Local

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 18, 2016

In a lengthy statement released Wednesday night, Duval County School Board member Connie Hall did not address calls to resign over pejorative texts about Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. Instead, she reinforced the criticisms made within, even as she apologized for one “offensive” reference. These texts included a call to “fire him now” and a reference to Vitti, whose path to […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 17, 2016

A fourth Democrat has filed to run for the seat held by Miami Democratic Rep. Daphne Campbell, who said last month she will challenge Sen. Gwen Margolis for the newly redrawn SD 38. Francesca Menes, who filed for the seat Monday, joins former Campbell campaign staffer Fayola Delica, former North Miami City Councilor Marie Steril, and Michael Hepburn, […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

The Hillary Clinton campaign headquarters opens in Jacksonville at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at 4830 Atlantic Blvd., and for Clinton partisans locally, it’s a big deal. Speaking will be School Board Member Paula Wright. “Hillary Clinton has fought her entire life for children and working families – and knows how to get results,” Wright said. “She has a proven […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee, again, addressed Bill Gulliford and his bill prohibiting Council members from texting or exchanging other written communication with lobbyists, union representatives, or members of the Council on Wednesday. As was the case two weeks ago, there was pushback, including from Council members whose verboten texts in September led to the […]

Melissa RossFebruary 17, 2016

The Duval County School Board continued its work this week looking at proposed boundary and program changes for a number of Jacksonville schools proposed by Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. Vitti (so far) has not followed through on threats to sue after public records revealed board member Connie Hall sent controversial text messages about him to a […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

After the Committee of the Whole meeting on Jacksonville’s HRO expansion Thursday, there will be a special meeting of City Council where both HRO bills can be withdrawn, Council President Greg Anderson said This is the “same process we put in place” ahead of the establishment of this process, Anderson said. It will allow for […]

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, […]

Local

Connie Hall not backing down from critiques of Nikolai Vitti

Immigrant-rights activist files to run for Miami-based HD 108

Hillary Clinton campaign to open Jax HQ Wednesday night

Jax Council Rules Committee OKs ban on in-meeting written communications

Duval School Board tensions simmer as charter fight escalates

Jax City Council to meet Thursday evening after HRO Committee of the Whole

“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