Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiMarch 8, 2017

Even as Enterprise Florida faces the chopping block in the Florida House, Jacksonville politicians are seeking to save it while there is still time. On Wednesday, Councilmen Jim Love and Aaron Bowman met to discuss a resolution of support for the beleaguered EFI, a concept they had discussed a week prior. The salient numbers for Councilman Love: […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 2, 2017

A Thursday meeting between Jacksonville City Councilmen Jim Love and Aaron Bowman proved to be mutually beneficial. Love, unlike last year when he thought Bowman lacked enough council experience for the VP role, agreed to back Bowman. This brings the pledge count in the race for the vice-presidency to two for Bowman and three for Scott Wilson. And […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 2, 2017

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On Thursday morning, Jacksonville City Councilman Scott Wilson continued to recruit pledges for his bid for the council vice-presidency. Wilson discussed his bid with former Council President Greg Anderson, who refused to commit given that he hadn’t talked to the other candidate in the race yet. That said, the meeting essentially was in the “mutual admiration society” vein. […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 24, 2017

The race for Jacksonville City Council VP is heating up, as Aaron Bowman threw his hat into the ring this week. Bowman had run in 2016, though questions were raised at the time about his run, such as whether or not he was running “too early” in his term, and how independent he would be from […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee approved the expansion of the city’s Human Rights Ordinance on Wednesday morning. The measure was approved by a 4-3 vote, with Bill Gulliford, Sam Newby, and Matt Schellenberg opposing expansion. The expansion would add sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to the list of protected categories under the ordinance, which ensures […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 24, 2017

Groundhog Day is over a week away, but those who attend Tuesday night’s Jacksonville City Council meeting will feel inevitable deja vu. Some will think it’s 2016. Others will think it’s 2012. That’s because the fervent arguments they’ll hear tonight on Jacksonville’s perpetual hot-button issue — expanding the Human Rights Ordinance to LGBT people, via […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 10, 2017

After an agenda full of bills that met little opposition in committees, the Jacksonville City Council turned its attention Tuesday evening to a familiar question: the HRO, which was up on first read with a planned vote on Valentine’s Day. For the third time in five years, Jacksonville legislators heard pros and cons of expanding […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 4, 2017

On Wednesday, Jacksonville City Council members and community leaders met in a packed conference room in city hall. The subject: expanding Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance to include members of the city’s LGBT community. The bill is expected to be filed by 3 p.m. January 4, with an eye toward committees and a full council vote […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 3, 2017

Will the third time be the charm for expansion of Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance to include the LGBT community? Wednesday may tell the tale. Councilman Aaron Bowman, one of the co-sponsors of the 2016 HRO expansion bill, has scheduled a public notice meeting for 11:30 Wednesday morning at Jacksonville’s city hall. Expected to be in attendance: […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 7, 2016

A bill designed to give Jacksonville City Council members access to a pot of $70,000 for neighborhood events cleared its final committee Wednesday. The measure cleared Neighborhoods, Community Investments, and Services on Monday with no opposition. And on Tuesday, the Rules Committee approved it 5 to 1. A number of amendments, intended to sharpen distinctions […]

Tag: Aaron Bowman

Jacksonville City Council support for Enterprise Florida builds

Jim Love and Aaron Bowman align on Jax Council VP race, Enterprise Florida

Scott Wilson pitches Greg Anderson on Jax Council VP support

Aaron Bowman makes second try for Jacksonville City Council VP

Jacksonville HRO clears final city council committee

Opposing sides gear up for Jacksonville HRO public hearing on Tuesday night

HRO reboot dominates Jacksonville City Council meeting

Jacksonville human rights ordinance expansion push begins … again

Jacksonville HRO expansion bill topic of Wednesday meeting

Neighborhood events bill clears final Jacksonville council panel