Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 27, 2017

Late Tuesday night, the Jacksonville City Council passed the city’s $1.27 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, one with $131M in capital improvements, and 100 new police positions. The $131 million capital improvement budget: a cornucopia of one-time spending designed to take advantage of budget relief created by pension reform, fueled by the confidence created by Jacksonville’s strong position […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 18, 2017

A bill authorizing a referendum to increase the number of consecutive terms a Jacksonville City Council member can serve passed its second and final committee on Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by second-term Councilman Matt Schellenberg, passed Finance by a 5-2 margin Tuesday morning. Between committee stops, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry punted on expressing an opinion on the […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 19, 2016

For a second time this fall, Tuesday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council’s Land Use and Zoning committee voted in favor of allowing a microbrewery to open in Springfield at 1636 N. Main St. The vote was 4-1 in favor this time, with Doyle Carter the sole opponent. But it took a long, long time to get there. […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 27, 2016

On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council passed a $1.18 billion budget that will add more and better-equipped police officers to city streets. However, the big talkers were swimming lessons, travel budgets, and special events allocations … adding up to a picayune $115,000 out of the council contingency budget. And another big talker: a failed but audacious […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 6, 2016

On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council Transportation, Energy, and Utilities (TEU) committee mulled a resolution regarding moving the Inspector General‘s office into the City Hall building and consolidating some employees and space with the Ethics Department. Ultimately, the bill was deferred for two cycles. Yet the discussion revealed unresolved conflicts between Council VP John Crescimbeni and the […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 15, 2016

As early voting kicks off in Duval County, a passel of current and former Jacksonville city councilmen endorsed Clay Yarborough in House District 12. The endorsers: Michael Corrigan, Al Ferraro, Bill Gulliford, Kevin Hyde, Matt Schellenberg, and Richard Clark. Corrigan, Gulliford, and Clark are all former council presidents. However, Clark is the most significant endorsement in this case. Clark was, […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 3, 2016

Running the risk of courting controversy with the local press, and perhaps some friction with Democrats and independents ahead of the Aug. 30 pension tax referendum, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry served as master of ceremonies at the Donald Trump rally Wednesday in front of a crowd of roughly 8,000 Trump supporters, which filled out further after his portion […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 6, 2016

Former Duval County Sheriff John Rutherford, a Republican in Florida’s 4th Congressional District race, rolled out key endorsements Wednesday. “I am proud to release this list of elected officials supporting my message of reforming Washington. Americans are sick and tired of a federal government that does not respond to their needs,” Rutherford said. The endorsers: Tax […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 21, 2016

The passage of the revamped Public Investment Policy (PIP) was the big news to come out of Tuesday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety Committee. This was the final meeting of the combined RCDPHS committee, which will be split up and given sharper individuation and focus under incoming Council […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 7, 2016

On Tuesday morning, the Jacksonville City Council Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety committee mulled Zika-related legislation. One bill, which moves $122,524 from the mosquito control fund balance to allocations for insecticide and equipment this fiscal year and next, was approved by the Finance Committee Monday. RCDPHS approved the bill 5-0 without discussion. A […]

Tag: Al Ferraro

Jacksonville City Council approves $1.27 billion budget

Bill gutting term limits moves to full Jacksonville City Council

Beer drinkers down Bible thumpers in Jacksonville microbrewery debate

Jacksonville City Council passes big budget after robust discussion of small details

Jax council panel defers bill to move inspector general office into city hall

Former and current Jax councilmen close ranks, back Clay Yarborough in HD 12

Lenny Curry serves as master of ceremonies on the Trump Train

Congressional candidate John Rutherford rolls out key Jax endorsements

Public Investment Policy clears final Jax Council committee

Second Jax council committee approves mosquito-control funds