Politics
Jacksonville council panel moves to compel testimony on JTA’s financial collapse
The City Council Finance Committee voted Tuesday to subpoena former Jacksonville Transportation Authority CEO Nat Ford for a Friday hearing as members investigate how the agency went from budget surpluses to insolvency and nearly 200 layoffs. The rushed timeline drew objections, though Ford appeared to be preparing to testify voluntarily.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville’s City Council Finance Committee voted Tuesday to subpoena former Jacksonville Transportation Authority CEO Nat Ford to appear Friday and answer questions about the agency’s finances.
Council members are seeking to understand how JTA, which had reported budget surpluses for years, became insolvent and laid off nearly 200 employees. The committee’s vote was not unanimous; one member abstained after members debated whether the subpoena was necessary and whether there was enough time to issue it.
Ford appeared to be preparing to attend voluntarily. Councilmen Chris Miller and Rory Diamond said they had contacted him before the meeting to invite him to speak, and Council President Nick Howland said he called Ford Tuesday morning.
Diamond argued the committee should move ahead. “Now is the time to issue a subpoena,” he said. Howland said, “I don’t think this is a witch hunt.”
Councilman Rahman Johnson criticized the pace, saying the process felt rushed and could make the hearing adversarial. Issuing a subpoena with fewer than seven days’ notice is not typical, according to the report.
The timing also coincides with Ford’s departure from JTA. Howland said Ford would leave the agency’s payroll Wednesday and start a new job Monday. A JTA spokesperson confirmed Ford is set to lead Dallas Area Rapid Transit next week.
Councilman Ron Salem urged caution, noting that failing to comply with a subpoena could carry penalties including a fine or imprisonment. “I think we should be very careful,” Salem said. He called the timing “terrible.”