JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville City Councilman Nick Howland is again putting pressure on the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) — this time to contribute $29 million toward a joint aviation workforce development project at Cecil Airport with Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ).
But Action News Jax has learned that despite a year-long campaign, mounting documentation shows JAA has repeatedly refused the request and others, citing federal restrictions, financial limitations, and what appears to be an increasingly fractured relationship between Howland and JAA leadership.
The project, aimed at training aerospace and defense maintenance technicians, promises to deliver high-paying jobs averaging $75,000/year, a workforce boost Howland says Jacksonville urgently needs. However, emails obtained by Action News Jax Ben Becker ahead of Friday’s pivotal finance committee meeting - where Howland will push to change JAA’s charter - show a far more complicated reality behind the scenes.
A Turbulent History
Tensions date back more than a year. In a July 2024 email, Howland demanded a meeting with JAA leadership, accusing the authority of not taking his “revenue diversion inquiries seriously.”
Then, in September 2024, he accused JAA CEO Tony Cugno of misrepresenting his funding requests to the FAA’s Area District Office in Orlando, after Cugno told federal officials that JAA was being asked to “divert operating revenue and cash reserves to the City of Jacksonville for the purpose of financing various city projects, infrastructure, charities, etc that have no direct benefit to JAA’s airport system.”
Howland pushed back, saying he simply wanted help with raising power lines over the St. Johns River and funding the FSCJ aviation school - both of which he argued would benefit the region, not divert revenue.
FAA Says No
The Federal Aviation Administration has not been persuaded.
In a January 2025 letter, the FAA explicitly forbade the use of airport funds for anything related to the proposed FSCJ project — including labor, renovations, or even furniture — unless the benefit was directly tied to air transportation.
While the FAA left a narrow door open for leasing hangar space at below-market rates, JAA again denied Howland’s request in April, holding firm that the project still doesn’t qualify under FAA guidelines.
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That hasn’t stopped Howland. In June, he contacted JAA legal counsel Jason Knox, asking if the agency could “challenge” the FAA’s ruling that the school is “NOT directly and substantially related to air transportation.”
Internal Budget Tensions
Documents show Howland intends to ask pointed questions about JAA’s balance sheet and cash flows at Friday’s finance hearing, where JAA will present its budget over a two-hour window — the longest of any independent agency.
JEA and JTA will also be presenting. Howland, initially claiming the FSCJ deal involved “no dollars,” later clarified he meant no dollars for the city, not JAA. He told Becker that a deal is still possible, and hinted at bigger changes ahead.
Howland’s Full Statement to Action News Jax:
“JAA and I continue to explore opportunities to put their sizable cash reserves to better use for the community, including investments in infrastructure and workforce development. While the FAA restricts the use of Airport money off airport property, it encourages investment on airport property. I am exploring a revision to our City charter that would formalize JAA’s role in workforce and economic development at its Cecil Field property, with a focus on the Aerospace industry. In parallel, we will look closely at JAA‘s budget during upcoming hearings to ensure Cecil is getting the capital investment in needs. Creating jobs for Jacksonville families remains one of my top priorities. Given Otto Aviation’s recent decision to relocate here, Cecil Field has the potential to be an enormous job growth engine for our community.”
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The Runway Ahead
While Howland continues to frame the FSCJ aviation school as an economic driver for Jacksonville — particularly as companies like Otto Aviation expand — JAA appears to remain bound by federal aviation law. Unless that changes or legal workarounds are found, funding for the $29 million project remains uncertain.
Action News Jax will be at Friday’s finance committee meeting and will bring you updates on whether Councilman Howland gains any traction - or whether the stalemate continues.
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