Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Kevin MeerschaertApril 21, 2015

The Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Board of Trustees voted Monday morning to hold off on any appeal of a judge’s ruling that tossed out part of a 30-year agreement it had with the city. Last month, Judge Thomas Beverly stuck down the agreement saying the agreement from 2000 was negotiated in secret, a violation […]

Kevin MeerschaertMarch 26, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council once again rejected a police and fire-pension reform plan championed by Mayor Alvin Brown. The proposal was defeated on a 9-9 vote, falling short of the majority needed to pass. There was a long debate on several amendments that if approved likely would have gotten the legislation approved. One would have […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 11, 2015

A recurrent criticism of Jacksonville City Council President Clay Yarborough is that he has played politics with the Police and Fire Pension deal that Mayor Alvin Brown and his team have been trying to get through. Council keeps delaying discussion of the measure. As our Kevin Meerschaert reported Tuesday night, Yarborough raised concerns about “mortality tables” that show that retirees are […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 16, 2015

The big political issue in Jacksonville right now is the Police and Fire Pension Fund. The fund in its current condition is unsustainable and a drain on public resources: virtually every candidate and office holder agrees on that issue. The disagreement is on how to handle it. Mayor Alvin Brown‘s administration has advanced a proposal, […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 16, 2015

The big political issue in Jacksonville right now is the Police and Fire Pension Fund. The fund in its current condition is unsustainable and a drain on public resources: virtually every candidate and office holder agrees on that issue. The disagreement is on how to handle it. Mayor Alvin Brown‘s administration has advanced a proposal, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2015

By many metrics, the tenure of Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford has been a success. The JSO has not dealt with the scandals it dealt with during previous administrations, and he has built up his political bona fides to the point where it seemed to some observers — such as this writer — that he would […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2015

By many metrics, the tenure of Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford has been a success. The JSO has not dealt with the scandals it dealt with during previous administrations, and he has built up his political bona fides to the point where it seemed to some observers — such as this writer — that he would […]

Julie DelegalJanuary 22, 2015

Jacksonville needs to get on top of police-and-fire pension reform, and failing to do it now amounts to playing politics with taxpayer money. And contrary to what a recent direct mail piece would have us believe, it’s not the mayor who’s playing fast and loose with our tax dollars. Our past rates of payment on […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 8, 2014

Jacksonville is a city that has changed drastically in many ways over the last quarter century, with the influx of new corporate capital and the migration patterns that begets making the city more liberal on many issues. Despite this, some things remain the same. One of which is that socially conservative politicians, and the arguments […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 8, 2014

The last two weeks have seen seismic change in the Duval County GOP. In the wake of Duval County Republican Party Secretary Kim Crenier’s explosive tweets on her personal account on the Ferguson verdict and aftermath, with one of them ending up crossposted on the @JaxGOP Twitter account, two Republican Party Officers have decided to […]

Tag: Clay Yarborough

Jax Pension Board will not appeal ruling tossing out 30-year agreement

Jax City Council rejects (again) pension reform plan

Bill Scheu: Jax Council President Clay Yarborough needs to step down

Jacksonville's police, fire pension fuss gets Tallahassee cold shower

Jacksonville’s police, fire pension fuss gets Tallahassee cold shower

Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford takes on the 'culture of death'

Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford takes on the ‘culture of death’

Julie Delegal: Pension politics squanders millions in Jax tax dollars

“Naked City” Jacksonville art exhibit mobilizes social conservative politicians

Duval County GOP shakeup: Rick Hartley and Kim Crenier stand down – Why now?