Jax

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 6, 2016

On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council Transportation, Energy, and Utilities (TEU) committee mulled a resolution regarding moving the Inspector General‘s office into the City Hall building and consolidating some employees and space with the Ethics Department. Ultimately, the bill was deferred for two cycles. Yet the discussion revealed unresolved conflicts between Council VP John Crescimbeni and the […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 6, 2016

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The only truly contested race for the state House left in Northeast Florida is between incumbent Democrat Reggie Fullwood and Republican challenger Mark Griffin in House District 13. Last week, Fullwood expressed confidence he will win re-election in his heavily Democratic district, citing his work with constituents and the reluctance of Democrats to cross over and vote Republican […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 6, 2016

U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown and Ronnie Simmons, her chief of staff, will be at the federal courthouse in Jacksonville Wednesday for separate hearings regarding their counsel — or lack thereof — in the blockbuster One Door for Education case. Simmons’ lawyer, Anthony Suarez, may have a conflict that precludes him from representing Simmons. In a different matter, Suarez represented a prosecution […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 6, 2016

On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council’s Neighborhoods, Community Investment, and Services committee had a light agenda. Just one bill came up — a proposed transfer of $422,441 from the “Pinnacle-Fidelity Global Project” to public investment policy funds for economically distressed areas. The committee voted in favor of that, 3 to 1, with Chairman Scott Wilson the no vote. […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 6, 2016

While some Northeast Florida Republicans may be just fine supporting Democrat Al Lawson in the race in Florida’s 5th Congressional District, Republican Glo Smith is running … and attracting national firepower in support. On Sept. 24, Glo Smith’s campaign promises “An Evening with Herman Cain.” The location for the CD 5 Republican’s event is still being determined. Cain, a former […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 5, 2016

Most people outside of Putnam County never saw it coming until the very end. In the House District 19 race to succeed Charles Van Zant, expectations were that Katherine Van Zant or former Florida GOP chair Leslie Dougher would win. Both had bigger names. Van Zant had more money. An interested party made sure that media throughout Northeast […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 4, 2016

Incumbent Mark Hulsey is under investigation for racist and sexist remarks (which he denies) by the Judicial Qualifications Panel. Nonetheless, he won the latest recount over challenger Gerald Wilkerson in the race for circuit judge in Group 25 of the 4th Circuit. Hulsey won by 753 votes, 96,663 to 95,910. No word yet on whether a manual recount […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 2, 2016

The city of Jacksonville requires pre-employment drug screenings for everyone but elected officials. How are those going? On the bright side, 98 percent of those tested passed, according to the most recent statistics. On the down side, those who fail: roughly 2 percent of those tested, according to Director of Employee Services Kelli O’Leary. “For the […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 2, 2016

Now that County Referendum 1 is in the books and secured financing for the city’s unfunded pension liability assured after collective bargaining, there is a reason for optimism on the Jacksonville City Hall fourth floor. A review of city emails shows that those outside the St. James Building feel the same way. A hallmark of […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 2, 2016

On April 15, the feds came for House District 13 incumbent Reggie Fullwood. Tax Day saw 14 federal indictments — ten for wire fraud (related to the personal use of campaign funds) and four for failure to file tax returns for those funds. Fullwood was left for dead. The broadcast media in the Jacksonville market stalked […]

Jax

Jax council panel defers bill to move inspector general office into city hall

HD 13 Republican Mark Griffin taps former CSX exec as finance chair

Two counsel hearings loom Wednesday in Corrine Brown One Door for Education case

Jax Council NCIS panel ‘won’t miss a beat’ after Matt Schellenberg departure, says chairman

Herman Cain fundraiser set for CD 5 Republican Glo Smith

Bobby Payne’s HD 19 victory surprised outsiders, but not him

Mark Hulsey wins recount over Gerald Wilkerson in judicial race

City of Jacksonville drug screens show failure rate of only 2 percent

Financial sector reassured by Jacksonville resolving pension problem

The political redemption of Reggie Fullwood