Jax

A.G. GancarskiApril 22, 2016

On Friday, the Jacksonville City Council Economic Development Special Committee discussed a wide range of issues related to public investment, ranging from the Downtown Investment Authority to economically distressed areas. The highlights: A discussion of films revealed that the Film and Television office is getting calls “weekly” related to potential film and television projects, including […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 22, 2016

On Thursday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry made an audacious move. He ordered that former Police and Fire Pension Fund (PFPF) head John Keane’s pension be cut. In doing so, as readers will see, the mayor reasserted the primacy of the executive branch over the PFPF, in a quest to protect taxpayer dollars, and to finally bring closure to this ongoing […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 22, 2016

What do Jacksonville’s old County Courthouse Annex, the Palms Fish Camp, the Brewster Hospital, and the old Duval County Armory have in common? They are just a few of the 14 underutilized buildings, with a value of almost $15 million between them, owned by the city of Jacksonville. During a period of belt-tightening for the city, […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 21, 2016

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Quashing days of will-he-or-won’t-he speculation, Jacksonville State Rep. Jay Fant said he would not run to replace Ander Crenshaw in CD 4. “I want to thank my backers who have pledged their dollars and their energy and have urged me to consider a Congressional bid, but I think it’s important to finish the work I was elected to […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 21, 2016

Among Jacksonville’s many disparities that cut across barriers of race, class, and geography is the problem of food deserts. On Friday, Groundwork Jacksonville will announce a potential remedy on Jacksonville’s Eastside. The press release notes that in “the 2012 Quality of Life Plan developed by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the Eastside community shared a vision […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 21, 2016

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On Wednesday, Jacksonville city officials, including Mayor Lenny Curry and Councilman Tommy Hazouri, visited Washington Heights. The Global Ministries Foundation’s 200-unit HUD complex has many of the same issues as Eureka Gardens, say the electeds, including mold and public safety concerns. Curry told FloridaPolitics.com this was one of his many “neighborhood walks” in which he goes into […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 21, 2016

FloridaPolitics.com has learned that Jacksonville City Councilman Tommy Hazouri made political contributions from his office account, violating Florida Statute 106.141. Hazouri had two expenditures that could be defined as “political contributions” in Q4 2015. The first expenditure: a $250 Nov. 5 donation to the Florida Democratic Party, itemized as a “donation to send Young Democrats to South […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 21, 2016

As FloridaPolitics.com reported on Wednesday, legislation authorizing the Jacksonville referendum to extend the 1/2 cent sales tax to address the unfunded pension liability was filed Wednesday. That’s not the only move made on the pension referendum front. Yes for Jacksonville, a political committee designed to make the case for the extension of the Better Jacksonville […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 20, 2016

The extension of the Better Jacksonville Plan sales tax to address the city’s $2.7B pension debt is one step closer, as legislation was filed Wednesday. “Adding this referendum to the ballot is a big step as we seek to resolve for good an issue that has long plagued our city,” said Mayor Lenny Curry. “With […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 20, 2016

The day started with John Rutherford as the runaway frontrunner in a poll of CD 4 likely Republican voters, and ended with the former Jacksonville Sheriff as a filed candidate. Citizens for John Rutherford will be the official campaign committee for the Republican frontrunner, who earlier on Wednesday scored the endorsement of his protege, Sheriff Mike Williams, […]

Jax
Helene, early Sept. 27. Image via NOAA via AP.

Jacksonville Economic Development committee tackles downtown investment, distressed areas

Lenny Curry orders John Keane’s pension cut, litigation dismissed

Jacksonville owns $15M in underutilized buildings

Jay Fant not running in CD 4, clears field for John Rutherford

Solution emerges to food desert problem on Jacksonville’s Eastside

Lenny Curry, Tommy Hazouri talk Washington Heights

Tommy Hazouri caught in contribution conundrum

Yes for Jacksonville formed to support pension referendum

Pension tax referendum filed for Jax City Council approval

John Rutherford has filed to run in CD 4 GOP primary