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

A.G. GancarskiDecember 30, 2015

In 2014, Jacksonville had the sixth-worst divorce rate in the country. One might think, in that context, that an effort to “defend Jax families” might include marriage counseling or other assistance to couples conquering the rocky shoals of matrimony. One would be wrong. According to the good folks at DefendJaxFamilies.com, an adjunct of Florida Family […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 30, 2015

Laveranues Coles wants to open a strip club. This has now resulted in a lawsuit, and national publicity, revolving around the stated purpose of “opening a club that would feature dancing that would be ‘performed before a consensual audience, all over the age of 18 years, who are desirous of receiving and enjoying the message […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 29, 2015

One more legal challenge remains for Corrine Brown in her attempt to stop the redistricting that would change Congressional District 5 forever. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Brown refiled her federal lawsuit on Tuesday, ahead of a deadline. Brown’s position has been that the current snake-like district, running from the Jacksonville to Orlando areas, aggregates African-American communities of […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 29, 2015

Everyone wants good schools, but getting people (and politicians) to pay for them is a different matter. In St. Johns County, they may have found a way forward … despite the resistance of powerful politicians and “civic leaders” who stood in their way. In November, a referendum passed resoundingly in St. Johns County. It was […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 29, 2015

In late October, Jacksonville public officials trumpeted Google considering Jacksonville for Google Fiber implementation. In the past two months, meetings between public officials and Google representatives have laid out terms, point by point, and a review of city emails reveals a potential sticking point: the pole attachment agreement. Paul Cosgrave, PIO for JEA, lays out […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 29, 2015

One of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry‘s priorities has been public safety. But it’s a new school approach to law and order, one predicated on the assumption that Jacksonville can’t police our way out of its problems, and one rooted in a revival of the Jacksonville Journey. “It’s the right thing to do,” Curry has said. Curry […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 29, 2015

Despite the handwringing in certain quarters about JEA’s annual bond ratings agency trip to New York earlier in December, JEA says it was “excellent.” An email from JEA CFO Melissa Dykes to Kerri Stewart, Chief of Staff of the Lenny Curry administration, credits the Jacksonville mayor. “The rating agency meetings were excellent. In particular, we have received […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 28, 2015

David Bauerlein, in The Florida Times-Union, broke the story of Jacksonville’s lobbyists to represent the city in Tallahassee. An internal email from Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa delineates how Jacksonville’s strategy will unfold with Marty Fiorentino as the point man. “The mayor has decided to have Marty Fiorentino of the Fiorentino Group to become the lead […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 28, 2015

Capital is a finite thing in municipal budgets, and to that end an evaluation matrix for capital investments is floating around Jacksonville’s executive branch. What this will do, in its final form: codify a disciplined approach to capital investment, one rooted in ROI. The seven-page document from Kirk Wendland of the Office of Economic Development offers […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 28, 2015

Internal city of Jacksonville emails reveal that the Candy Apple Café, located across the street from City Hall, seeks to bag parking meters during peak hours. The issue, says Jennifer Earnest of the café, is one of capacity. “Is there any opportunity that we could bag the meters across from our building to create a space […]

A.G. Gancarski

“Defend Jax Families” warns pro-HRO pols: “Your political careers will be over”

Laveranues Coles sues Jacksonville: Why now?

Corrine Brown beats deadline, files lawsuit

St. Johns County school tax referendum: the most overlooked NE Florida story of the year?

Could Jax Google Fiber deal fall through?

Jax Journey revival showing successes already

JEA credits Lenny Curry on “excellent” ratings agency meetings

How the Fiorentino Group will lead Jacksonville lobbying efforts

Details emerge about Jacksonville’s proposed capital investment scoring matrix

Candy Apple Cafe wants meters in bags