Jax

A.G. GancarskiMarch 9, 2016

On Wednesday, the Florida Senate voted 35-1 to approve the Discretionary Sales Surtax bill (SB 1652), which would allow Jacksonville to impose a pension tax via referendum if the bill is signed into law. This passage represents the culmination of a concerted effort that started months ago, including the enlistment of an army of city […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 8, 2016

The Florida Senate briefly discussed the Discretionary Sales Surtax bill (SB 1652) on second reading Tuesday ahead of a vote that would allow Jacksonville to impose a pension tax via referendum if the bill passes. The bill, if approved, would allow a referendum in Duval County this year regarding extending until 2060 the half-cent Better […]

Melissa RossMarch 8, 2016

Solar activists are crying foul about proposed changes to JEA’s net metering program. They’ll be airing their concerns at a community forum on solar Wednesday evening at Jacksonville University. The JEA board is considering whether to adopt reductions in the credit that is provided to customers who send power back to the grid through JEA’s net metering policy. Net […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 8, 2016

As the pundits debate whether Marco Rubio should get out of the Presidential race before the Florida Primary, the campaign released a block of Northeast Florida Republican leaders joining Congressman Ander Crenshaw and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and supporting the Senator, ahead of his rally in Nocatee Tuesday night that would seem to be a play to the […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 7, 2016

Worth noting about early voting trends in Duval County in 2016: The GOP has a huge edge thus far, despite there being 21,000 more Democrats than Republicans in the county. As of 5 p.m. Monday, 29,862 Republican votes had been tallied, versus just 24,582 on the Democratic side. That advantage was in absentee ballots. Early […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 7, 2016

Word is that it’s going to take a few million dollars to market the Discretionary Sales Surtax referendum, to extend the Better Jacksonville Plan sales tax until 2060 to deal with the unfunded pension liability, to Jacksonville voters. With that long game in mind, the fundraising reports of Build Something That Lasts, Lenny Curry‘s PAC, are […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 7, 2016

Mayor Lenny Curry will be Jacksonville University commencement speaker this year, as we reported was a possibility a week ago. Based on a unanimous decision of the Board of Trustees, Curry was invited to speak at the April 30 Jacksonville University commencement. To accommodate his schedule, the offer has been made to allow Curry to attend only […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 7, 2016

On Monday morning, Florida Governor Rick Scott appeared in Jacksonville for one of his favorite occasions: a job creation event. After his remarks, Scott took some questions. One of which, from this outlet, involved whether or not he felt like a “lame duck”, in the wake of a difficult session for his initiatives, including a House defeat for […]

Melissa RossMarch 7, 2016

Activists fighting the decades-long struggle for LGBT equality in America have long been skilled at the long game. From the 1969 Stonewall riots to the 2015 nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage, this is a patient movement, one that has nudged the culture inexorably over a half-century toward greater acceptance and inclusion. To that end, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 7, 2016

Political cronies abound at Mike Hogan’s Duval County Supervisor of Elections office. One example is former GOP pollster John Libby. Another one upon whom we’ve focused recently is former Jacksonville City Council president, former State House member, and current State House candidate Dick Kravitz. Kravitz endorsed Hogan in the spring, with a mailer trumpeting this apparent coup. Yet no mailer […]

Jax

Jacksonville’s pension tax bill sails through Senate, now heads to Gov. Scott

Jax Pension Tax bill is clear for Senate floor vote

Solar activists speak out about proposed changes to JEA net metering

Ahead of Nocatee rally, NE Florida Republicans back Marco Rubio

Turnout in Duval County shows big GOP edge, Democrat enthusiasm gap

Lenny Curry’s PAC raises, spends big money in February

Lenny Curry to be Jacksonville University commencement speaker this year

In Jax, Rick Scott rejects lame duck designation

Jax Coalition for Equality keeps up the HRO pressure

Duval elections worker, state House candidate Dick Kravitz in pension sweet spot