Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiApril 5, 2016

Beth McCague, interim executive director of the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund, addressed the Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee on Tuesday, responding to charges levied in an email from Pension Fund gadfly Curtis Lee. McCague, who has patiently borne the brunt of Lee’s criticisms since she took the role, seemed to be at the end […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 2, 2016

Interim Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund Executive Director Beth McCague said when she took the job that she didn’t want to be there indefinitely. A year was the longest commitment that she wanted to offer. And she may be done sooner than that. An internal email from McCague to Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa notes that […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 29, 2016

At the start of the year, I made 12 predictions for 2016 in Jacksonville politics. A fourth of the way through, revisiting them is useful. Some I got right. Some I got wrong. Some are still in progress. Predictions 1 and 2 revolved around the Human Rights Ordinance expansion, which was the issue du jour. […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 19, 2016

Though it wasn’t an agenda item, interesting talk before the meeting outside the board room included some profound skepticism about the mechanics of the Deferred Contribution plan, upon which the Lenny Curry pension tax/reform proposal is predicated. Asked her position before the meeting, Executive Director Beth McCague noted that, since changes can happen in the bill in […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 2, 2016

The Jax City Council ban on the use of cellphones during meeting is under siege, with a threat from Bill Gulliford that boiled down to pass my bill fixing it or face a rules challenge. The Bill Gulliford bill included a measure prohibiting “electronic communications” from or to Council members related to legislation on the agenda […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 21, 2016

The second of two big public notice meetings of Jacksonville City Council members Thursday involved a familiar subject: the subpoenas of Police and Fire Pension Fund material, requested last year as part of the “forensic audit” of the pension fund that some on Council regard as gospel, and that others outside of Council regard as blasphemy. […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 21, 2016

Two interesting Jacksonville City Council public notice meetings are slated for Thursday, and both of them have to do with public safety-related legal concerns. At 1 p.m, Councilwoman Anna Brosche meets with Council VP Lori Boyer regarding 2015-783, the so-called Cure Legislation to resolve a controversial budget night allocation of $330,799 from the stormwater budget to salaries for […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 15, 2016

As Sam Mousa walked into the Police and Fire Pension Fund building on a misty Friday morning to sell the board on the Lenny Curry plan, FloridaPolitics.com asked him his thoughts on Rick Scott not committing to support the Jacksonville mayor’s pension sales tax plan to address the unfunded actuarial liability. Mousa’s answer was typically economical, “The mayor never asked the […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 30, 2015

There’s no doubt 2015 was an amazing year in Jacksonville politics. A new mayor, 11 new members of City Council, and intrigue in Corrine Brown’s redistricting saga were among a few top-level highlights. While we have a reasonable sense of what happened in Jacksonville politics in 2015, the next question is what happens in 2016. Hence, a […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 18, 2015

The Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund Board of Trustees selected Willard Payne as its fifth member on Friday during its final meeting of 2015. Larry Schmitt nominated, noting his experience with the Jax Chamber, the Port Authority, and other boards. “I think his experience and expertise in business dealings would make him a good […]

Tag: Beth McCague

Jax PFPF head Beth McCague addresses Rules Committee

Jax pension fund preps for post-Beth McCague era

A.G. Gancarski: So far, so good on 2016 predictions

Jax PFPF pushback on pension tax looms, in context of market turmoil

Cellphone ban vexes Bill Gulliford, yet Rules defers his bill

Jax Council renews call for transparency from Police and Fire Pension Fund

Interesting public notice meetings in Jax Thursday

Pension Tension: PFPF pushback on Jax pension unfunded liability surtax

A.G. Gancarski’s 12 predictions in 2016 for Jacksonville politics

Willard Payne voted onto Jax police, fire pension fund board