Jax

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 14, 2016

Jacksonville City Councilwoman Anna Brosche ran a textbook campaign to get elected in her at-large race, projecting an image of serene competence in an electoral battle against the then-incumbent, Kimberly Daniels. Brosche, a CPA, won in last May’s election handily, and since getting on the council, has not missed a beat. While some elected to the […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 14, 2016

Former Jacksonville mayoral Chief of Staff Chris Hand is a believer in representative democracy. Concomitant with those beliefs, a belief in reform, which he outlined this week in the Orlando Sentinel. The entire piece is worth a read, as Hand outlines problems with elections in the Sunshine State in 2016 … and potential solutions. One issue that bedevils […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 14, 2016

In every crisis, there is an opportunity. And the City of Jacksonville seeks to exploit the crisis the state of North Carolina faces, after its legislature passed anti-LGBT legislation earlier this year. As First Coast News reports, the NCAA is prepared to move seven championship events — including NCAA basketball tournament action, as well as soccer, lacrosse, […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 14, 2016

Jacksonville has well-documented blight issues: so well documented, in fact, there was a city council special committee to deal with that issue alone. Though legislation was passed earlier in 2016 regarding the city’s inventory of 436 tax-reverted parcels, the reality is that the number of properties with active liens on them dwarf that. Liens can be imposed […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 13, 2016

On Tuesday night, the Jacksonville City Council unanimously approved an ordinance intended to keep a firmer legislative hand on boards and commissions. The genesis of this bill was the 2013-14 Task Force on Consolidated Government, which found some boards were effectively useless, with sporadic meeting schedules. The bill amends the ordinance section on Boards and Commissions — to add […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 13, 2016

Olympian Michelle Kwan is regarded by many as the greatest figure skater in U.S. history. In the 2016 campaign, she isn’t trying to win medals or accolades for herself; rather, her goal is to help Hillary Clinton win the White House. And to that end, Kwan serves as a surrogate outreach coordinator for the Clinton campaign […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 13, 2016

Like any smart governor, Florida Gov. Rick Scott knows the importance of the National Guard and the military — both in Florida and in points far beyond. In Jacksonville Tuesday to bestow 244 Governor’s Veteran Service Award medals, Gov. Scott noted the contributions of members of the guard, which range from having 200 on active status […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 13, 2016

Will the third time be the charm for the efforts to expand Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance? In 2012, a fully inclusive bill fell by a margin of 17 to 2. A modified bill lost by a much-smaller margin of 10 to 9, with a councilman — Johnny Gaffney — saying he’d gotten confused when he voted. Gaffney […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 12, 2016

State Rep. Reggie Fullwood is an optimistic man — optimistic enough to run for re-election even with 14 federal felony counts hanging over his head. Fullwood, a Jacksonville Democrat, won his primary. But it turns out federal prosecutors might be a tougher out than Tracie Davis, Lee Brown, or J.R. Gaillot were on the August ballot. **** Fullwood filed a motion […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 12, 2016

2016 has been a good year for JTA CEO Nat Ford, especially in terms of his dealings with the American Public Transportation Association. Back in May, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority won the 2016 “Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award” from APTA, in the midsize transportation systems category. Ford’s vision, which includes a new regional transportation hub […]

Jax

Anna Brosche talks budget, council leadership, and HRO

Chris Hand outlines a path toward electoral reform

Could lack of HRO expansion hurt Jacksonville with NCAA? Lenny Curry’s not worried.

Jacksonville considers ‘batch foreclosures’ to solve residential blight

Jax Council to take firmer hand on boards, commissions

Michelle Kwan to stump for Hillary Clinton in NE Florida Wednesday, Thursday

In Jacksonville, Rick Scott bestows 244 service medals on veterans

Why Jax HRO expansion advocates feel optimistic

Feds eviscerate Reggie Fullwood’s motion to dismiss charges

JTA CEO Nat Ford elected vice chair of national transportation association