Jax

A.G. GancarskiApril 26, 2016

A controversial bill, 2015-519, changing guidelines for city donation of vacant, buildable lots owned by the city after tax reversion for affordable housing inventory purposes, was passed by Jacksonville City Council on Tuesday. The bill doubles the permissible value of properties that can be dispensed to CHDOs and other affordable housing non-profits from $25,000 to […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 26, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry addressed the City Council Tuesday evening, regarding 2016-300, the ordinance setting an August referendum for the pension tax. Curry noted that with Council support, “we now have the opportunity to save our city from financial ruin,” by extending the half cent sales tax, before speaking to “critics” who want a new sales tax, saying […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 26, 2016

In classic Jacksonville City Council fashion, a simple, well-intentioned bill mandating anti-human trafficking signs in massage parlors and adult entertainment establishments has led to committees tabling it and to the second of two public notice meetings on Tuesday. Councilman Tommy Hazouri‘s original bill got pushback from Councilman Danny Becton, among others, and now the two Council members […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 26, 2016

State Senator Travis Hutson will have a general election opponent after all. Curtis Ceballos, the CEO of GabRy Inc., filed last week for the Democratic primary. Ceballos’ company develops apps for mobile phones, including secure payment applications such as Digitz (“the first fingerprint purchase system”), and apps that permit voice posting to social media platforms. As one […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 26, 2016

The first poll of the Democratic primary race in Florida 5th Congressional District between incumbent Rep. Corrine Brown and former state Senate Al Lawson shows Brown with a slight edge. When 524 likely Democratic voters were asked who they would vote for, Brown was the choice of 42 percent with Lawson at 37 percent; 21 percent of […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 26, 2016

One of the byproducts of Jacksonville’s unique consolidated government is that some parts of town do as well as anywhere, and other parts have issues that are rooted in poverty and unresolved historic inequities. One jarring example of those inequities: the issues in Health Zone 1, which are heartbreaking. Half of all children live in poverty. […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 26, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is expected to address the City Council Tuesday evening, and the subject will be 2016-300, the ordinance setting an August referendum for the pension tax. Council won’t be a hard sell. The entire Council co-sponsored the resolution authorizing Curry to explore the referendum ahead of the 2016 legislative session, and the referendum […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 25, 2016

In Jacksonville’s House District 14 Democratic Primary, one candidate (Leslie Jean-Bart) is a trial lawyer. And the other, Kim Daniels, careens from legal woe to legal woe. Daniels, who has already qualified for the HD 14 ballot, is fortunate to have that much behind her … especially given that her divorce from fellow minister Ardell Daniels, which […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 25, 2016

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Out of all of the first-term Jacksonville City Council members, District 9 Democrat Garrett Dennis arguably does the best job playing the inside game. Monday’s meeting between leaders in the communities of his sprawling Westside district, at-large Council members, and him was a good indication why. For close to two hours, all five at-large Council members heard from […]

Melissa RossApril 25, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry says while he knows making the case to voters will be “a heavy lift,” he’s all in for selling his pension referendum plan to the city. “This has to pass,” Curry told WJCT. “We have $2.7 billion in unfunded pension liabilities. Right now we spend $260 million dollars a year in […]

Jax

Jax Council finally passes property donation bill

Lenny Curry pitches August pension tax referendum to Council

Jax Council members discuss human trafficking sign legislation

Curtis Ceballos, Palm Coast Democrat, challenges Travis Hutson in SD 7

Corrine Brown leads Al Lawson, 42%-37%, in new poll of CD 5 race

GE commits $250K to health screenings in Jax

Lenny Curry to address Jax City Council Tuesday on pension tax referendum

Nasty divorce, foreclosure woes still dog HD 14 Dem Kim Daniels

At large Jax Council members hear District 9 concerns

Lenny Curry on Jax pension referendum: “It has to pass”