State Attorney Melissa Nelson’s office finally has entered the chat.
Nelson’s office issued the Jacksonville Transportation Authority a subpoena, becoming the third entity investigating an agency already facing scrutiny over its $39 million budget shortfall, layoffs, and executive compensation.
The Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution has issued three criminal subpoenas to JTA. Meanwhile, City Council’s Financial Audit and Oversight Select Committee has vowed to keep talking about what happened.
The committee cannot compel testimony. For criminal accountability, we’re relying on prosecutors.
“The existence of another investigation does not relieve this office of its duty to enforce the law within our jurisdiction,” State Attorney spokesman David Chapman explained.
According to the Florida Times-Union, the subpoena has nine categories.
Now, I would never dream of publicly tooting my own horn for helping shine a light on JTA’s troubles. But I will gladly acknowledge the investigative work of others. Much of what prosecutors are now requesting covers territory already explored by a former investigative reporter and an ousted JTA board member.
Prosecutors want financial records, contracts, executive spending, records from board meetings, sponsorship payouts, and transit performance numbers. They want to know when leadership learned about budget shortfalls and the decisions made before and after everyone found out.
Travel expenses, consultant contracts, as well as financial decisions behind layoffs and service cuts are also on the list. So are records revealing whether staff or contractors were directed or incentivized to ride NAVI in an attempt to boost ridership numbers.
Apparently, counting passengers now requires checking who sent them.
JTA sold Jacksonville “the future of mobility.”
Prosecutors are just asking for the receipts.
