Melissa Ross, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Melissa RossApril 16, 2015

Downtown Investment Authority CEO Aundra Wallace denies that Shad Khan has the inside track on his proposal to develop Jacksonville’s vacant Shipyards property- even though 40% of the evaluation criteria is based on “respondents’ financial capacity.” “That is absolutely not the case,” says Wallace, who will evaluate proposals along with two other members of the DIA […]

Melissa RossApril 15, 2015

Appearing in front of a fire station on the city’s Northwest Side, Mayor Alvin Brown touted the endorsements of the city’s Brotherhood of Police Officers and Firefighters, saying he’s got the better plan to improve Jacksonville’s public safety. The organizations primarily represent African-American police and fire personnel. As recently as December, their blessings were not […]

Melissa RossApril 15, 2015

St. Augustine’s 450th commemoration this fall may include a visit from Felipe IV and Letizia, the King and Queen of Spain. Not only that, the organizers are seeking a papal designation for the event. “We are celebrating the Spanish founding of America,” said Dana Ste. Claire, director of the 450th Commemoration. “The King and Queen of Spain are very […]

Melissa RossApril 14, 2015

North Florida U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, says in an email to constituents that President Barack Obama is engaged in a “naked concession to the Castro dictatorship” by removing Cuba from the administration’s list of state sponsors of terrorism. “The removal of Cuba from the list of […]

Melissa RossApril 14, 2015

Former South Florida Congressman and Fox News contributor Allen West is sounding the alarm about Muslim immigrants, saying the U.S. is absorbing about 100,000 eannually and that the State Department “has a ‘secret’ list of 190 cities ‘selected’ for refugee settlement.” The claims appear on West’s website in a piece written by Editor-in-Chief Michele Hickford. Writes Hickford, “Between […]

Melissa RossApril 14, 2015

Is Florida ready for online voting? According to an email from the state’s League of Women Voters, it should be. The Action Alert from president Deirdre Macnab states that “online voter registration took another step towards becoming a reality, with bills in the Senate and House passing through committees.” “Governor Rick Scott, however, has made […]

Melissa RossApril 13, 2015

State Rep. Charles McBurney of Jacksonville says a video making the rounds on progressive blogs has been taken out of context. McBurney is being lit up in the liberal blogosphere after seeming to cut off 10-year-old Nathaniel Gill from testifying against legislation that would allow adoption agencies to turn away same-sex parents from adopting a child by […]

Melissa RossApril 13, 2015

Calling himself “the least political member” of his famous political family, Neil Bush is preparing to visit Florida to say his older brother, Jeb, is likely to run for president “to make the world a better place.” “I think he’s had an extraordinary track record leading the state of Florida,” said Bush, the chairman of the […]

Melissa RossApril 10, 2015

The latest salvo in Jacksonville’s long-running battle over its pension problems comes from City Councilwoman Lori Boyer. Boyer has filed legislation that would reduce pension benefits for police and firefighters that are hired on starting Oct. 1. It’s an aggressive move and apparently the first time someone on the council has filed a measure stating […]

Melissa RossApril 9, 2015

Standing in the shadow of the city’s Tillie Fowler Memorial, a bipartisan group of female supporters endorsed incumbent Mayor Alvin Brown for re-election, saying Brown kept his promises and has empowered women and men alike to succeed. The group included former WNBA President and Generation W founder Donna Orender and Brown’s former Chief Administrative Officer Karen […]

Melissa Ross
U.S. District Court

Jax Shipyards property now has three suitors

Jacksonville’s black firefighters, police endorse Alvin Brown

Visit by Spain’s royal couple foreseen for St. Augustine’s 450th birthday

Email Insights: Ron DeSantis blasts Cuba’s removal from terrorism list

Allen West: “Secret” list of cities for Muslim immigrants

Email Insights: State League of Women Voters pushes online voter registration

Charles McBurney: Video flap over gay adoption bill taken out of context

Neil Bush visits Florida, says brother Jeb has “a good shot” at presidency

New salvo in Jacksonville pension wars

Leading women endorse Alvin Brown at Tillie Fowler memorial