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

A.G. GancarskiAugust 17, 2017

Beginning Thursday, the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee will review Mayor Lenny Curry‘s proposed budget. Discussions last week showed an independent streak among the committee’s members, chaired by Curry’s leading City Hall antagonist of the moment, Garrett Dennis. FP talked to Dennis Wednesday evening, after he gave a well-received speech to the Jacksonville Young Democrats Though Dennis’ […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2017

Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett Dennis, just a week after his floor amendments to add more after-school funding to a bill from Mayor Lenny Curry failed, has filed standalone legislation to the same effect. Dennis, via Ordinance 2017-605, seeks to move $1,92M from Council’s contingency account for pension liability to fund these programs. The new money would serve […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2017

A controversial bill to allow a referendum to change Jacksonville’s long-standing two-term limit for many elected officials is slated to return to the Council floor Tuesday evening. Ahead of that, U.S. Term Limits, along with Jacksonville City Councilmen John Crescimbeni, Greg Anderson, and Tommy Hazouri, convened to sound the alarm against relaxing term limits and present a Rasmussen/Pulse […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2017

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The Jacksonville establishment continues to coalesce behind Wyman Duggan as he seeks the GOP nomination in Florida House District 15. On Thursday, U.S. Rep. John Rutherford endorsed Duggan in his bid to replace Rep. Jay Fant, who is running for Attorney General. “Wyman Duggan is a conservative who will serve our community well in Tallahassee. I trust that […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2017

On Wednesday, motions filed by former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown for a new trial and acquittal were denied, setting the stage for a November sentencing. Brown’s motion for a new trial was predicated on a claim that a discharged juror was incorrectly removed. Judge Timothy Corrigan rejected that premise: “Corrine Brown is entitled to a fair trial […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2017

The slogan d’jour: One City, One Jacksonville. But the city’s boards and commissions are largely white and male. And it will take time and work to change that imbalance. Of 332 people currently serving, 65 percent are male — a number not substantially different between City Council appointees (64 percent male) and appointees from other […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2017

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry had a symbiotic relationship with former Duval Schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, including advocating for Vitti’s job security at one point when Vitti was under fire. Vitti has moved on to Detroit. And now Curry is building relationships anew, as exemplified Wednesday morning when the Mayor met with current Interim Superintendent Pat Willis and School […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2017

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s autonomous vehicle program is progressing apace, and the next step: a test track. Emails between city officials reveal that track may be in one of the highest-visibility areas in the city. A Friday email from Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa laid it out. Mousa wrote that “the JTA has approached the City […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 15, 2017

Another day, another port of call — or two — for Florida Gov. Rick Scott. In Jacksonville Tuesday, Scott reprised a call he made in Orlando Monday: to put a constitutional amendment on next year’s ballot that would require any tax or fee hikes to be approved by a supermajority of the Florida Legislature. While it’s still […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 15, 2017

During a Jacksonville press gaggle Tuesday, Mayor Lenny Curry warned of “chatter” heard by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in the wake of Council President Anna Brosche‘s proposal to remove Confederate monuments. Curry comments came during questions to Gov. Rick Scott and him regarding the proposed removal of these monuments — a proposal fraught with controversy locally, with that controversy […]

A.G. Gancarski

Jacksonville Council Finance Chair: ‘I didn’t plan on being opposition to the Mayor’

Garrett Dennis pushes for more Jax after-school money; Lenny Curry questions funding mechanism

Backed by poll, Jacksonville Councilmembers push two-term limit

John Rutherford endorses HD 15 Republican Wyman Duggan

Corrine Brown denied request for new trial & acquittal, will be sentenced in November

Diversity presents recurring challenge for Jacksonville boards, commissions

Lenny Curry urges Duval Schools to retain Interim Supe through academic year

JTA autonomous vehicle test track headed to Jax Sports Complex

Rick Scott brings tax initiative roadshow to Jacksonville

Lenny Curry warns of ‘chatter from outside groups’ opposed to Confederate monument removal