Is Fernandina Beach Government Growing Faster Than Its People?

If you’ve felt like local government spending is outpacing common sense — you’re not imagining things.

Population Down, Budget Up

Between 2021 and 2025, the City’s population actually declined slightly (from 13,527 to 13,475). Meanwhile, the City’s budget ballooned by 20.5%, reaching over $203 million.

Ten-Year Growth: Spending Nearly Doubled

Going back even further, from 2015 to 2025, we see:
– Budget increase: +98.7%
– Population increase: +14%
– City employee increase: +54%

So, while the City added just 1,645 residents over 10 years, it added 125 new employees (1 employee for every 13 new residents) and nearly doubled its spending. That’s government growth at nearly 7x the rate of population growth.

Why This Matters

It’s easy for government spending to drift upward — but taxpayers deserve answers:

– Where is this money going?
– Why are we hiring more government staff while serving fewer people?
– Is the spending actually improving quality of life, or just growing the bureaucracy?

The City doesn’t appear to have a revenue problem, it has an expense problem. To that point, do we really need paid parking to add more to the City coffers? Will paid parking wind up costing more than it collects? Past history indicates that the City will find a way to increase the budget and hire more people.

A Path Forward – Together

At NassauFLDOGE, we believe in accountability, but we also believe in partnership. City staff and leadership play a critical role in shaping our community’s future, and we respect the work they do.

This conversation isn’t about blame — it’s about balance. We know that residents want a safe, beautiful, well-managed Fernandina Beach. At the same time, they deserve transparency, efficiency, and fiscal discipline from their local government.

Let’s work together — citizens and public servants — to ensure the next ten years reflect smart growth, thoughtful budgeting, and a shared commitment to keeping Fernandina the gem that it is.

What You Can Do

Want to dig into the numbers yourself? Fernandina Beach’s official budgets are available here and putting a new set of eyes (yours!) on the numbers is a good thing: https://www.fbfl.us/417/Budget

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Reconsideration of the Westside Regional Park Investment

Petition to the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners

Subject: Reconsideration of the Westside Regional Park Investment

Dear Commissioners,

We, the undersigned residents of Nassau County, respectfully submit this petition regarding the allocation of public funds toward the development of the Westside Regional Park.

It would surprise many to learn that 82.7% of all Nassau County Ad Valorem taxes are paid by properties located east of Interstate 95. Yet, the County has programmed $22.86 million into the Westside Regional Park, located 20 miles west of Interstate 95 — a location largely inaccessible to the majority of residents who are funding it.

This project spans over 100 acres with an estimated construction cost of $21 million. Although the land was purchased in 2007 for $1.09 million, it has taken 17 years to bring forward a plan, raising additional concerns about the project's long-term viability and true priority.

Over 67% of Nassau County’s population lives in the easternmost zip codes of 32034 and 32097, areas where residents would have to travel up to 35 miles to access the park. Research shows that individuals living more than 10 miles away from a park are unlikely to use it regularly, if at all.

In short: the taxpayers bearing the largest burden for this project are the least likely to benefit from it.

Given these facts, we have serious concerns about whether the Westside Regional Park is the most responsible and equitable use of taxpayer dollars.

We respectfully request the following:

A full public reassessment of the Westside Regional Park's location, accessibility, and return on investment.
Consideration of alternative investments in parks and recreation facilities that are more geographically equitable and accessible to the majority of Nassau County taxpayers.
Greater transparency and opportunity for public input regarding major capital projects moving forward.

We urge you to pause further expenditures on this project until a thorough and transparent review is conducted.

It is time for Nassau County to ensure that public funds are invested fairly, wisely, and in ways that serve the entire community — not just a select portion of it.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

We look forward to your leadership and stewardship of our county’s future.

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