Jax

A.G. GancarskiApril 17, 2017

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry got a political boost today when his allies at the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce endorsed his pension reform package. “This is a collaborative solution that addresses a longstanding issue facing our city finances and balances the interests of taxpayers and our hard-working, dedicated city employees,” JAX Chamber Chair Darnell Smith said. Curry’s […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 17, 2017

The press releases promoting Jacksonville’s celebration of National Community Development Week are similar between 2015 and 2017. Both the 2015 and 2017 versions discuss how much money Duval County has derived from federal Community Development Block Grants. This year’s model says that the city has derived $393M from CDBGs since 1975; the 2015 iteration said it […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 17, 2017

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Duval County School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti may be taking his talents to the Motor City in a matter of weeks — but that’s not stopping him from issuing advice to the Florida Senate before he goes. Vitti’s specific recommendation: to reject during budget conference negotiations the “Schools of Hope” charter school measure embodied in HB 5103, which cleared […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 17, 2017

Jacksonville City Councilman Bill Gulliford sounded the alarm about the city’s opioid overdose crisis a few months back, and has mobilized city and outside resources in a fight to stem the epidemic of avoidable deaths. In March and April, Gulliford scheduled well-publicized meetings to discuss what could be done to stem the tide. Now, the next […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 14, 2017

Corrine Brown faces charges in federal court this month — and the feds have a star studded witness list. Among the names reporters will track starting Apr. 26: Florida Democratic Party Chair Stephen Bittel, former Jacksonville Sheriff Nat Glover, current Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney, Jacksonville superdonors John Baker and Ed Burr, JEA Board member Husein Cumber, Jacksonville lawyer and one-time Democratic […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 14, 2017

If all goes as scheduled, the Jacksonville City Council will vote on whether to enact Mayor Lenny Curry‘s pension reform package later this month. Curry’s political committee wants to ensure the affirmative case for Curry’s audacious pension reform is heard. To that end, the first spots in what is expected to be a six-figure ad buy […]

Phil AmmannApril 14, 2017

Does Al Lawson ‘get’ Jacksonville? Questions still remain as to whether Congressman Lawson understands Jacksonville, as his visits to the Jacksonville City Council Tuesday, and town hall Wednesday indicate. On Tuesday, one could sense among certain council members (specifically, those representing districts that overlap Lawson’s) a grating irritation over Lawson’s constant use of Eureka Garden […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 13, 2017

Gerald Wilkerson, a Jacksonville lawyer specializing in criminal law and family law cases, ran a close race against Mark Hulsey for a 4th Circuit judgeship last year, losing by a close enough margin to require a recount. The campaign was full of drama and intrigue, with Hulsey coming under scrutiny for racist and sexist comments he made […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 13, 2017

Jacksonville Republican Ron Salem has never served on the Jacksonville City Council. Yet he has attended recent meetings on pension reform and the opioid crisis — showing the kind of real interest and engagement that separate him from other candidates, both those who have declared and those teasing a run. Also demonstrating interest and engagement: Salem’s […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 13, 2017

For U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, 2017 is show and prove time — especially for the eastern part of his district. Lawson, who beat Corrine Brown in last year’s Democratic primary before rolling to a general election win against a perennial also-ran Republican candidate, has had difficulty messaging to Jacksonville. Speculation abounds that former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown is […]

Jax
Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Image via AP.

Jax Chamber backs Lenny Curry’s pension reform

With federal block grants in question, Lenny Curry admin watches and waits

Nikolai Vitti to Senators: Reject ‘Schools of Hope’

Jax Councilman to Governor: Declare ‘opioid emergency’ now!

Stephen Bittel among prosecution witnesses in Corrine Brown trial

Lenny Curry political committee makes closing pension argument

Jacksonville Bold for 4.14.17 — My city was gone

Gerald Wilkerson launches run for Duval County Judge

Jax City Council hopeful Ron Salem posts big March numbers

Al Lawson’s first Jacksonville town hall leaves unanswered questions