Local

Mitch PerryJanuary 25, 2016

Wading into the debate in Tallahassee, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn is slamming state lawmakers advocating that the state allow nearly 1.5 million Floridians with concealed carry permits to openly carry their firearms, rather than having to keep them hidden. “This bill is totally unnecessary,” Buckhorn declared at a news conference held at Tampa Police headquarters, […]

Melissa RossJanuary 25, 2016

The battle over charter schools has been joined in some Florida cities, particularly in places such as Palm Beach. Charters continue to grow in both popularity – and controversy. It’s against that tense backdrop that Jacksonville prepares to host an annual event looking to improve graduation rates for the city’s young male blacks, and this […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2016

In a hallway conversation Monday, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams talked about the pension surtax bill now in Tallahassee. Williams’ comments are especially noteworthy, given that his officers will be affected by whatever happens. Regarding the major sticking point, the defined contribution requirement for new employees that some in the Senate would want to see as a […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2016

As of Sunday night, Rules Chairman Matt Schellenberg had three meetings scheduled Monday to engage support for his Jax City Council VP bid. Anna Brosche was his first. Schellenberg, a second term Republican representing Mandarin and Beauclerc, had introduced at-large candidate Brosche to voters in his Mandarin district last year during the campaign, as he did Sam Newby, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2016

Without a doubt, the most interesting Senate committee meeting of the new Florida Legislative Session for Jacksonville will occur Tuesday morning. The Committee on Community Affairs meets to consider nine bills, but it’s the sixth that should interest Jacksonville locals. The Discretionary Sales Surtax bill, introduced by Sen. Rob Bradley and co-sponsored by Sen. Aaron […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2016

The settlement agreement between the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund and the city itself, of what was to be pending litigation, exemplifies the politics of the possible. It isn’t pretty. But if (and it’s not really an “if”) the ordinance (2016-80) authorizing it, filed last week by the council president with a formal introduction […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2016

Jacksonville City Council Vice President candidates Matt Schellenberg and Aaron Bowman continue to solicit support in Monday meetings with Council members. Schellenberg, who has one signed on supporter as at this writing, seeks to court three supporters on Monday. He has an 11:00 meeting with Anna Brosche, who told us last week that she wasn’t planning to commit […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2016

Another one in an informal series of epistles from Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry to Jacksonville employees went out Friday: this on the pension tax. Curry updated employees on his trip to Tallahassee earlier in January: “Last week,” wrote Curry, “I traveled to Tallahassee to meet with state Senators and Representatives about a proposed solution for the […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2016

An interesting narrative has been the decline in utility of the Jacksonville City Council Neighborhood Improvement and Community Enhancement (formerly Blight) committee. When Denise Lee was on City Council, Blight was a long meeting, but generally an effective if powerless committee. Since Lee has moved into the mayor’s office, NICE has gotten nasty. Clashes between Lee […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2016

On at least one public occasion, Jacksonville’s Chief Administrative Officer, Sam Mousa, groused that it’s cheaper to feed the meter and park on the street than it is to use the city’s parking garages. That, coupled with a focus on parking meter income in general this last month (both in terms of uncollectible debt from parking […]

Local

Bob Buckhorn slams Legislature for pushing Open Carry legislation

Jax Urban Ed Symposium to spotlight charter schools: “the good, the bad and the ugly”

Jax Sheriff Mike Williams talks pension tax bill

Jax Council VP candidate Matt Schellenberg questions Aaron Bowman’s independence from Chamber

Senate panel to discuss Jacksonville’s pension liability surtax Tuesday

Jax Police and Fire Pension Fund settlement agreement goes to City Council this week

Jax Council leadership race continues Monday

Lenny Curry pitches pension tax to Jax employees

Has the Jax NICE Committee failed?

Sam Mousa to Jax employees: Stop feeding the meter