Local

Melissa RossOctober 30, 2015

The Florida GOP says its RPOF Statesman Dinner, with keynote by former Vice President Dick Cheney, is now sold out. The November 12th event is at capacity with more than 950 tickets sold. The dinner takes place the night before the Sunshine Summit in Orlando, billed as a two-day event bringing together presidential candidates along with Florida’s state […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 30, 2015

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The hot story in Jacksonville politics this week has been the blockbuster forensic audit of the beleaguered Police and Fire Pension Fund. Numerous irregularities, ranging from lavish travel budgets and lack of oversight to questionable investments, were spotlighted in the audit. However, at least one former mayor familiar with the Police and Fire Pension (indeed, […]

Frank TorresOctober 30, 2015

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson will join Buddy Dyer on Sunday in a final push to get the early vote out before voters decide who will be mayor of Orlando for the next four years. Nelson and Dyer will join faith leaders from across the city in a “Souls to the Polls” drive to help voters cast their […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 30, 2015

In 2000, the Better Jacksonville Plan, an ambitious initiative passed via referendum to institute a sales tax increase for various infrastructure improvements, passed by a comfortable margin. Though it now seems like a historical footnote, one might be surprised to know that even though all money has been encumbered for the BJP, there are still […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 30, 2015

On Thursday afternoon, Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate Sha’ron James held an insurance consumer forum at Jacksonville’s City Hall. State Representative Mia Jones, in introducing “fellow Rattler” James, noted that insurance “is an area that is not easy” and that “most people don’t understand.” James then launched into a presentation, pointing out two key issues her office […]

Melissa RossOctober 30, 2015

We think of Halloween as a very orange-colored holiday, between the pumpkins and the candy corn. But this year, you may spot a few teal-colored pumpkins in your neighborhood. The Teal Pumpkin Project is a growing part of Halloween, and it’s a visual way to encourage families to hand out some non-food items to children with food allergies. One in 13 […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 29, 2015

One of the major projects of the Alvin Brown administration was comprehensive pension reform, a path that took the relationship between the Jacksonville Mayor’s Office and City Council through many twists and turns. The findings of the Police and Fire Pension Fund audit were described by Councilman Bill Gulliford as “reprehensible … with a vast and staggering sum of […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 29, 2015

The term “forensic audit” is appropriate given the long-awaited deep dive into the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund, as more than a few people would like to bury the whole thing. Appropriately released in Halloween week, it is a frightful compendium of the ghosts of a bad deal made decades ago, combined with a […]

Melissa RossOctober 29, 2015

Reports of Jeb Bush’s demise are premature, says the man who wrote the book on his tenure as Florida governor. “As someone who has written about him, what I will say is, he is not a quitter. He is a fierce competitor. I think he’ll fight to the end,” author and University of North Florida […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 29, 2015

The extended drama over Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and his decision to remake the city’s Planning Commission to accord with his “vision” is over, and former Chair Lisa King is the most high-profile casualty. In a written statement on Wednesday, King looked back at her tenure, her battle, and looked forward as well. Describing the 13 to 5 […]

Local

RPOF annual dinner with Dick Cheney speech now sold-out

John Delaney questions “shrill” Jax PFPF audit

Bill Nelson to join Buddy Dyer for early vote push in Orlando mayor race

Better Jacksonville Plan still alive at 15

Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate introduces herself to Jacksonville

The Teal Pumpkin Project comes to Florida this Halloween

Chris Hand addresses Jax PFPF governance reforms in light of audit

The Jax PFPF forensic audit: a Halloween horror show

Matt Corrigan on Jeb Bush: “I think he’ll fight to the end”

Lisa King reflects on her Planning Commission tenure