To: Jacksonville City Leaders, Florida State Representatives, and JEA Leadership 

We, the residents of Jacksonville and surrounding communities, are calling for immediate transparency, accountability, and an independent review of JEA’s recent rate increases and financial decisions that are impacting hardworking families across Northeast Florida.

Over the past year, JEA customers have experienced multiple rate increases that have directly raised the cost of essential utility services. JEA announced rate adjustments that impacted electric, water, and sewer customers, including an average residential increase of approximately 3.7%, followed by additional increases approved for the following fiscal year.

Source: https://www.jea.com/About/Media_Relations/2025_03_25_JEA_Board_Approves_Rate_Adjustments/

While rate increases are sometimes necessary to maintain infrastructure and provide reliable service, Jacksonville residents deserve answers about why everyday customers are being asked to pay more while questions remain about JEA’s collection of millions of dollars in outstanding fees and financial obligations.

Recent reporting has raised concerns about millions of dollars in unpaid or uncollected JEA-related fees involving large customers, including issues involving capacity fees and collection practices.

Source: https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/24000-difference-documents-reveal-widespread-issues-with-uncollected-jea-capacity-fees/U7IZEZDNA5FSTKWUHY7M7IIGHM/

Residents should not be forced to carry the financial burden of poor collection practices, billing issues, or missed revenue opportunities.

A public utility exists to serve the public.

Electricity, working air conditioning, and basic lighting are not luxuries. In Florida, reliable power is a necessity for health, safety, and daily life. Families should not be put in a position where they have to decide between paying their electric bill and buying groceries, paying for medical needs, or covering other essential expenses.

The current economic environment has already placed enormous pressure on working families. The cost of housing, insurance, food, and everyday necessities continues to rise. Another increase in essential utility costs creates additional hardship for residents who are already struggling to keep up.

We are asking our elected officials and JEA leadership to:

• Conduct a full review of JEA’s recent rate increases and financial justification.

• Investigate whether JEA has properly collected all outstanding balances and fees owed by large commercial customers.

• Ensure residential customers are not being asked to absorb costs that could have been prevented through stronger financial oversight.

• Increase transparency around JEA’s budgeting, collections, and rate-setting decisions.

• Protect Jacksonville families from unnecessary financial strain.

Jacksonville residents deserve a utility system that is transparent, accountable, and focused on serving the people who depend on it every day.

We are not asking for unreliable service. We are asking for responsible leadership, fair pricing, and accountability.

Sign this petition to demand that JEA and our elected officials investigate these rate increases and ensure that the burden of financial decisions does not fall unfairly on everyday citizens.