Local

Melissa RossFebruary 10, 2016

JAX Chamber Chairwoman Audrey Moran has made it clear she’s comfortable with diverging from City Hall on the issue of the the city’s human rights ordinance. Moran, herself a former mayoral candidate, says “she really doesn’t understand the motives” behind recent moves to table two competing pieces of legislation looking at covering Jacksonville’s LGBT residents […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 10, 2016

On Ash Wednesday, the Florida House moved one step closer to allowing Jacksonville to pay its public pension penance, via the State Affairs Committee reporting favorably on a bill to allow a referendum authorizing an extension of the current half-cent sales tax used for Better Jacksonville Plan projects. This was the second and final House […]

Scott PowersFebruary 10, 2016

State Sen. Alan Hays has filed to run for the supervisor of elections office in Lake County rather than stay in the Florida Senate. Hays, who still could run for a two-year term in the Florida Senate, instead filed Monday to replace a legend in Lake County, Supervisor Emogene W. Stegall, who has run the elections office […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 10, 2016

The 2016 GOP presidential candidates likely will be courting Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry soon enough. But they’ll have to get in line behind a former candidate for America’s highest office: “America’s Mayor” himself, Rudy Giuliani, who has an amazing offer for Curry in a letter sent on handsome and credible Giuliani Partners letterhead to the […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 10, 2016

The Jax Chamber may not be aligned with Lenny Curry on the HRO. But on the “pension tax” bill currently in Tallahassee, the Chamber and Curry are in sync. Feb. 24 will see the Chamber take a bus trip out to Tallahassee to support Curry’s pension tax proposal, which involves an extension of the Better Jacksonville […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 9, 2016

Perhaps it was the cold weather. Perhaps advocates were at home Feeling the Bern. Whatever the case, Jax Council heard fewer HRO public comments than usual. The opponents talking about how Human Rights Ordinance expansion would corrode Jacksonville’s “family-friendly” nature? Not there. Perhaps it was a matter of “in case of Rapture, Council Chambers unmanned.” […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 9, 2016

Highlighting the Jacksonville City Council agenda on Tuesday was “cure legislation” to address safety officer salary allocations from the September budget. The other looming issue was yet another round of public comment for the Human Rights Ordinance. The agenda meeting addressed both. Regarding the cure legislation, Garrett Dennis and Al Ferraro, during the agenda meeting, expressed concerns […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 9, 2016

Tuesday’s Jacksonville City Council meeting lacked a lot of punch when it came to legislation. The big bill of the night, the controversial term limits referendum measure, was said (H/t David Chapman) to be tabled ahead of the meeting. During agenda, Matt Schellenberg confirmed it. Schellenberg, in Tallahassee last week representing the City Council for the Florida […]

Scott PowersFebruary 9, 2016

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The Seminole County Commission approved an anti-fracking ordinance Tuesday as it denounced the hydraulic fracturing oil and gas drilling technology and the Legislature for taking up bills that would restrict local decisions about it. The all-Republican commission (in a nonpartisan county) voted unanimously on an ordinance that bans “any oil and gas exploration that uses […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 9, 2016

The question going into Tuesday: would the JEA Agreement finally be reached? Most of the terms had been agreed to, piece by piece, during a year of meetings. And there was cautious optimism, at least from the city side, that Tuesday would be the day. “It looks like the finish line is in sight, unless […]

Local
The North Florida Land Trust hired contractgors to remove fencing submerged in Lake Smith Preserve. Image via North Florida Land Trust.

Audrey Moran on Lenny Curry: “I made it clear to him I was disappointed” on HRO

After pushback, Jax pension tax bill clears final House committee

Alan Hays files to run for Lake County Supervisor of Elections

“America’s Mayor” hustles Lenny Curry

Jax Chamber bus trip to Tallahassee scheduled in support of pension tax bill

HRO public comment muted at Jax Council Tuesday

Jax Council passes Safety Officer cure legislation

Matt Schellenberg to withdraw term limits bill

Seminole County OKs anti-fracking ordinance, criticizes Tallahassee

JEA Agreement achieved at long last