Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJuly 3, 2018

On June 1, Gov. Rick Scott suspended two Democratic Jacksonville City Council members who face 38 federal counts in a scheme to defraud local and federal taxpayers. While Scott has not yet picked replacements for the currently suspended Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown, former Council President Anna Brosche arrived at a solution for their constituents weeks ago. That solution: Councilman Sam Newby and Brosche filling […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 29, 2018

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Mayor Lenny Curry‘s man — Councilman Aaron Bowman — will run the City Council for the next year, presumably with the same no-nonsense efficiency he demonstrated running Mayport. Curry is on board with Bowman’s plans. Good stuff From @AaronAbowman. Goal and plan focused. https://t.co/SQzZOtQifT — Lenny Curry (@lennycurry) June 29, 2018 As well, one of the best-received […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 28, 2018

A draft of the final report from the Jacksonville City Council special committee on the future of JEA revealed a consensus to keep the utility local and publicly owned. However, the report was not memorialized by committee passage, due to a lack of quorum. And that worries committee Chair John Crescimbeni. “I would hope that the committee’s […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 28, 2018

The changing of the guard becomes official Thursday for the Jacksonville City Council when Aaron Bowman, a VP of the Jacksonville Chamber’s JAXUSA business recruitment wing, assumes the presidency. The event at the Times-Union Center kicks off at 6 p.m. Bowman moves from the vice-presidency to the presidency, after an uncontested candidacy that was supported by […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 27, 2018

Jacksonville City Council President-designate Aaron Bowman released committee assignments for the year starting July 1. Committees will look different than they did during the Anna Brosche presidency. The Finance Committee, which will be charged with an August review of the budget, will be guided by a steady hand: former Council President and banking executive by trade Greg Anderson. […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 26, 2018

Tuesday evening represents a changing of the guard for the Jacksonville City Council. It will be President Anna Brosche’s last meeting as presiding officer. Thursday sees current VP Aaron Bowman installed as her successor. Among the highlights of a light Tuesday legislative agenda are presentations from two task forces Brosche created: One on local civil rights history; […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 19, 2018

A bill that cleared Jacksonville City Council committees this week will, if approved by the full Council next week, push back the Mayor’s budget presentation to July 23, and will require serious budget meetings by the Finance committee that may impact Council members’ Labor Day travel plans. On Tuesday morning, the Finance Committee approved the […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 12, 2018

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JAXBIZ, the political committee of the Jacksonville Chamber, issued an unsurprising (but meaningful) endorsement Tuesday for Mayor Lenny Curry‘s re-election. The group was a major donor to Curry in May, and there has been scant daylight between Curry and the business group since his 2015 campaign (when they endorsed the then-candidate a month before the first […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 4, 2018

On Thursday, Jacksonville City Council members Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown were indicted on a 38-count conspiracy to defraud, after both allegedly misused city and federal funds intended for economic incentive purposes. Friday saw Gov. Rick Scott suspend the two less than a year before elections, leaving the Jacksonville City Council to scramble in terms of figuring out […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 22, 2018

The top job starting July 1 in the Jacksonville City Council will go to current Vice President Aaron Bowman, elected President-Designate Tuesday. There was little surprise: Bowman had 13 of the 19 councilors pledging support to him weeks prior. President-Designate Bowman, a VP for the Jacksonville Chamber‘s business recruitment wing JAXUSA Partnership, will represent a break […]

Jacksonville City Council President relieves Anna Brosche, Sam Newby of filling in for suspended colleagues

Subtext the story at Jacksonville City Council leadership installation

Aaron Bowman won’t bury Jacksonville City Council JEA report

Aaron Bowman to assume Jacksonville City Council presidency Thursday

New Jacksonville City Council committee assignments reflect change

Jacksonville City Council bids farewell to the Anna Brosche presidency

Jacksonville likely to push back budget presentation, compress budget hearings

Jacksonville Chamber political committee endorses Lenny Curry for re-election

Jacksonville City Council confident in post-indictment path

Jacksonville City Council elects Aaron Bowman to presidency; Scott Wilson VP