The vote to pass the city budget was 15 in favor, two opposed, with two abstained from voting. | City of Jacksonville
Published on September 24, 2025 at 5:41 am
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In a 13-hour meeting that stretched into the next morning, the Jacksonville City Council passed a $2 billion general fund budget after removing language that would have banned taxpayer funds for several social issues.
The final vote for the budget was 15-2 with two Council members abstaining. Before the final vote, lawmakers were dug in for hours defending and opposing the amendment by member Rory Diamond that would have prohibited the city from funding services that benefited undocumented immigrants; diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; and abortion services.
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The impasse broke around 4 a.m. when member Will Lahnen switched his vote from yay to nay and defeated what Diamond had branded his “Big Beautiful Budget Amendment.”
Lahnen, a first-term Republican, said he felt his first responsibility was to make sure a city budget passed, which city attorneys said had to happen Wednesday night to comply with Florida law.
“As floor leader, I’ve tried to promote discussion. I tried to promote discussion between the introducer (Diamond), as well as this side, but I’ve seen no opportunity for compromise,” Lahnen said. “And at this time, I just see no line of sight on approving a budget — which is our number one responsibility — with this amendment in there.”
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Diamond, a Republican, tried and failed to get his amendment attached to the budget on Sept. 9, when council approved the preliminary budget. Council member Chris Miller, a Republican who supported the provision, was abroad in Israel. The amendment sparked a walkout by four Democratic Council members during that meeting.
Before Lahnen’s switch on Wednesday morning, council had initially approved the funding prohibition amendment 10-9, which held up passage of the full budget for hours.
Two members, Republicans Terrance Freeman and Mike Gay, were required to abstain from the budget vote due to conflicts of interest because their employers have contracts with the city. Without their votes, council members opposed to what they say as divisive language were able to stall the process.
An attorney with the city’s Office of General Counsel told Council President Kevin Carrico they could not carve the amendment out of the budget to consider separately.
“Holding up this budget and driving our city into a ditch financially, is on you,” Diamond said during debate. “The tyranny of the minority who refuse to accept that you lost the vote. You lost. Lose the vote with some grace. Don’t hold up the entire city budget.”
In the end, Council members Jimmy Peluso, Tyrona Clark-Murray, Reggie Gaffney Jr., Matt Carlucci, Michael Boylan, Randy White, Rahman Johnson, Ken Amaro, Ju’Coby Pittman and Lahnen voted against the amendment.
Council President Kevin Carrico, Vice President Nick Howland and members Raul Arias, Mike Gay, Joe Carlucci, Ron Salem, Miller and Freeman joined Diamond in the “yes” vote.
Dozens of people filled a near-capacity Council Chambers at City Hall on Tuesday afternoon to speak for and against the budget and Diamond’s amendment.
After the vote, Mayor Donna Deegan released this statement: “While I’m disappointed by the millage rate vote, especially given the strong sentiments from the public, the City Council has fulfilled their primary responsibility to pass a budget. I respect their decision and their work,” Deegan wrote.
“I’m especially grateful that they removed divisive and unnecessary policy amendments that should never have been included. We started yesterday with prayers from the faith community. I pray that we start to heal from this difficult budget season and move forward together with love for Jacksonville guiding us,” she wrote.
Millage cut
The other piece of the budget back-and-forth that split the council and drew critique from the mayor for the last two months — a ⅛-mil property tax cut — was approved 10-9.
The move will drop city revenue by about $13.5 million next year. Advocates say the cut is needed tax relief, while opponents say it will sacrifice services in future budgets.
The ⅛-mil reduction in the rate would save the average homeowner about $1.56 per month, or $18.75 per year, city calculations show. Deegan argued that the tax cut was performative, while proponents like Salem said Tuesday night that it’s a statement and “real relief.”
The budget includes a record $647 million for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and $426 million for Fire & Rescue.
Council member Michael Boylan also was able to get $729,557 in health care funding previously cut by the Council Finance Committee reinstated for six Duval County safety net clinics that work in the nonprofit JaxCareConnect program.
Regional council saved
Before council got to the budget debate, lawmakers passed legislation by member Rahman Johnson, a Democrat, to reinstate Jacksonville’s $390,673 dues to the Northeast Florida Regional Council in a 13-6 vote.
Carrico and members Randy White, Ken Amaro, Michael Boylan, Joe Carlucci, Matt Carlucci, Tyrona Clark-Murray, Ju’Coby Pittman, Reggie Gaffney Jr., Chris Miller, Jimmy Peluso, Ron Salem and Johnson voted yes on the funding. Council Vice President Nick Howland and members Will Lahnen, Raul Arias, Terrance Freeman, Mike Gay and Diamond voted no.
Baldwin Mayor Sean Lynch and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department both appealed to council in recent weeks to resurrect the regional council funding stripped from the budget by the Council Finance Committee.
White, a JFRD veteran, said the strategic planning, emergency preparedness and other services would save the small, rural Duval County city of Baldwin $200,000 and $300,000 for fire and rescue.
Johnson’s bill kept the debate separate from the budget. City General Counsel Michael Fackler told Council on Tuesday that Duval County’s membership in the regional planning council — which serves seven counties in the region — is required by Florida statute.
