Hello Mayor,

When Governor DeSantis started talking about reducing Florida’s property taxes, it didn’t take long for the push back to begin.

The message was familiar and we knew exactly what would be said:

It can’t be done.

The cuts are too deep.

Essential services will suffer.

The budget simply won’t allow it.

Before you settle on that answer, may we suggest a movie night at City Hall with you, trusted advisors and even a group of people in the community with some business acumen.

You can pop some popcorn and play the movie…Dave.

In the film, an ordinary businessman unexpectedly finds himself serving as President of the United States. Faced with budget challenges, he doesn’t throw up his hands and declare the problem unsolvable.

Instead, he brings in an accountant.  Not a politician.  Not an advisor to politicians.  Just a regular guy with a financial background who has common sense.

The scene is funny because it is so simple.

The accountant starts asking questions that taxpayers ask every day.

Why are we spending money on this?

Do we still need that?

Can we do this more efficiently?

Is there waste hiding in plain sight?

Nobody says the task is impossible. They simply start looking.

Jacksonville taxpayers aren’t asking you to cut police officers, firefighters, or essential services. They’re asking City Hall to do what every family and business has to do when times get tight: open the books and challenge assumptions.  We even think you will enjoy the process and uncover some things that are not really essential – a lot of things!

What made Dave such a feel-good movie wasn’t just the budget scene. It was the ending. The good guys stopped making excuses and started solving problems. They believed government could work better. They believed common sense still mattered.

And they proved that sometimes the answer isn’t “no”—it’s “let’s figure it out.”

Mayor Deegan, Jacksonville doesn’t need another explanation about why property tax relief is impossible.

It needs leadership willing to ask where efficiencies can be found.

It needs someone willing to challenge the status quo.

It needs someone willing to be a little more like Dave.

Mayor, we know you can do this.

Invite others to the table. Put fresh eyes on the budget. Bring in successful business owners, financial experts, entrepreneurs, and community leaders who understand how to stretch a dollar and find efficiencies without sacrificing quality.

Accept the challenge coming from Tallahassee.

Instead of using the same talking points of why it can’t be done, show them how it can be done.

Show us where the waste is. Show us where the duplication exists. Show us where government can work smarter.

Use this moment as an opportunity to prove that Jacksonville is willing to lead.

Let’s put Jacksonville on the map and write our own happy ending.