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

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 22, 2016

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In a conversation Friday, state Rep. Lake Ray talked with FloridaPolitics.com about the biggest bill this session for Jacksonville: the proposed extension of the Better Jacksonville Plan half-cent sales surtax to address the unfunded liability with public pensions. Ray, a co-sponsor of the House version of the bill, described the legislative effort as a “work […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 22, 2016

Duval GOP Chairman Lake Ray and Duval Democratic Party Chairman Neil Henrichsen are working together on a campaign more important than almost any other. A campaign to end hunger. On a rainy Friday morning at the northwest Jacksonville headquarters of Feeding Northeast Florida, the two chairmen pledged their cooperation in a campaign to end hunger […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 22, 2016

While there’s no expectation that U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown and R&B rapper/singer Ne-Yo will be recording together in the near future, they will share the same red carpet on Saturday in Atlanta for the Trumpet Awards. “I am honored to be a 2016 Trumpet Awards recipient, and pledge to continue my work in the arena of civil […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 21, 2016

The second of two big public notice meetings of Jacksonville City Council members Thursday involved a familiar subject: the subpoenas of Police and Fire Pension Fund material, requested last year as part of the “forensic audit” of the pension fund that some on Council regard as gospel, and that others outside of Council regard as blasphemy. […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 21, 2016

Establishment momentum is building for the Competitive Workforce Act, with the Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce signing on in support Thursday. “As Florida’s first, and only, statewide business advocacy organization concentrated on the Hispanic business community, we strongly support passing the Competitive Workforce Act,” said FSHCC President and CEO Julio Fuentes. “Hispanics have powered Florida’s […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 21, 2016

On Thursday, Jacksonville City Council members Lori Boyer and Aaron Bowman convened to discuss a piece of cure legislation, intended to resolve Council’s budget night decision to move $330,799 from stormwater to safety officer salaries. Before that meeting, I talked with Fire Chief Kurtis Wilson about the need for safety officers, something that has gotten obscured in the procedural drama […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 21, 2016

Two interesting Jacksonville City Council public notice meetings are slated for Thursday, and both of them have to do with public safety-related legal concerns. At 1 p.m, Councilwoman Anna Brosche meets with Council VP Lori Boyer regarding 2015-783, the so-called Cure Legislation to resolve a controversial budget night allocation of $330,799 from the stormwater budget to salaries for […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 21, 2016

The race to succeed Matt Gaetz in HD 4 saw its first straw poll Wednesday on Okaloosa Island. And Destin Mayor Mel Ponder ran away with it. In a five person race, Ponder took almost 50 percent of the 78 votes cast. Ponder’s 35 votes almost doubled that of Jonathan Tallman, one of three political neophytes in the […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 21, 2016

A fun little #jaxpol fight, reported on by First Coast News: Keith Haring’s Ghost Vs the Man Who Would Be Council Vice President. At issue: the Urban Arts Program, a seeming reaction to local painter Chip Southworth, who under the guise of “Keith Haring’s Ghost,” painted Haring-esque images on the drab exteriors of traffic control boxes. […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 20, 2016

Jacksonville’s Land Use and Zoning committee unanimously approved a bill setting guidelines for cultivation and dispensing facilities for low-THC cannabis on Wednesday. Not before a brief hiccup. Councilman Aaron Bowman commented, “We did this because we thought we’d be one of the approved sites [for cultivation], but we weren’t.” Since Jacksonville isn’t going to be an approved […]

A.G. Gancarski

Lake Ray says “hurdles” remain in passing Jax pension tax plan

Duval Democratic, GOP chairmen campaign together against NE Florida hunger

Corrine Brown, Ne-Yo to receive award Saturday

Jax Council renews call for transparency from Police and Fire Pension Fund

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce backs Competitive Workforce Act

Jax Safety Officer salary cure legislation moves closer to reality

Interesting public notice meetings in Jax Thursday

Mel Ponder dominates first HD 4 straw poll

John Crescimbeni versus Keith Haring’s ghost

Jax Land Use panel OKs low-THC cannabis bill