Jax

A.G. GancarskiAugust 25, 2017

Members of the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee asserted that they felt “targeted” by a poll from the political committee Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams ahead of their inevitable vote to authorize the hire of 100 new police officers. They asserted that the poll was an attempt to pressure them into voting to authorize the hires, before […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 25, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee put Sheriff Mike Williams through the wringer during this year’s budget process. They pushed back against budget asks two weeks ago, compelling the Sheriff to return Friday morning, where he spent roughly an hour answering questions related to a poll his political committee ran. Among the items in suspension: 100 […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 25, 2017

Friday saw the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee move toward wrapping up budget deliberations. However, there was still some unfinished business with various departments. And the most interesting bit of business was political business — not budgetary. — The big enchilada: the 100 new police officers and other proposals from JSO, which were not approved […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 25, 2017

Jacksonville City Council President Anna Brosche doesn’t line up with Councilmen John Crescimbeni and Tommy Hazouri on many issues. Evidence of that was provided this week, with Brosche rejecting their call for a public workshop on dredging the St. Johns River. While they may not see eye to eye on one of the biggest environmental and economic issues […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2017

On Valentine’s Day, the Jacksonville City Council voted to expand the city’s Human Rights Ordinance to include LGBT people. On Thursday, a group of local Christian conservatives, backed by the Liberty Counsel, united under the banner of Empower Jacksonville to challenge that law — and all laws that citizens deem to be “unjust.” Empower Jacksonville seeks […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2017

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry unveiled ambitious reforms to Jacksonville children’s programs earlier this summer. And when he launched the bill at a press conference, 14 Jacksonville City Council members raised their hands in support of the bill he sold to them, one by one, in the days before that high-profile presser. The Jacksonville Children’s Commission and […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2017

Thursday morning’s Jacksonville City Council budget review included a deep dive into improving workforce diversity in city employment. Council members discussed ways to fulfill the letter of the equal opportunity/equal access law, relative to ensuring that Jacksonville’s labor force reflects the city’s demographics. “It’s about priorities. Whatever the Mayor wants to do in that fashion, […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2017

State Rep. Jay Fant has no intentions of withdrawing from the 2018 GOP race for the Attorney General nomination. Indeed, he’s able to point to some traction in his bid for the nomination against better-funded Hillsborough Judge Ashley Moody. Gov. Rick Scott lauded Fant for backing Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida in the last Legislative Session, in one of […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2017

Jacksonville’s pension reform package, passed earlier this year, takes effect Oct. 1 — ensuring that all new hires will be placed into defined contribution plans, rather than defined benefit plans. However, those defined benefit plans have a price tag still, and a looming $3.2B unfunded liability to be addressed down the road, according to the […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2017

Tuesday night saw the Jacksonville City Council reject a bill that would authorize an Aug. 2018 referendum to extend the current two-term limit to three for most city elected officials. The bill, sponsored by second-term Councilman Matt Schellenberg, would have applied to every office but that of mayor. It failed 6-11, however, despite Council President Anna Brosche supporting […]

Jax

Jax progs slam City Council panel for cop hire flip-flop

After venting about poll, Jax Council panel gives Sheriff 100 new cops

Jax Councilors feel ‘targeted’ by Sheriff’s poll pushing 100 new cops

Unlikely allies converge on Jax City Council against ‘texting while driving’

Jax conservatives to make straw ballot challenge to LGBT rights law

Jax Councilors won’t ‘rubberstamp’ Mayor’s children’s program reforms

Jax commitment to workforce diversity: just ‘words on paper’?

‘Business-friendly’ AG hopeful Jay Fant comes home for late-August fundraiser

Jacksonville pension liability looms, but credit markets unfazed

Lenny Curry is ‘glad’ Jacksonville City Council term limit referendum vote failed