at Cecil, not suing the city,” he said.
During the 2026 legislative session, Howland worked by state Rep. Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville, on legislation signed by the governor that requires the airport authority to submit an annual aerospace economic development plan for Cecil along with its budget for council approval.
Council leadership negotiated with airport leaders to drop other components of that charter change.
“If clarifying language is needed in the charter, I’m confident the Legislature will provide it. But another round of litigation — or even legislation — only wastes time and taxpayer dollars that could otherwise be invested in growing the aerospace economy and creating jobs for Jacksonville families,” Howland said.
The airport authority is scheduled to present its budget and Cecil plan on Aug. 14 to the Howland-appointed Finance Committee in a 90-minute presentation.
Although the airport authority is an independent agency and does receive funding from the city, its budget is approved by city lawmakers. Jacksonville’s mayor also appoints three of its board members, who are confirmed by council. Florida’s governor appoints the four others.
