Jax Chamber funding advances in City Council amid questions about political advocacy

After an amendment to fund the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce didn’t make it into the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget, City Council committees have begun to consider the $750,000 appropriation as a stand-alone.

The legislation is moving as a one-cycle emergency, per the Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety Committee agenda, as “the Council desires to make the funds available as expeditiously as possible to ensure the Chamber can begin its important work for the City and the region.”

That work includes “national and international marketing in FY 25-26 to attract new businesses and talent to the region.”

Council members were more concerned about other things though, even as they unanimously voted to recommend the spend in the first committee of reference.

Republican Ron Salem had questions about political positions taken by the Chamber, alleging that every political position they took in the last five years was in support of a Mayor, whether it’s Republican Lenny Curry or Democrat Donna Deegan.

“I was a bit surprised the Chamber did not take a position on the tax cut, nor the School Board General counsel issue,” Salem said, referencing recent political controversies sidestepped by the business group.

Jax Chamber CEO Daniel Davis and JAXUSA President Aundra Wallace are still in London on a business trip pegged to the Jaguars’ game and were not on hand to answer those questions.

Democrat Tyrona Clark-Murray wondered if it was typical” for the Chamber to send a letter weighing in on political issues. She was told by a representative of the Chamber that the money sought only went to marketing, not policy advocacy.

The bill will be heard by the Finance Committee on Tuesday.

Unanimous approval there would put it on the full City Council’s Consent Agenda on Oct. 28.

That could mean it would not be discussed by the legislative branch at large.