Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJuly 22, 2016

On Thursday Kerri Stewart, chief of staff for Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, addressed the Jax Chamber North Council. Among the topics: Curry’s first year in office, the new budget and, inexorably, the pension tax referendum, which Stewart has been marketing around town along with Curry and members of the Jacksonville City Council. Stewart rattled off the mayoral priorities in the […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 20, 2016

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On Wednesday, the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee discussed a council auditor report, which contended the Friends of Hemming Park was “insolvent” as recently as May. Concomitant to that discussion: a deferred $150,000 allocation bill to cede new money to Hemming Park. And Mayor Lenny Curry seeking in his new budget to cut the appropriation to […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 18, 2016

As promised ahead of Monday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry‘s second budget was lean and devoid of much in the way of enhancements. A few city departments did come out ahead. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will get 40 new police officers and 40 new community service officers, which augments the 40 of each provided in the current […]

Lloyd DunkelbergerJuly 7, 2016

Lawmakers will have to accommodate an additional 31,000 public school students when they craft a new state budget in the spring. A new forecast approved Thursday by state economists and analysts shows 2.84 million students will be in the pre-kindergarten through high school system beginning in the fall of 2017. It represents a 1.1 percent increase over […]

Associated PressJune 30, 2016

Florida legislators passed 279 bills during this year’s session three months ago, and 162 of them take effect on Friday with the start of the state’s fiscal year, affecting school choice, abortion, tax cuts and many more aspects of life in the Sunshine State. Here’s a roundup of some of the measures taking effect: BUDGET: […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 30, 2016

Jacksonville’s capital improvement project budget list got reviewed Thursday by Mayor Lenny Curry‘s chief lieutenants, CAO Sam Mousa and CFO Mike Weinstein. Herein, some highlights of a capital improvement plan tempered with pragmatism and a deep desire to avoid incurring too much debt. All topics here are subject to change before budget is submitted. Public Works capital improvement projects ADA projects […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 24, 2016

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Jacksonville faces many issues. Crumbling infrastructure. Shortfalls in public safety. And yes, a $2.7 trillion unfunded pension liability. The roads? They aren’t so good either. City lawn mowing? Even the mayor will tell you there are places in Jacksonville that don’t get cut enough. And yet, one council member asserts that the next budget, which […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 21, 2016

On Tuesday, the office of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry reviewed the budget of Sports and Entertainment and the Office of Economic Development, ahead of formal submission of the budget to City Council in July. Facilitating the review: Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa. The highlights from Sports and Entertainment: Active discussion of the Florida/Georgia Hall of Fame […]

Brendan FarringtonMarch 11, 2016

The Legislature was getting ready to wrap up its 60-day legislative session Friday absent the drama that marked last year’s lawmaking process. The most important thing left for lawmakers on the final day was passing the $82.3 billion budget, a vote that couldn’t take place before 2:53 p.m. because of a requirement that lawmakers wait […]

Drew WilsonNovember 26, 2015

The days after Thanksgiving have become the top shopping weekend of the year for many retailers and the National Retail Federation expects more than 135 million Americans will shop retail deals over the holiday weekend. While Black Friday deals may be enticing, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and the Department of Financial Services say […]

Tag: Budget
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Kerri Stewart pitches pension tax to Jax Chamber North Council

Friends of Hemming Park scrutinized by Jax Council Finance Committee

Lenny Curry introduces lean budget, sells pension-tax referendum

Lawmakers faced with burgeoning student enrollment growth when crafting budget

Abortion, budget, tax cuts among new Florida laws

Jax mayor’s office talks capital improvement priorities for new FY

City on financial brink to consider paying for speed bumps

Jax mayor’s office reviews sports and entertainment budget

Almost there: Sine die is nigh

CFO Jeff Atwater reminds consumers to plan before braving Black Friday crowds