Jax

A.G. GancarskiAugust 22, 2017

Two sheets of paper illustrate the gap between current reality and future needs for the Republican Party of Duval County. The first sheet of paper shows the Duval GOP’s current financial situation. Spoiler alert: they may need to hold a bake sale soon. July was not a huge month for “income,” with $94 coming in. […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 21, 2017

Should Jacksonville hire 100 more police officers? Should Jacksonville remove its Confederate monuments? Should legislators get three terms instead of two? These are the hot-button questions that are expected to drive public comment Tuesday night, setting the stage for acrimony and theater, for low invective and high drama not seen since the city passed the […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 21, 2017

Bloomberg Intelligence strategist Eric Kazatsky offered some cautionary words about Jacksonville’s bonds this week, relevant as the city continues to attempt to improve its perception in the eyes of ratings agencies. “Despite stable fund and cash balances,” Kazatsky writes, “the city has been challenged by a steadily increasing fixed-cost ratio, which could put downward pressure on […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 21, 2017

Last week, the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board called for a public workshop on dredging the St. Johns River. While it appears that some members of the Jacksonville City Council, as of Friday, were open to a shade meeting due to JAXPORT‘s concerns about legal exposure, JEPB Chair Nick Howland backed the call for a hearing in the […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 21, 2017

Directly after what is certain to be an edifying round of public comment regarding the future of Jacksonville’s Confederate monuments, the City Council is poised to feather its own bed Tuesday evening. Councilors will vote to authorize an Aug. 2018 referendum that could, if passed, end the quarter-century long practice of term limits for most […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 21, 2017

Last week in Jacksonville politics, it was the Anna Brosche show. She was at the center of every news cycle for a provocative proposal to mothball Confederate monuments. There are some who would say that, just as Jacksonville was set to experience a solar eclipse Monday afternoon, there was a commensurate eclipse of political capital for […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 18, 2017

On Friday, the Jax Chamber issued a statement after its Board of Directors meeting, backing the City Council President’s call for an inventory of Confederate monuments. However, they did not call for removal of those monuments — as the Council President did on Monday … before seemingly walking back that position under fire this week. […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 18, 2017

Friday afternoon saw the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee mull the JAXPORT capital budget — and the big item of interest was dredging. Councilman Tommy Hazouri — not a member of that committee — visited and raised standing questions he’s had about a lack of public discourse on dredging. And he wasn’t the only Council member […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 18, 2017

On Thursday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry teased an “important announcement” Friday regarding after-school program funding. Curry Tweeted a picture of himself with Finance Committee member Reggie Brown and members of the Boys and Girls Club, suggesting a compromise solution that would, perhaps, preempt Finance Chair Garrett Dennis‘ latest bid for more after-school funding by essentially providing the […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 18, 2017

Friday morning saw the Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee review the Mayor’s proposed capital budgets for JEA. The discussion sprawled close to 90 minutes — double the allotted time — and was one in which budget line items were often directly related to equity in services throughout the city. ____ JEA was up first. The […]

Jax

Undercapitalized Duval GOP sets course for 2018 election

‘Significant public comment’ expected at Jacksonville City Council Tuesday

Bloomberg warns of ‘downward pressure’ on Jacksonville’s credit rating

Jax Environmental Protection Board calls for dredging workshop

Term limit two-step resumes Tuesday for Jacksonville City Council

Confederate monuments and an eclipse of political capital in Jacksonville

Jax Chamber backs Confederate monument ‘inventory’; Anna Brosche modifies position

Dredging draws intense scrutiny in JAXPORT budget review

‘Gangs can’t have our kids’: Lenny Curry boosts Jax after-school program funding

Jax City Councilors mull JEA budget, ‘broken promises’ of Consolidation