Apparently, several members of the City Council are having second thoughts about doubling the local option gas tax.

Mayor Lenny “Hurry” Curry wants it done now.

But Council Members Aaron Bowman, LeAnna Cumber, Al Ferraro, Joyce Morgan and Danny Becton said they would back a referendum if it were proposed, according to a local TV station.

We suspect a number of others are willing to let the voters speak as well.

Direct democracy is not a good way to run a government, which is why the Founding Fathers wisely chose a republican form of government for the United States.

But on local issues directly affecting the voters’ pocketbooks, it doesn’t hurt to let them decide.

This is not an income tax that would be paid by “the rich” – a favorite target of Democrats.

Everyone would pay this tax, including the poor.

The proposal is to double the 6-cent tax to 12 cents.

The justification for it has not been made and that is why some members of the council are balking at Curry’s hurry.

Curry says it is to build new roads, sewer lines and mass transit.

Eye on Jacksonville has raised several questions that politicians and other local media are not asking but should.

We don’t believe the voters will accept this pie in the sky proposal until those and other questions are answered.

Here’s another question for that list:

Having gone to the well so often, where is the city going to go to get a billion dollars to build a new football stadium for the local NFL team? Everyone knows the demand is coming, with the usual threat to move the team, and that local politicians are likely to cave.

With the cancel culture on a name-changing stampede, one candidate for the city’s new name might be Khantown.