Mayor Donna Deegan is preparing to launch one of her first initiatives designed to redistribute income and wealth in Jacksonville.

“Free” roofs will be provided to about 34 lucky homeowners in the city — free to them, at a cost of $400,000 to people who pay taxes.

The proposal has been approved by the City Council.

Council Member Matt Carlucci, a registered Republican, thinks it is a good idea. Carlucci, an insurance agent, says insurance companies are raising home insurance premiums on people whose homes have aging roofs (because the companies have to pay out more when wind and rain damage homes that don’t have strong roofing).

If the homeowner defaults on the insurance and has a mortgage, the lender will insure his investment in the house at the homeowner’s expense, and that insurance is even more costly, Carlucci said.

Deegan also has plans for free housing, including roofs, free health care and many more initiatives that will be piled upon the increasing number of free handouts from the federal government.

Deegan already has pledged to continue the recent practice of giving free sewer hookups and septic tank replacements to everyone, rich or poor.

It would not be surprising to see some people getting rich from this.

Buy an old house with an old roof and a septic tank for, say, $150,000. Let the taxpayers hook you up to the city sewer lines at no cost and get a new roof at no cost and you could sell the house for, say, $250,000 and pocket the profit.

It would not be the first time someone profited from government giveaways.

Deegan has plans to spend about $26 million on her initiatives but each one will require council approval.

During their deliberations, the council members need to remember they are the government, not the community chest.