Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJuly 28, 2016

The 2015 mayoral election between incumbent Alvin Brown and challenger Lenny Curry was decided by numerous factors. But one that shouldn’t be forgotten was Brown’s frayed relationship with the Jacksonville beach communities of Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach, and Neptune Beach. Brown, described as a “nonexistent” leader by beaches politicians, went to Jacksonville Beach last spring […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 20, 2016

“You won’t have Gulliford to kick around anymore.” Those Nixonian words, said by Finance Chair Bill Gulliford at the end of the last committee meeting under his chairmanship, kicked off the agenda meeting, a prelude to the last Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee meeting before leadership of the Council and committees changes at the end of […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 13, 2016

A sense of urgency permeated the Jacksonville City Council Vehicles for Hire committee Monday afternoon, as the longstanding special committee met yet again to determine regulations for Uber and Lyft, in what was supposed to be the last meeting of this special committee. Though insurance levels had been agreed upon, as was the concept of […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 6, 2016

Monday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee included a discussion of Zika, expansion of the role of the inspector general, and approval of a July 18 date for Mayor Lenny Curry‘s budget address. All measures approved will require full Council approval next Tuesday. — 2016-320 would move $122,554 from the mosquito control fund balance to […]

Melissa RossJune 1, 2016

Fans of skateboarding are mixing it up on Facebook with Jacksonville City Councilman Bill Gulliford. After Gulliford proposed legislation to ban skateboarding downtown, foes of the measure quickly took to social media to denounce the idea — and Gulliford himself. You can check out one such lively exchange here, on the Facebook page of MetroJacksonville’s Stephen Dare. […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 24, 2016

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After a fractious public notice meeting between Jacksonville City Council members and Friends of Hemming Park earlier on Tuesday, council Vice President Lori Boyer proposed that an appropriation approved by the Finance Committee for $250,000 for the construction of a new stage be changed to an appropriation granting Friends of Hemming Park $100,000 to cover operating […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 24, 2016

In the Jacksonville City Council leadership elections, the main event was anticlimactic. Everyone knew current Vice President Lori Boyer would be voted in as president-designate, offering meaningful continuity after the presidency of Greg Anderson. However, the VP-designate race between Doyle Carter and John Crescimbeni offered considerably more drama, with both men deadlocked at eight pledges each ahead of the special […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 16, 2016

An ordinance appropriating $250,000 from Jacksonville City Council contingency funds to construct a stage at downtown’s Hemming Park was approved Monday by a 6-to-1 vote of the Finance Committee after over an hour of discussion. There were some sticking points beforehand. Multiple members of the committee expressed serious qualms about this particular deal, and about the […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 12, 2016

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The Jacksonville City Council’s special committee on solid waste addressed on Thursday recycling in business, commercial, office, and multi-family dwelling units of 10 or more. Discussion revolved around the boom-or-bust nature of the recycling industry, as well as problems created by commodity prices and people’s approach to single-stream recycling. Councilman John Crescimbeni noted, mentioning several Florida municipalities, that […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 10, 2016

Passage of 2016-300, which authorizes the referendum to extend the half-cent Better Jacksonville Plan sales tax to address the city’s $2.7 billion unfunded pension liability, seemed to be a certainty before Tuesday’s Jacksonville City Council meeting. After public comment, hand wringing from some council members, and tub thumping from others, it was approved 19 to 0 […]

Tag: Bill Gulliford
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Lenny Curry, Bill Gulliford pitch Beaches skeptics on shared sacrifice of pension tax

Slots bill hits jackpot in Jax Council Finance committee

Jax Vehicles for Hire committee meanders to conclusion

Jax Finance Committee talks Zika, Inspector General, mayoral budget address date

That time Bill Gulliford got into it with his critics on Facebook — over skateboarding

After extended inquisition, Jax Council approves more Hemming Park funding

Jax City Council elects Lori Boyer president, John Crescimbeni vice-president

Jax Council Finance OKs $250,000 for Hemming Park stage

Jax Council solid waste committee mulls recycling issues

Jacksonville City Council authorizes August pension tax referendum