Former JTA board member says she warned officials about agency’s financial situation – News4JAX

Former JTA board member says she warned officials about agency’s financial situation  News4JAX

Reactions continued to pour in after the Jacksonville Transportation Authority announced plans to cut roughly 150 positions and reduce services as it works to trim $39 million from its budget. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Reactions continued to pour in after the Jacksonville Transportation Authority announced plans to cut roughly 150 positions and reduce services as it works to trim $39 million from its budget. A former JTA board member and some city leaders say the agency’s financial struggles did not happen overnight and that warning signs were ignored. Megan Hayward, who served on the JTA board for about a year and a half before she was removed, said she repeatedly questioned spending on projects including NAVI, the agency’s autonomous vehicle program.

“I looked at Donna before I left, and I said, if you guys do not take this seriously, this is going to be your JEA scandal. And here we are,” Hayward said, referring to Mayor Donna Deegan. Hayward said the cost of the NAVI project grew by more than $20 million beyond its original projection of about $250 million. “It had ballooned already, like over $20 million from the original cost that had been projected,” she said. In her opinion, Hayward said, the spending reflected “complete ego and hubris” by Deegan and JTA’s executive team. “It could have been avoided