Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 27, 2016

On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council passed a $1.18 billion budget that will add more and better-equipped police officers to city streets. However, the big talkers were swimming lessons, travel budgets, and special events allocations … adding up to a picayune $115,000 out of the council contingency budget. And another big talker: a failed but audacious […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 11, 2016

Spending will go up on public safety, stay flat in most other areas. Revenue will be up, though millage collection still isn’t back to where it was before the crash of 2008, and business tax collection is down almost 10 percent. These insights and others were to be heard in council chambers Thursday morning, as […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 3, 2016

Running the risk of courting controversy with the local press, and perhaps some friction with Democrats and independents ahead of the Aug. 30 pension tax referendum, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry served as master of ceremonies at the Donald Trump rally Wednesday in front of a crowd of roughly 8,000 Trump supporters, which filled out further after his portion […]

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 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 […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 31, 2016

So who won the Jacksonville City Council leadership elections last week? The prima facie answer: President-designate Lori Boyer and Vice President-designate John Crescimbeni. Beyond those two obvious winners, some people’s stock went up, and some people’s went down. The pitch Crescimbeni made to Danny Becton, one of his supporters in his 10-to-9 victory, was illustrative. To paraphrase: […]

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 20, 2016

At the end of his meeting with Jacksonville City Council vice-presidential candidate Doyle Carter, Councilman Danny Becton told Carter he had to think it over. And Becton backed John Crescimbeni, Carter’s opponent. “It has been a pleasure serving with you as colleagues on Finance where I have had the opportunity to learn and grow and you have been instrumental […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 16, 2016

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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 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: Danny Becton

Jacksonville City Council passes big budget after robust discussion of small details

Jax City Council begins budget deliberations

Lenny Curry serves as master of ceremonies on the Trump Train

Slots bill hits jackpot in Jax Council Finance committee

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

Who emerged as the winners & losers from Jacksonville’s City Council leadership elections?

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

Danny Becton backs John Crescimbeni for Jax Council VP

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

Jacksonville City Council authorizes August pension tax referendum