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

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 13, 2017

As we reported last week, the city of Jacksonville is working toward creating a “central receiving facility” for mental health issues. The good news: the city has secured a $15 million grant from the state of Florida. The bad news: the $7.5 million needed, as a local match has been slow in coming. All told, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 13, 2017

Friday saw Jacksonville’s stakeholders convene at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday breakfast. The second of these breakfasts for Mayor Lenny Curry, his prepared remarks were focused on service. However, the city is working through a number of active civil rights issues. Among them: expansion of the Human Rights Ordinance to include LGBT people, and a […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 13, 2017

A letter from the city of Jacksonville’s Office of Economic Development to the family business of Councilwoman Katrina Brown demanded repayment for economic incentive money that didn’t create jobs. On Jan. 5, a Certified Letter was sent from OED to CoWealth, LLC, noting that the city received the “required annual surveys” for 2012 to 2015, in which […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 12, 2017

For the third straight year, Rep. Kristin Jacobs filed a bill in the Florida House to ban Kratom. However, this time is different for Jacobs, who submitted her proposal earlier this month. Not only is she carrying a bill that already failed twice, but Jacobs also decided to sell the bill by calling the Kratom lobby “just […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 12, 2017

Northeast Florida Democrats were incensed last year at being disenfranchised in closed GOP primaries for state attorney and public defender. Now, one of their own — House District 13 Rep. Tracie Davis — has filed a bill in the Florida House to remedy that condition. And her political mentor, Sen. Audrey Gibson, filed the Senate version. House […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 12, 2017

A bill filed Thursday in the Florida Senate would fast-track court rulings in challenges to electoral district boundaries, while requiring current boundaries to be used if the ruling isn’t rendered in a timely fashion. Senate Bill 352, filed by Elkton Republican Travis Hutson, seeks to resolve uncertainty among candidates and voters alike – a utilitarian […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 12, 2017

A former Northeast Florida state legislator and his wife who failed in running to succeed him face state ethics commission hearings on Jan 27. Former Rep. Charles Van Zant and his wife Katherine each face separate hearings covering the same material. The ethics complaints against the former state representative and his wife involve failure to […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 11, 2017

On Wednesday morning, the city of Jacksonville enhanced its pension/benefits offer to the police union. Wednesday afternoon saw a similar conversation with the fire union. Just as with the police union negotiations, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry was on hand at the fire union. The tone was more genial, with Curry and Wyse joking about some matters ahead […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 11, 2017

The city of Jacksonville and its police union resumed collective bargaining for the first time since November on Tuesday, with the sides starting far apart. The daylight between labor and management was significant as last year closed. There’s less daylight after the Wednesday session. The city made an improved offer, one which offers a bigger city […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 11, 2017

A bill filed in the Florida Senate on Wednesday would hike penalties for moving companies who hire felons and give them access to customers’ homes and property. Senate Bill 336, filed by Elkton Republican Sen. Travis Hutson, would amend statute related to residential movers, penalizing companies that fail to disclose in writing that a moving company […]

A.G. Gancarski

More details emerge on Jacksonville ‘central receiving center’ proposal for mental health

The “long game” of the civil rights struggle looms over Jacksonville MLK breakfast

City of Jacksonville to council woman’s business: pay up the $210K you owe us

State lawmaker gets national attention for comparing Kratom lobby to Adolf Hitler

Florida House bill seeks non-partisan elections for state attorneys, public defenders

Florida Senate bill seeks expedited hearings for district map changes

Former Rep. Charles Van Zant and wife to face state ethics commission in January

Jacksonville, fire union make conceptual progress in pension reform talks

Lenny Curry sweetens pension offer to Jacksonville police, gives 30 days to respond

Florida Senate bill would hike penalties for felon movers