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Published on January 15, 2025
Jacksonville City Council Overrides Mayor's Veto on Waste Hauler Pay Increase, Legal Battle LoomsSource: Wikipedia/City of Jacksonville, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Jacksonville City Council voted 14-4 to overturn Mayor Donna Deegan's veto of a bill that would increase payment to Meridian Waste by 29%. The council majority supported the need for efficient trash pickup and financial competitiveness.

According to News4Jax, Mayor Deegan said, "In vetoing this bill, I am holding true to my commitment to be fiscally responsible and always seek a return on investment for our citizens." Despite the veto reversal, Deegan insisted she would not change her decision, with Chief of Staff Mike Weinstein confirming that the original contract's terms would stand, stating, "Basically we're going to sit with the regular contract. Regardless of what action the council takes on this bill, if it needs to go to legal action then that's what we will have to do."

The Mayor's office, citing a binding opinion from the city's General Counsel, contends that the city council can allocate funds but does not have the authority to dictate the specifics of the expenditure. In contrast, council members argue that the funding increase is necessary to maintain competitive waste management services. "Meridian needs these additional dollars to be competitive with Waste Pro, who is at $24 and change on their rate, in order to keep their drivers and continue providing the quality services their providing," said Finance Chair Ron Salem, as Action News Jax reports.

Council members have defended legislative powers, even with the possibility of a legal dispute. “If the mayor can just decide that she is not going to spend the money that we've appropriated, then we have lost more power than any City Council who has ever sat here before,” District 13 Councilman Rory Diamond told Jacksonville Today.

Despite the council's decision, Deegan has vowed not to pay the proposed increase, defending her position and the integrity of the contract negotiation process. "To spend an additional $12 million over the next three years for a contract that’s already been agreed to is not fiscally responsible," Deegan said in a statement obtained by Jacksonville Today.

Council members who opposed Deegan's decision have expressed concern over the potential waste of taxpayer money in a legal battle, with Salem challenging the Mayor's decision. “They’ll spend hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to defend a bad argument and I just think that’s unfortunate,” said Salem, as reported by Action News Jax.

For now, the impasse remains, with the executive branch upholding its commitment to fiscal conservatism in the face of legislative pressure to ensure competitive services for Jacksonville's waste management needs.