Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJune 12, 2018

The Jacksonville City Council on Tuesday backed a committee vote and stopped a resolution drafted last week that would expressly discourage interim JEA CEO Aaron Zahn from applying for the permanent position. The vote was 4-10 against the resolution, with sponsor Garrett Dennis, Council President Anna Brosche, and Councilmembers Joyce Morgan and Reggie Gaffney the sole no votes. The bill […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 11, 2018

On June 1, Gov. Rick Scott suspended two Democratic Jacksonville City Council members who face 38 federal counts in a scheme to defraud local and federal taxpayers. While Scott has not yet picked replacements for the currently suspended Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown, the Councilors have live bills that currently lack a primary sponsor. Katrina […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 7, 2018

Marcellus Holmes, District 9 incumbent Garrett Dennis‘ likely Jacksonville City Council re-election opponent, raised no money in May, his third month as an active candidate. Holmes hadn’t raised money in March or April either; however, a late May meeting with Mayor Lenny Curry, no fan of Dennis’ legislative style, was seen by some City Hall watchers […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 4, 2018

On Monday, Jacksonville City Council’s Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety committee greenlit the ‘District‘ development plan. That said, the bill did not pass without considerable discussion and consternation among myriad members of the panel before the 5-1 vote The bill (2018-313) could transform the Southbank with its radical redevelopment of 30 acres at the […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 4, 2018

On Thursday, Jacksonville City Council members Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown were indicted on a 38-count conspiracy to defraud, after both allegedly misused city and federal funds intended for economic incentive purposes. Friday saw Gov. Rick Scott suspend the two less than a year before elections, leaving the Jacksonville City Council to scramble in terms of figuring out […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 31, 2018

Though the Jacksonville City Council is on its “fifth week,” a sanctioned break from committee meetings, the intrigue continues in the St. James Building. Tuesday saw Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry meet with a candidate for the legislative body: Marcellus Holmes. Holmes, a former professional football player, didn’t hone into specific policy proposals during an April interview. If elected, […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 29, 2018

Jacksonville held another iteration of its yearly jazz festival over Memorial Day weekend, but a number of local politicians critiqued a scheduling decision for the well-attended event. City decision makers did not use the Jacksonville Landing as a location for a festival stage; a move not altogether surprising given the continued legal back and forth between […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 23, 2018

Two weeks ago, the Jacksonville City Council passed a resolution at the request of School Board member Ashley Smith-Juarez backing up its position that a change in state concordance testing changes would lower the city’s graduation rate. Per WJCT, the new rules would raise minimum standardized test scores needed for graduation, but Mayor Lenny Curry objected to the […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 17, 2018

Friction and fractiousness continued in Jacksonville City Hall this week, with City Council Finance Chair Garrett Dennis calling a public-notice meeting to express concerns about potential Sunshine Law violations in the race for the Council presidency. Council Vice President Aaron Bowman charged Dennis with trying to talk multiple Councilors into vacating their pledges to back Bowman, who is […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 16, 2018

Garrett Dennis, a Jacksonville City Councilman who has yet to file for re-election in the 2019 election, launched a statewide political committee Wednesday. Together We Stand is the name of the committee. Dennis noted that the committee, being statewide, has the “ability” to help candidates outside of Duval County. He was non-specific about the purpose […]

Tag: Garrett Dennis
Paula Stark is hosting Buenaventura Lakes' 'first-ever' event to honor veterans.

Jacksonville City Council won’t tell JEA who its next CEO should be

Jacksonville City Council works to move on from suspended, indicted members

Marcellus Holmes, Garrett Dennis’ likely Jacksonville City Council re-election opponent, raises nothing in May

Despite hiccups, Jacksonville ‘District’ development clears first City Council panel

Jacksonville City Council confident in post-indictment path

Mind games continue between Lenny Curry, Garrett Dennis

Jacksonville courthouse stage for jazz festival draws heated criticism from pols

Concordance discord: Lenny Curry pilloried for not signing education resolution

Jacksonville ‘Sunshine Law’ flap piques prosecutors’ interest

Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett Dennis forms statewide political committee