Jax

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 6, 2016

Going into Wednesday’s meeting in Jacksonville, state Sen. Audrey Gibson and NextGen Energy agreed that they were meeting, but not what they were meeting about. Gibson’s letter in December, promoting the event, concerned “engaging Faith Leaders to help with planning power for communities, with an eye towards 50 percent clean carbon-free energy by 2030.” “Engaging faith and […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 6, 2016

“The people made it clear what they wanted,” a re-elected politician said. “I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and I intend to spend it.” That politician: George W. Bush, in 2004. Bush 43 learned about the finite power of political capital the hard way: seeing his father go from 91 percent approval ratings to […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 5, 2016

In the Riverside area of Jacksonville on Tuesday, a Donald Trump banner in a storefront window was defaced with Nazi iconography. SS insignia were painted on the glass, covering the collar of his shirt. A Hitler mustache, painted over his top lip. A swastika, emblazoned on his forehead. And the banner message? “Heil Donald Trump: Nazi […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 5, 2016

Tuesday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee was not without its highlights. — Chief Financial Officer Mike Weinstein was on hand, discussing the extension of the 1/2 cent Better Jacksonville Plan tax to pay for the Unfunded Liability on public pensions, a presentation he had made earlier on Tuesday in RCDPHS. Weinstein, on his […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 5, 2016

Jacksonville City Council’s Tuesday Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety (RCDPHS) committee meeting was highlighted by Pension Tax and Public Health talk, and an extended discussion of a controversial Fire and Rescue salary allocation from September’s budget hearings. The Health Department’s Kelly Wells announced new initiatives, such as the 60 Days to Better Health challenge […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 5, 2016

On Monday, the Jacksonville City Council Neighborhood Improvement and Community Enhancement Committee kicked off 2016. The ad hoc committee has become a source of consternation for many on Council, who note that it is unable to take action, and is just a deliberative committee. Some highlights included a further discussion of Land Bank issues and […]

Melissa RossJanuary 4, 2016

History shows that a rebounding economy tends to favor the Democratic nominee in the 2016 presidential election, say two North Florida economists, with the caveat that it’s a long way between now and Nov. 8. Forecasts for the coming year are all over the map, but economist Andres Gallo of the University of North Florida is on […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 4, 2016

Brunswick, Georgia pastor Kenneth Adkins had a busy holiday season, with a lot of time spent attacking Councilman Tommy Hazouri for desiring to expand Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance He started off the New Year calling out four other Council members: Garrett Dennis, Katrina Brown, Reggie Brown, and Reggie Gaffney. Adkins’ language was typically florid. “These four African American Jacksonville City Council […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 4, 2016

In emails last week, Shawnti Lee, a personnel clerk for the Department of Employee and Labor Relations in Jacksonville, offered her resignation, using very specific criteria to make her case. Lee, who came aboard in February 2015, cited “varying differences in my realm of work ethics and professionalism that seem to still not be favorable with […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 4, 2016

There are light agendas, and then there’s the one that the Jacksonville City Council Transportation, Energy, and Utilities committee had on Monday. One uncontroversial bill was on it. It regarded a drainage easement in Mayport. During the agenda meeting, Chair Reggie Brown joked that the committee might be able to get through the agenda in one […]

Jax

Audrey Gibson, NextGen Climate hold community forum on clean energy

Lenny Curry, the pension tax, and political capital

Donald Trump banner in Jax defaced with Nazi iconography

Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee discusses pension tax plan

Jax rec committee talks public health, pension tax plan, JFRD budget

Jax NICE Committee kicks off 2016, discusses “Spring Clean Jacksonville”

Improving economy slightly favors Democrats in 2016 (but anything can happen)

Pastor Ken Adkins calls out African-American Jacksonville City Council members

City of Jacksonville personnel clerk resigns, cites “hostile culture” in department

Jax Council TEU committee: blink and you missed it