Local

Associated PressMarch 28, 2016

Some residents of the Florida Panhandle who sustained damage during two tornadoes that touched down in February will not receive individual assistance through FEMA. The Pensacola News Journal reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied the state’s request for individual assistance for residents, including low-interest loans, grants and temporary housing assistance. Florida officials have […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 25, 2016

Good news: Rick Scott signed the “pension tax” bill, allowing a referendum on extending the 1/2 cent BJP tax until 2060 to deal with the unfunded pension liability. Now, the question: how to sell it to the people? Selling a sales tax referendum has been done in Jacksonville before. In fact, selling a ½ cent sales […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 25, 2016

On Friday, Governor Scott signed HB 655 into law, revising alcoholic beverage requirements for restaurants in the Riverside-Avondale Commercial Character Areas. The goal of the bill is to provide allowances for space and seating requirements in a specialized zone called the Riverside Avondale Commercial Character Areas. The bill would reduce requirements to 100 seats (down […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 25, 2016

As part of a raft of bills signed Friday, Gov. Rick Scott signed into law the Discretionary Sales Surtax bill that passed the House and Senate by wide margins during the Legislative Session. The bill facilitates a referendum in August or November to extend the half-cent sales tax, currently earmarked for Better Jacksonville Plan project […]

Scott PowersMarch 25, 2016

The Orlando region continued in February as the state’s leading job-producing metropolitan area and saw the region’s unemployment rate fall to 4.4 percent, Gov. Rick Scott‘s office said Friday. Numbers released by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity show that Orlando’s metro area added 30,000 workers and 40,000 jobs since February 2015, and the result […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 25, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry calls Rick Scott the Jobs Governor. And more evidence of that came through Friday, as Scott trumpeted 20,700 new Jacksonville jobs in the past year. Governor Scott said, “Jacksonville businesses have added 20,700 new jobs and the unemployment rate has dropped to 4.5 percent, which is exciting news for families. Every job created […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 25, 2016

Watchers of the HD 12 race have waited to see whether establishment money would swing toward Terrance Freeman. His fundraiser at Jacksonville’s SunTrust Building next Tuesday offers clues. An all-star host committee includes names Duval Republicans know, including Charlie Appleby, Bruce Barcelo, Lindsey Brock, Councilman Aaron Bowman, Mel Clark, Rose Conry, Rory Diamond, W.C. Gentry, Dane Grey, Deno Hicks, Charles Moreland, Karyn Morton, Michael Munz, Alexander Pantinakis, Kara Tucker, and Scott Wiley. […]

Scott PowersMarch 25, 2016

U.S. Rep. John Mica likes taking constituents out to lunch (or breakfast, dinner or coffee). He also loves having his re-election campaign pay for it. The latter preference has Mica, a 12-term Republican from Winter Park, explaining why his re-election campaigns are paying for scores of “meals with constituents” tallying tens of thousands of dollars […]

Drew WilsonMarch 24, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott announced marketing company Inside Sales Solutions will be moving its headquarters to St. Petersburg’s Innovation District. The move adds 50 jobs and an estimated $29,000 in investments to Pinellas County. “I am proud to announce that Inside Sales is a growing company that chose Florida over Texas, Georgia, and Kansas,” Scott said […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 24, 2016

University of North Florida Board of Trustees meetings will look more like a City Council reunion going forward. On Thursday, Gov. Rick Scott announced three appointments to the board. Two of the three are former presidents of the Jacksonville City Council. Stephen Joost, a two-term Republican councilman who notably endorsed Alvin Brown in the mayoral election, […]

Local

Panhandle residents denied FEMA assistance

How to sell a sales tax referendum in Jacksonville

Gov. Scott signs local bill easing liquor requirements in Riverside-Avondale restaurants

Governor signs Jax Pension Tax bill; Now Lenny Curry has to sell it

Orlando area adds 40K-plus jobs, sees unemployment rate fall to 4.4 percent in February

Rick Scott says Jacksonville up more than 20,000 jobs in past year

Terrance Freeman HD 12 fundraiser has impressive host committee

John Mica defends use of campaign money to pay for hundreds of meals

Rick Scott announces Inside Sales relocation to St. Pete, 50 new jobs

Kevin Hyde, Stephen Joost appointed to UNF Board of Trustees