Jax

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 19, 2016

Sunday morning at the iconic Bethel Baptist Church in downtown Jacksonville, Mayor Lenny Curry will host the first “farm to faith” event. Billed as “an effort to address the health disparities that plague northwest Jacksonville” including “food deserts,” Curry will be helped by the Clara White Mission in this effort. “Farm to Faith” provides fresh produce to […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 19, 2016

David Chapman of the Jax Daily Record broke a significant story this week: legislative confirmation of the long-awaited Lenny Curry plan to revive the Neighborhoods department. “The Neighborhoods Department will operate under Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa and with a re-established Housing and Community Development Division — the ‘direct link’ to city neighborhoods,” Chapman writes. Chapman’s […]

Melissa RossFebruary 19, 2016

Just as lobbyists for the ride-sharing service Uber made their case for uniform regulations in Tallahassee this week, one of the company’s whiz kids was sharing the secrets of the uber-popular app back in his Florida hometown. “We’ve gone from 3 million trips a month to 3 million trips a day,” Ed Baker, the company’s […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 19, 2016

The next date to watch for the Discretionary Sales Surtax bill (CS/CS/SB 1652), Jacksonville’s attempt to extend its half-cent Better Jacksonville Plan tax through 2060, is Tuesday. The “pension tax” bill, designed to address the city’s Unfunded Pension Liability, has been added to the Special Order Calendar. Worth noting: Tia Mitchell noted in her reporting this […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 19, 2016

Though it wasn’t an agenda item, interesting talk before the meeting outside the board room included some profound skepticism about the mechanics of the Deferred Contribution plan, upon which the Lenny Curry pension tax/reform proposal is predicated. Asked her position before the meeting, Executive Director Beth McCague noted that, since changes can happen in the bill in […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 19, 2016

Big news on Thursday in Jacksonville; to quote the Action News Jax headline: “Ex-NFL player arrested in drug raid is State House candidate’s son. ” That candidate: HD 14 Democrat Kim Daniels. Daniels’ son, Michael Jennings, was a training camp story for the New York Giants. Newsday got an interesting profile piece a decade ago about his unlikely […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 18, 2016

On Thursday, the Jacksonville City Council met for its Committee of the Whole meeting regarding expansion of the Human Rights Ordinance. The expectation going in was that both the Tommy Hazouri and Bill Gulliford iterations of the legislation would be withdrawn. In the hours leading up to the meeting, an intriguing narrative surfaced: whether Hazouri’s withdrawal motion […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 18, 2016

In the middle of January, former Jacksonville City Councilwoman Kim Daniels filed to run in state House District 14, already a crowded race. It’s just past mid-February and those who might be curious about Daniels’ January numbers are still waiting. The relevant state statute is clear: Numbers must be filed by the 10th: Each campaign treasurer […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 18, 2016

Public Defender Matt Shirk sent a letter Thursday to State Attorney Angela Corey, urging her to reconsider seeking the death penalty of James Rhodes, saying that Corey’s position demonstrates a “disregard” of the wishes of the victim’s mother that is “troubling” to the public defender. Rhodes, charged with murder of a store clerk in 2013, has been for “more than […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 18, 2016

The Republican-friendly Northeast Florida chapter of NAIOP, a Trade association for developers, owners and investors in industrial, office and related commercial real estate, intends to honor Jacksonville CAO Sam Mousa with an award. Mousa will receive the Community Service award in a March 10 ceremony to be held at the Garden Club of Jacksonville. The award will be […]

Jax
This exhibit celebrates late-blooming artistry, proving it’s never too late for bold creativity.

Jax Mayor Lenny Curry to hold “Farm to Faith” event

Jacksonville’s Neighborhoods Department represents vision, followthrough

Uber VP: “We now reach 95% of Florida’s population”

Jax “pension tax” bill moves to House special order calendar for Tuesday

Jax PFPF pushback on pension tax looms, in context of market turmoil

Can Kim Daniels really run for State House at this point?

Both Jax HRO bills withdrawn

HD 14 hopeful Kim Daniels fails to file January fundraising numbers

Matt Shirk urges Angela Corey to change position on death penalty for James Rhodes

Jax CAO Sam Mousa to receive community service award