DAY ZERO
Day Zero: 10 Capital Improvement Priorities for Jacksonville
By Fitz Desprez · September 10, 2026
Day Zero means preparation begins before inauguration day. My administration will arrive ready to assess needs, publish priorities, assign responsibility, and show residents how Jacksonville’s capital dollars are being used. These ten initiatives are a starting framework for action—not a promise to skip engineering, public input, procurement, budgeting, or legal review. My goal is a smaller, accountable government that is led by the people, invests in people first, and gives Jacksonville residents a real sense of ownership in their city.
The 10 Day Zero initiatives
- State-of-the-Art Performing Arts Center — Pursue a world-class, multi-venue riverfront landmark for concerts, theater, cultural events, community programs, educational spaces, restaurants, public plazas, and opportunities for Jacksonville artists and businesses.
- Road and Pothole Emergency Repair Program — Rapidly address dangerous roads, neglected intersections, sidewalks, and bridges, supported by a public map showing priorities, funding, and schedules.
- Neighborhood Drainage and Flood-Control Upgrades — Improve storm drains, retention systems, canals, culverts, pumps, and flood-prone streets using transparent, risk-based priorities.
- Veterans and Community Resource Center — Create one centralized facility for veteran services, mental-health support, job training, family assistance, and community partnership.
- Public Safety Technology and Facility Modernization — Upgrade fire stations, emergency equipment, communications systems, neighborhood lighting, and community safety infrastructure.
- Affordable Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization — Rehabilitate abandoned properties, support attainable housing, and restore neglected neighborhoods without displacing the residents who built them.
- Clean Water and Sewer Infrastructure — Replace aging pipes, address failing septic systems, and expand reliable water and sewer service through coordinated, financially responsible planning.
- Parks, Recreation, and Youth Sports Renewal — Renovate parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, pools, recreation centers, and waterfront spaces with clear maintenance standards.
- Public Transit and Mobility Improvements — Improve bus stops, transit connections, pedestrian crossings, sidewalks, accessibility, and protected bicycle routes in coordination with transportation partners.
- Small-Business and Workforce Development Hubs — Convert suitable underused public buildings into training, entrepreneurship, technology, and business-incubator centers.
A world-class performing arts center for Jacksonville
My vision is a beautiful glass riverfront landmark with performance halls, community stages, educational spaces, restaurants, public plazas, and dedicated opportunities for local artists and businesses. It should be a civic destination that welcomes residents, attracts visitors, and reflects Jacksonville’s cultural ambition.
The preliminary planning range is $350–$500 million, subject to design, engineering, site selection, market analysis, public input, legislative action, procurement, and public approval. Before any commitment is made, residents should see a complete business case, independent cost review, operating plan, traffic and infrastructure analysis, and clear safeguards against uncontrolled cost growth.
- Public-private partnerships
- Corporate naming rights and sponsorships
- Philanthropy and competitive arts grants
- Ticket, restaurant, event, and venue revenue
- In-kind products, services, and construction support
- Performance-based incentives only for qualifying companies that produce measurable new investment and good-paying Jacksonville jobs
How it would be funded responsibly
No single funding source should carry the project. The city should test a balanced financing plan that limits taxpayer exposure, assigns construction and operating risks clearly, and requires private and philanthropic participation before major public commitments are made.
Any tax benefit or public incentive must be earned through measurable results—not handed out without accountability. Agreements should include public reporting, enforceable performance milestones, clawback provisions when commitments are missed, competitive selection, conflict-of-interest safeguards, and independent oversight.
How Day Zero will work
In the opening period, department leaders will validate project conditions, identify legal and funding constraints, and recommend an achievable sequence. Residents must be able to see what is urgent, what is funded, what comes next, and why.
We will coordinate with the Jacksonville City Council, independent authorities, state and federal partners, and neighborhood leaders. Sound capital planning requires cooperation, honest cost estimates, transparent procurement, and maintenance plans that protect the public’s investment.
Day Zero—we begin
Jacksonville does not need another list that disappears after an election. It needs visible standards, named responsibility, measurable progress, and public reporting. Day Zero is my commitment to begin that work with urgency and discipline.
Safe neighborhoods. Lower costs. Better city services. Smaller government. People first. Community strong. Together, we win—in Jacksonville.
Follow the campaign: #Fitz4Jax #DesprezForMayor27 #JaxStrong #TogetherWeWin #JacksonvilleFlorida #PerformingArts #ArmyStrong
