Jax

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

The key to understanding how Jacksonville’s current pension tax proposal will retire the unfunded liability rests in understanding the concept of “deferred contribution” outlined in the projections for the use of the extension of the Better Jacksonville Plan to pay off the unfunded pension liability. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is not prone to exaggeration. When […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry has a variety of “individual meetings” scheduled in Tallahassee Wednesday to push the Discretionary Sales Surtax bill. Four of them are set up with Senate Rules Committee members, which will be the final Senate committee to deliberate the bill. The bill has cleared two of three Senate committees, and both House committees. […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

The Carlos Lopez-Cantera Senate campaign has talked a lot about the grassroots being its path to the nomination. In Jacksonville at least, that’s true. Two prominent Republican Party of Duval County leaders are members of the CLC Grassroots Leadership Team: Committeeman Alexander Pantinakis and Vice Chairwoman Karyn Morton. It’s important to note they are supporting CLC as […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

In recent months, a bill designed to increase the value of property that can be donated to non-profits and for-profits from $25,000 to $50,000 has been moving through Jacksonville’s City Council. The goal of the bill: to spur development in areas prone to blight. The bill moved through Finance Monday, and had Recreation, Community Development, […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 16, 2016

Tuesday afternoon finds Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry “headed back over to Tallahassee” to sell the pension tax bill, he told FloridaPolitics.com. Though the “Discretionary Sales Surtax” bill is not up for any committee hearings this week, Curry plans “individual meetings” with lawmakers. The next stop for the bill, Jacksonville’s plan to deal with the unfunded pension liability, […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 16, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is more identified with his love of commercial rap than jazz, so one might have wondered what his first jazz festival would have held. The Jacksonville Jazz Festival, held on an annual basis since 1981, has featured a wide range of artists, ranging from Dizzy Gillespie in its first year, to a […]

Melissa RossFebruary 16, 2016

She was appointed in the fall of 2008 to lead former Mayor John Peyton‘s ambitious attempt to dethrone Jacksonville as Florida’s murder capital. She left the job during the tenure of former Mayor Alvin Brown, when the Jacksonville Journey changed focus, and lost funding (the recession also played a role in that, it’s been pointed […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 16, 2016

On the Florida Baptist Witness website, Roger Gannam of the Liberty Counsel said that while he was “pleased” that Tommy Hazouri would withdraw his bill to expand Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance, the fight is not over. “We are pleased that our efforts have shown that the city council can’t pass this bill right now,” Gannam said to the […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 16, 2016

Discussed toward the end of Tuesday’s Jacksonville City Council Finance meeting, the Council Auditor’s quarterly summary raised concerns in the committee. There also were concerns that weren’t discussed by the panel. One such concern discussed within the committee: stress on various subfunds related to stadium improvements. The stadium subfund is projected to incur a $644,502 […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 16, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday OKd the settlement with John Keane, while it OK’d the JEA Agreement, and increased property donation limits. The settlement between the city and John Keane, a bill described as the “gorilla in the room,” was the big talker. The settlement version of the plan would pay Keane $225,000 in […]

Jax

“Deferred Contribution” key to how proposed Jax pension tax works

Lenny Curry lobbying Senate Rules Committee members

Duval GOP leaders line up behind Carlos Lopez-Cantera for U.S. Senate

NW Jax pushback stalls housing donation bill in Council committee

Lenny Curry, pension tax on his mind, heads back to Tallahassee

Jacksonville Jazz Festival unveils 2016 lineup

Jax Journey 2.0 to look at jobs for at-risk kids: “our teenagers haven’t had enough focus”

Roger Gannam celebrates “temporary victory” on HRO

Jax Council Auditor quarterly financial summary raises concerns in Finance Committee

Jax Finance Committee reluctantly OKs John Keane settlement