A.G. Gancarski, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2017

Thursday morning’s Jacksonville City Council budget review included a deep dive into improving workforce diversity in city employment. Council members discussed ways to fulfill the letter of the equal opportunity/equal access law, relative to ensuring that Jacksonville’s labor force reflects the city’s demographics. “It’s about priorities. Whatever the Mayor wants to do in that fashion, […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2017

Whether Democratic state Rep. Daisy Baez actually lives in South Florida’s House District 114 will be investigated by a select House subcommittee on member conduct. A Thursday memo from Speaker Richard Corcoran agreed there is “probable cause” for an inquiry, in response to an earlier memo earlier from Rep. Larry Metz, chair of the Public Integrity and Ethics Committee. The […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2017

State Rep. Jay Fant has no intentions of withdrawing from the 2018 GOP race for the Attorney General nomination. Indeed, he’s able to point to some traction in his bid for the nomination against better-funded Hillsborough Judge Ashley Moody. Gov. Rick Scott lauded Fant for backing Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida in the last Legislative Session, in one of […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2017

Jacksonville’s pension reform package, passed earlier this year, takes effect Oct. 1 — ensuring that all new hires will be placed into defined contribution plans, rather than defined benefit plans. However, those defined benefit plans have a price tag still, and a looming $3.2B unfunded liability to be addressed down the road, according to the […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2017

Tuesday night saw the Jacksonville City Council reject a bill that would authorize an Aug. 2018 referendum to extend the current two-term limit to three for most city elected officials. The bill, sponsored by second-term Councilman Matt Schellenberg, would have applied to every office but that of mayor. It failed 6-11, however, despite Council President Anna Brosche supporting […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council located money via leftover fund balance from the current fiscal year, leading to discussions on Wednesday of how to spend the roughly $5 million on capital projects. One big project — Ortega Hills land acquisition — may help to solve a long-standing problem in the neighborhood, which sees ingress and egress […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2017

This summer, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry proposed a $131M capital improvement budget — a cornucopia of one-time spending designed to take advantage of budget relief created by pension reform, fueled by the confidence created by Jacksonville’s strong position with bond ratings agencies. And on Wednesday, the Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee — along with visiting Council […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2017

Should Jacksonville remove its Confederate monuments? It was the hot-button question that animated public comment at a Jacksonville City Council meeting Tuesday night. The monument debate, saved for the main event of the evening, roiled Council for hours. Though Council President Anna Brosche walked back her proposal to remove the monuments, in light of “alternative suggestions,” those […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2017

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry prioritized improving the city’s financial picture as a candidate in 2015, and in 2017 there was strong evidence that happened. The city has strong bond ratings — AA- — and the market’s confidence was reflected in $388 million of offers on $145M worth of bonds this week. Curry noted Wednesday that “demand […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2017

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is endorsing his fellow Republican, Atlantic Beach Mayor Mitch Reeves, for re-election. “Having a great partner in the Beaches is integral to the shared success of our cities. Whether it’s public safety or protecting the investment of taxpayers,” Curry said on Wednesday, “Mayor Mitch Reeves is someone I can trust to get the […]

A.G. Gancarski

Jax commitment to workforce diversity: just ‘words on paper’?

Special House panel will investigate Daisy Baez residency

‘Business-friendly’ AG hopeful Jay Fant comes home for late-August fundraiser

Jacksonville pension liability looms, but credit markets unfazed

Lenny Curry is ‘glad’ Jacksonville City Council term limit referendum vote failed

Solution emerges to stalled train problem in Jacksonville’s Ortega Hills

$8.4M for Edward Waters College? Controversy on Jax City Council

Confederate monument controversy roils Jacksonville City Council meeting

Lenny Curry: Jacksonville is ‘on good financial ground right now’

Lenny Curry backs Atlantic Beach Mayor Mitch Reeves’ re-election bid