JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville City Council committee voted down a move to pull its subpoena of Nat Ford, the former head of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, after he failed to appear Friday to answer questions about the agency’s money troubles.
The request to cancel the order came from Council member Rahman Johnson, made to the Financial Audit and Oversight Select Committee. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officers had served it on Ford a day before the meeting. Johnson argued Ford deserved a chance to come back and testify on his own, the same courtesy the panel gave a former JEA chief. Other members said dropping the subpoena would leave the council with no leverage at all.
The committee is digging into why JTA ended up with a budget gap of roughly $40 million. Committee Chair Chris Miller said figures that agency departments sent in were altered once they reached the chief financial officer’s office.
JTA leaders told the panel the agency is cutting about 200 jobs, trimming routes and reducing services such as NAVI and the Skyway. Layoffs account for about $24 million in savings and route and service cuts about $16 million.
Under city rules, ignoring a council subpoena is a misdemeanor that can bring a fine of up to $1,000, as many as 60 days in jail, or both. A lawyer advised members that a judge could eventually be asked to step in.
Ford resigned from JTA in July and is set to begin leading the transit system in Dallas on Monday. No date has been set for his testimony, and committee members have not said what step they will take next.
Section: More Jacksonville FL politics news
Filed under: Jacksonville FL Politics News
