Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiMarch 29, 2017

The future of CRAs, or Community Redevelopment Agencies, is in flux on the state level, with CS/HB 13 and SB 1770 both proposing substantial alterations to the process. Meanwhile, on the local level, a robust debate has occurred related to whether or not the JIA CRA should be phased out. District 7 Councilman Reggie Gaffney, as reported in […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 29, 2017

Back in January, former Jacksonville City Council candidate Mike Anania seemed like a sure thing to be appointed to the Jacksonville “Taxation, Revenues, and Utilization of Expenditures” Commission. However, assurances that the Arlington Republican is a sure thing for the TRUE Commission have been proven false by events since his nomination was put forth late in January. […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 21, 2017

The Eureka Garden complex has been a focus of politicians in the last couple of years, with Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, Sen. Marco Rubio, Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett Dennis, and Rep. Al Lawson all demanding rehab of the facility and reform of the HUD process. A new management group, which is looking to buy the property, promised changes. That group promised […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 8, 2017

Wednesday saw the Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee pass bills related to small business microfinancing, city contractor jobs for ex-offenders, and the council travel budget for groups like the Florida League of Cities. The full council will vote on these bills Tuesday night. ____ Microfinance: 2016-486 revives the city’s Access to Capital program for Jacksonville’s Small and […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 23, 2017

A bill filed earlier this year in the Jacksonville City Council to ensure more job opportunities for ex-offenders got deferred in its third committee stop Thursday. The Associated Builders and Contractors pushed back on the bill throughout the committee process, and council members fell in line, with increasing resistance in Wednesday’s committees leading to the pause on […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 21, 2017

U.S. Representative Al Lawson may have had good intentions when choosing to spend the first part of an off week in Jacksonville. But intentions are one thing. And delivery is another. Lawson’s itinerary, arrived at last week, was pretty straightforward. Among other things: the first-term Democrat from Tallahassee was to go to Eureka Garden on Tuesday […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 20, 2017

Democratic Rep. Al Lawson will begin the week in Jacksonville, ascertaining the priorities of the eastern flank of Florida’s far-flung Congressional District 5. Lawson plans to spend Monday through Wednesday working in town, with the following tentative itinerary. Monday will see Lawson working out of his new Jacksonville office on N. Davis Street in LaVilla. He will […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 14, 2017

While the Human Rights Ordinance expansion is the biggest item being considered Tuesday by the Jacksonville City Council, it’s not the only one. Below, a preview of what to watch in Council Chambers. *** Margin Call: On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council has a decision to make: will the city protect LGBT rights as other major […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

A bill to attempt to ensure Jacksonville city government offers equal employment opportunity on racial grounds passed the city council’s Finance Committee Wednesday. But passage did not come without chippy discussion on the subject, including a description of the bill as a “race hunt” by one councilman. **** Ordinance 2017-16 calls for the following: annual reporting to […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 7, 2017

The Rules Committee of the Jacksonville City Council was the second committee in two days to approve expansion of the city’s Human Rights Ordinance. The measure would extend protections in housing, public accommodations, and employment on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The Rules meeting saw two co-sponsors of the HRO expansion […]

Tag: Garrett Dennis

Jacksonville councilors fight proposed JIA CRA sunset

‘Combative’ Mike Anania no sure thing for Jacksonville TRUE Commission

Failed Eureka Garden HUD inspection: whose fault is it?

Access to Capital, ex-offender jobs, travel budget bills cleared for full Jacksonville City Council

Jacksonville ex-offender jobs bill gets deferred by council panel

Schedule confusion characterizes Al Lawson in Jacksonville

Al Lawson begins week in Jacksonville, will visit Eureka Garden

HRO expansion is not the only story in Jacksonville City Council Tuesday

After heated debate, ‘Equal Opportunity’ bill heads to full Jacksonville City Council

HRO clears second Jacksonville City Council committee