It seems most GOP members on the Jacksonville City Council don’t share President Trump’s view of defunding NPR and PBS.
The Republican-run city council voted to approve $300,000 to local station WJCT over a 10-year period.
The “excuse” of allocating tax-payer money to NPR was to be granted permission to have access to build a new marine fire station which the city says is needed to connect with other streets.
But some that opposed the vote said the money to NPR wasn’t needed.
“That’s what’s happening here,” Councilmember Rory Diamond said. “I know most of the board of WJCT. They’re not going to stop us from building a fire station, OK? They’re not. And if they’re such a good public entity over there, they’re not going to stop us from building a fire station.”
Besides Diamond, incoming Council President Kevin Carrico and Mike Gay, all 3 republicans voted against the funding.
Diamond called the vote “an extortion” and said giving NPR money wasn’t needed.
“We have people on the city council talking about implementing DOGE (Department of Government efficiency) cuts on a local level, then vote to spend thousands to NPR,” said Diamond.
One of those that voted to fund NPR was councilman Republican Terrance Freeman.
Freeman has gone on the record advocating of supporting the local version of DOGE inviting Gov. DeSantis to come in and observe how the city is running its finances.
“Taxpayers deserve confidence that their money is being spent wisely, we’re embracing accountability and actively seeking ways to trim government waste, improve efficiency, and pass savings along to the taxpayers,” said Councilman Freeman.
On social media post, Freeman along other GOP city council members have been called hypocrites for wanting to look at trimming the city budget but over the last few years voted in favor of gas, property and sales tax increases.
