Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiNovember 24, 2015

The penultimate Jacksonville City Council meeting of the year, on “getaway day” before Thanksgiving break unofficially begins, had, in theory, a light agenda with expected heavy public comment on the HRO and related issues. In practice, though the agenda was light and the public comment was robust, the HRO commentary was surprisingly muted. The agenda […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 17, 2015

Jacksonville City Council committee meetings rarely resemble an episode of “Survivor.” But the Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety Committee started three short: Katrina Brown, Sam Newby, and Reggie Brown were not in the house. Reggie Brown did materialize a few minutes in, however. And then Katrina Brown got in just before 10 a.m. […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 3, 2015

Tuesday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee drew a less robust crowd than the one two weeks ago, both in terms of interested parties and interested media. The highlight: Jacksonville Ethics Commission Chairman Joe Jacquot came to discuss the pending legislation barring texting during Council meetings. Jacquot noted that, during the Ethics Commission […]

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 20, 2015

The Jacksonville Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety Committee had a light agenda Tuesday morning. The big bill on the agenda was an amended and restated golf course lease and management agreement with Comstock Golf Management’s financially struggling nine-hole golf club at Blue Cypress in Arlington. Councilman Matt Schellenberg pointed out that “if you don’t […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 13, 2015

Finally, Jacksonville City Council meetings are lively again. Between reactions to a good chunk of Council being sued for texting a lobbyist during a budget meeting, the removal of a Lenny Curry appointment of Jay Demetree from the consent agenda, and a public comment protest campaign planned in reaction to the replacement of Planning Commission member Joey McKinnon […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 21, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council officially approved the FY 16 budget and related bills on Monday evening. Leading off the meeting, Council President Greg Anderson quipped, regarding the jampacked Chambers, “I wonder why you’re all here tonight.” The Capital Improvement Plan was approved without discussion or exception (though a floor amendment at the end changed that), as […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 21, 2015

A much-discussed bill to increase penalties for snipe signs has cleared committees and was expected to pass the full Jacksonville City Council on Monday, which could end, at least for now, one of the most interminable debate topics this council has faced. Councilman John Crescimbeni explained the bill, which would increase fines while allowing protection for […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 15, 2015

On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council’s Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety Committee (RCDPHS) hosted heated discussion on a surprising matter: the amended and restated Equestrian Center contract, which was approved in Finance on Monday without any particular drama. Schellenberg questioned Alberta Hipps, former City Council president and advocate for all things Westside, who was […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 1, 2015

The Jacksonville Public Library has had a rough decade. Ten years of budget cuts have taken the beleaguered JPL past the point of efficiency into the realm of austerity. However, of late there has been hope, says Barbara Gubbin, JPL director. In welcoming Mayor Lenny Curry, Gubbin mentioned that she and her staff have been on “tenterhooks,” […]

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

Jax City Council light on agenda, heavy on public comment

Jax health and safety committee clashes, then punts, on “prohibited outdoor storage” issue

Ethics Commission chairman talks texting ban with Jax City Council Rules Committee

Jax City Council OKs Planning Commission moves, scrutinizes inspector general

Jax recreation panel backs Blue Cypress golf course deal

Planning Commission drama enlivens Jacksonville City Council

Jax City Council approves FY16 budget

After extended discussion, Jax Council increases snipe sign fines

Jax rec panel grills Alberta Hipps on Equestrian Center funding

For Lenny Curry and Jax Public Library, JAXREADS embodies 1C1J