Jacksonville is preparing for a contentious 2026 as conflicts with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state leaders center on the city’s budget, property taxes and the limits of local authority.

DeSantis and Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia have publicly called Jacksonville’s spending “wasteful” and directed the state’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to audit and pressure local governments to cut millage rates and reduce budgets.

State leaders are also backing a 2026 ballot initiative that would significantly cut or eliminate property taxes — a move proponents say will relieve homeowners but that city officials warn could “decimate” funding for police, fire and infrastructure.

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, a Democrat, frames the state’s actions as “cons

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