Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiOctober 28, 2015

[Updated 3:10 PM with Lenny Curry comments] In a Wednesday afternoon press conference, Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee Chair Bill Gulliford put the perpetually embattled Police and Fire Pension Fund on blast, in the wake of the long-awaited results of the forensic audit. Adding to the intrigue: former PFPF director John Keane had not seen the […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 28, 2015

On Wednesday morning, the Jacksonville City Council Executive Personnel Committee, including Council members Bill Gulliford, Lori Boyer, John Crescimbeni and Chairman Greg Anderson met briefly to discuss increases in salaries for staff and council members. Arguably the four most powerful council members, they almost invariably drive debate and frame narratives. Councilman Matt Schellenberg introduced a bill […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 27, 2015

Jacksonville’s City Council meeting on Tuesday night was light in terms of agenda items; expectations going in were for some fireworks on the Planning Commission removal of Lisa King and Joey McKinnon, and, perhaps, council scrutiny of the embattled Inspector General Thomas Cline. As expected, King and McKinnon were removed in favor of Lenny Curry […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 21, 2015

On Wednesday afternoon, the Jacksonville City Council special committee on capital improvement projects continued its work refining legislation and policy related to debt management and CIPs. It ironed out aspects of draft legislation to move Jacksonville toward a more consistent and efficient approach to capital improvement projects, and with budgeting more generally, resolving City Council […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 21, 2015

Jacksonville’s first JEA Agreement meeting since the membership of the actual JEA Board was reduced happened on Wednesday morning, after a delay that did not escape the notice of the media on hand to cover the conclave. Among the topics “to be discussed,” according to an agenda with a distinctly non-standard, almost psychedelic font: water […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 19, 2015

One of the major issues in Jacksonville is vacant properties, stemming from the foreclosure crisis and other issues. Estimates say about 30,000 such properties dot the various neighborhoods in Jacksonville. Even in a time where we’ve seen equity markets surge to record numbers, the struggle is real … even in “good neighborhood[s],” according to one […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 19, 2015

It seemed simple enough on the agenda for the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee on Monday morning: a bill to allow a vehicle allowance for Supervisor of Elections Mike Hogan. However, the Wu Tang Clan “Can it all really be so simple?” rule definitely was in effect when the bill led to much broader discussion […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 15, 2015

After a 14 month process of meetings, the Jacksonville City Council Capital Improvement Plan committee is moving toward its last couple of meetings, with one held on Thursday afternoon, after a hiatus during the budget process. Some highlights of the five measures considered: — Stormwater legislation will likely be deferred until April 30, as the Lenny Curry […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 8, 2015

Jacksonville City Councilman Bill Gulliford has long been concerned with what he calls “neighborhoods in decline.” Thursday afternoon’s Jacksonville Housing Roundtable, which convened stakeholders from the business, policy and non-profit sectors, was an attempt to bring together new perspectives on best practices related to abandoned property and blight. With about 30,000 abandoned properties on the Duval County registry, the […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 5, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee resumed on Monday morning after a three week hiatus. Highlights abounded. Finance Committee Chair Bill Gulliford addressed the stalled out forensic audit of the Police and Fire Pension Fund, and the preliminary findings were not good. Essentially, the auditor got stonewalled for “informational needs” and Gulliford urged that the Finance Committee […]

Tag: Bill Gulliford

Bill Gulliford blasts Jax PFPF in wake of forensic audit

Jax City Council looks to boost staff pay, personal compensation

Jax City Council OKs Planning Commission moves, scrutinizes inspector general

Jacksonville capital improvement committee works on final cleanup of bills

JEA board issues, credit rating concerns loom over JEA Agreement meeting

Jax resident proposes property confiscation to deal with vacancy crisis

Jax Council Finance Committee looks to revisit city vehicle allowances

Jax Council Capital Improvement committee continues

Jax Housing Roundtable addresses “neighborhoods in decline”

Jax Finance Committee proposes subpoena of PFPF forensic audit records