Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Michael MolineSeptember 17, 2018

Ash Williams, who manages investments for the Florida Retirement System among other funds, would draw a $70,000 annual pay raise under a recommendation approved Monday. The pay hike, by the state’s Investment Advisory Council, needs the approval of the State Board of Administration, comprising the governor, chief financial officer, and attorney general. If they go […]

Michael MolineJune 11, 2018

The State Retirement System earned a clean bill of health during its regular checkup Monday by overseers on the Florida Investment Advisory Council. Assets have grown by 10.5 percent since the start of the fiscal year, reaching a balance of $163.3 billion — $9.8 billion ahead of last year. The state distributes benefits worth between […]

Drew WilsonApril 20, 2018

Former Democratic state Senator and CFO candidate Jeremy Ring said in a Friday email that Gov. Rick Scott hasn’t been playing by the rules when it comes to managing the Florida Retirement System. As Governor, Scott is one of three FRS trustees alongside the state CFO and Attorney General, and Ring blasted Scott in the […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 23, 2018

During his freshman year in the Florida Senate, Democrat Jeremy Ring led the fight to make Florida the first state in the nation to pass a bill to divest from Iran. Under that legislation, $1 billion in state pension funds was screened for holdings in companies doing business with or investing in Iran’s oil sector. […]

Lloyd DunkelbergerJanuary 17, 2018

Florida counties will have to contribute an additional $66 million to the state pension fund in the new budget year, according to legislation that has started moving in the Senate. As a result of a decrease in the assumed rate of investment return on the $160 billion pension fund, counties, school boards, state agencies, universities, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 31, 2017

Mayor-Lenny-Curry-Florida-State-Capitol-02242016-1024x1024.jpeg

Jacksonville’s big legislative accomplishment in the 2016 session was getting an unprecedented bill through Tallahassee, one which would allow the city to access the guaranteed revenue from a future sales tax extension, once it closed one of its three pension plans. As collective bargaining continues between the city and its unions, the 2017 session also […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2017

On Monday, a political ally of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry filed a bill that would close the Florida Retirement System’s defined benefit plan to new cities. This is particularly relevant to Jacksonville’s police and fire unions, both of which want to see new hires put in the FRS defined benefit plan as a condition of collective bargaining. […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 24, 2017

Jacksonville City Councilman Tommy Hazouri made his position clear Tuesday relative to legislation closing the Florida Retirement System’s defined benefit plan to new cities. The legislation, said Hazouri, is “dead on arrival.” [Worth noting: there is a House and Senate version of this bill. Rep. Jason Fischer filed House Bill 353, while Jeff Brandes filed Senate Bill 428. Each bill […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 23, 2017

House Bill 353 and Senate Bill 428, filed on Monday, would foreclose enrollment in the Florida Retirement System’s defined benefit plan to any city not currently involved. While the defined contribution arm of FRS would be open to new municipal entrants, the defined benefit option would not. The bill was filed in the Florida House by Jacksonville Republican […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 14, 2016

The crossroads for pension plans for new hires in Jacksonville is here, and is casting a shadow over virtually every aspect of the city’s future. The latest bond rating trip for the city, for example, saw the pension issue – and whether or not Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry will succeed in getting at least one […]

Tag: florida retirement system
Image via Palatka Main Street.

Panel seeks pay increase for Florida’s chief investment adviser

Growth pushes Florida Retirement System above $163 billion in assets

Email insights: Rick Scott’s FRS actions ‘unethical and outright illegal’

Jeremy Ring: Divest FRS from gun makers

Counties face increased pension costs

Pushback emerges against bill closing FRS defined benefit plan to new cities

Jacksonville offers seven year agreement to firefighters in collective bargaining

Tommy Hazouri: FRS reform legislation is ‘dead on arrival’

Legislature mulls closing FRS defined benefit plan to new cities

John Rutherford, a former Jacksonville sheriff, discusses police pensions