Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Florence SnyderJune 18, 2015

“We take that very seriously,” is quite possibly the biggest of the big lies they tell in Tallahassee. There’s a ribbon and a 5K walk and a proclamation for everything, but precious little cash on the barrel head for families collapsing under the weight of caring for a loved one whose needs exceed the family’s […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 18, 2015

Thursday’s slate of Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa’s Jacksonville Transition Team budget reviews continues with a romp through intragovernmental services with Paul Martinez, director, and a cavalcade of others, including Undersheriff Pat Ivey. A ton of cops here. Mousa: “They brought the heat! Whatever you want, it’s approved!” As if. 3:51: A look at IT’s 5 […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorJune 18, 2015

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Embattled South Pasadena Mayor Dan Calabria is suing the city he works for as well as a fellow city commissioner and an private lawyer who issued a scathing investigation of Calabria’s behavior as mayor. Calabria wants a judge to bar the city or city commissioners from taking any further action to remove him from office. […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 18, 2015

Preface: It amazes me, again, how the “media” isn’t covering these events. Here’s a good reason why. A quote from Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa, before this session started: “We keep hearing rumors that Lori Boyer is pushing bills through” to “show product” from her CIP Committee. “Everyone’s running around like a chicken with its […]

Melissa RossJune 18, 2015

With some calling the killings “domestic terrorism,” and others sharply disagreeing, callers to WJCT’s First Coast Connect were sharply divided in reactions to Wednesday’s mass church shooting in Charleston, S.C., that left nine people dead. “It is fair to call it domestic terrorism,” said JeffriAnne Wilder, professor of sociology at the University of North Florida. Wilder […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 18, 2015

The afternoon begins in the Lenny Curry Transition Team Budget marathon, as Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa leads a review of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority budget. It’s more of a holistic overview with Henry Li from the JTA. 1:17: This is different from the budget reviews, as the JTA Board has authority over the budget. 1:18: Budget […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 18, 2015

The final Lenny Curry transition team budget meeting of Thursday morning, headed by new CAO Sam Mousa, involves a meeting with the Department of Health. 11:38: A discussion of Health Department initiatives, in preventive care and other areas. Mousa mentions that people don’t think about the Health Department until a public health emergency hits. There could […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 18, 2015

Thursday morning Jacksonville transition team budget reviews continue with the Office of Economic Development. 9:55: No revenue. Expenses: salaries down $33K. Health insurance up. Office of General Counsel allocation down by $65K. Removed extraordinary lapse, imposed by City Council last year. Flat budget; no major changes. 9:57: Why is parking under Eco Dev? Sam Mousa says that […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 18, 2015

The fourth day of Jackssonville’s Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa‘s departmental budget reviews for the Lenny Curry mayoral transition begins with UF Health with Russ Armistead. As with the previous three days, we are blogging the vast majority of these meetings. 8:42 a.m.: Marty Fiorentino is sitting in for the first time. Armistead congratulating Mousa on accepting […]

Drew WilsonJune 18, 2015

The crash landing that ended the 2015 Regular Legislative Session in the Republican-led Florida House would be a gift to Democrats in any other state, but few seats are in any real danger of flipping come Election Day 2016. With 25 term-limited seats, District 114 is one of the few with a real chance to flip though Democrats […]

Uncategorized

Florence Snyder: Postcard from Alzheimer’s

Jax transition budget meetings: Intragovernmental Services

South Pasadena mayor files lawsuit asking not to be fired

Jax transition budget meeting: Public Works, take 2

Argument follows labeling of Charleston church slayings “domestic terrorism”

Jax transition budget meeting: Jacksonville Transportation Authority

Jax transition budget meeting: Department of Health

Jacksonville Transition Budget Review: Economic Development

Jacksonville transition budget meeting: UF Health/Shands

Florida House races continue to take shape in central, south Florida