Jax

A.G. GancarskiApril 12, 2017

A Wednesday afternoon meeting of the Jacksonville City Council was intended to facilitate deeper inquiry into Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry‘s ambitious pension reform package. However, the big news was the downward impact of adjustments to payroll growth projections and COLA calculations after Monday’s meeting of the Police and Fire Pension Fund. “We still save a lot. […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 12, 2017

U.S. Rep. Al Lawson made some time Tuesday evening for the Jacksonville City Council, attending their regular meeting. Lawson, from Tallahassee, has had an interesting time navigating Jacksonville’s political world since he began his race to unseat local Corrine Brown last year. With questions and concerns about how engaged Lawson is with Jacksonville issues, and the very […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 11, 2017

An important milestone for proposed pension reforms by Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry was given the green light by the state of Florida this week. State retirement system actuarial experts signed off on the reform package, saying that the financials are clear and consistent with law, for all three plans: General Employees, Corrections, and Police and Fire […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 11, 2017

A Jacksonville protest against military action in Syria went ugly Friday evening; many protesters were arrested, with one getting medical treatment. Meanwhile, counter-protester Gary Snow, a fixture for almost a year at left-leaning Jacksonville protests, as well as political events on the right, escaped without charges. However, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams told us Tuesday that Snow, […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 11, 2017

Jacksonville’s Eureka Garden apartment complex has been in the news for a number of years. First came the crime reports. Then came reports about mold, broken windows, gas leaks, and other infrastructural nightmares for the 400-unit HUD complex on Jacksonville’s Westside. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio called for reforms to the HUD process, and […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 11, 2017

March offered northeast Florida’s state legislators a window to fundraise before the Legislative Session kicked off. Some took advantage of it, such as state Sen. Aaron Bean, who brought in $11,000 via $500 and $1,000 checks on Mar. 6. The Fernandina Beach Republican spent over $7,000 in March, including over $1,000 with Wal-Mart, and $1,497 […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 10, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council is currently mulling a raft of bills that could change the way the city handles pensions forever. 2017-257 creates a new ordinance section: Chapter 776 (Pension Liability Surtax). Bill 2017-258 affects the general employees and correctional worker plans, closing the extant defined benefit plans to those hired after Oct. 1, 2017, and […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 10, 2017

What happens when the Americans for Disabilities Act meets a Jacksonville zoning overlay? A headache, some litigation, and, eventually, attempts by all parties to arrive at a workable compromise. Emphasis on the word “attempts,” as seemingly everyone outside of the lawyers who reached the compromise found something at which to balk. A bill that would […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 10, 2017

Rep. Al Lawson will spend some of this week in Jacksonville, with plans to speak at the Tuesday evening meeting of the City Council. The meeting, which begins at 5:00 p.m., will offer the Tallahassee Democrat his first opportunity to address Jacksonville’s 19 legislators. Lawson, replacing Rep. Corrine Brown (who was noted for her ability to “deliver” […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 10, 2017

Prologue: A Monday meeting of the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund centered around the ultimate actuarial impact of Lenny Curry‘s pension reform package, with presented actuarial analysis from the board proving to be more pessimistic than that of the city about rates of tax revenue growth, payroll growth, and amortization schedule. Ultimately, not much of that mattered […]

Jax

‘Slight adjustments’ drive City Council pushback to Jax pension reform projections

Al Lawson addresses Jacksonville City Council

Florida Division of Retirement gives green light to Lenny Curry pension reform

Jax Sheriff: Gary Snow a ‘catalyst’ of Hemming Park protest melee

Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Al Lawson talk HUD reform in Jacksonville

Keith Perry, Audrey Gibson pace northeast Florida fundraising in March

Jax City Council auditor’s office raises pension questions

Springfield Overlay zoning change legislation draws scrutiny in public notice meeting

Al Lawson to address Jacksonville City Council Tuesday

Jax PFPF questions payroll growth assumptions in city pension plan