Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 2, 2016

Votes have consequences. The decision during September’s budget night vote to move $330,799 from stormwater budgets to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department to fund safety officers had big consequences. A lawsuit from the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County resulted in a settlement, which required cure legislation to affirm the budget night decision. The wrinkle in […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 26, 2016

With two HRO expansion bills in public hearing at the end of the meeting, Jacksonville’s City Council steeled itself for another extended round of public comment. The legislative agenda? Light. But even the agenda meeting had allusions to the conflict to come, such as Bill Gulliford‘s quip about a city employee moving to the Beach, saying […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 26, 2016

The Jacksonville Vehicles for Hire subcommittee met Tuesday for the latest skirmish between the Uber/Lyft rideshare side and traditional taxicab companies. The agenda included “a discussion of the state legislation, a look at ordinances in other cities, a discussion on enforcement of city ordinances, and an open discussion on the issue.” The big takeaway was potentially […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2016

An interesting narrative has been the decline in utility of the Jacksonville City Council Neighborhood Improvement and Community Enhancement (formerly Blight) committee. When Denise Lee was on City Council, Blight was a long meeting, but generally an effective if powerless committee. Since Lee has moved into the mayor’s office, NICE has gotten nasty. Clashes between Lee […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 20, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee had an active agenda on Tuesday, highlighted by term limits, texting, and other hot button issues. The most interesting thing on the agenda: a bill they all voted against. Rules came together and downed a measure to increase the statute of limitations on ethics complaints from 2 years to […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 19, 2016

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On Tuesday morning, Doyle Carter joined John Crescimbeni, Aaron Bowman, and Matt Schellenberg in the Jacksonville City Council vice president race. The public notice meeting he called to this effect had plenty of room for whomever, though. No one showed except the councilman, his assistant, a staffer from the mayor’s office, and this reporter. During the half hour meeting, Carter […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 18, 2016

In life, the Gospel Teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. ineluctably informed his political perspective and stances. Nearly half a century since his passing, Dr. King is a canonical figure in American politics. This is true also in Jacksonville, where the annual MLK parade is one of the biggest events for politicos to show out […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 12, 2016

““Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There was never a democracy that did not commit suicide.” — John Adams “If we’d had a referendum in 1965, I’d still be on the back of the bus.” — Denise Hunt A light legislative agenda on Jacksonville’s City Council was offset by dozens of […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 9, 2016

Despite the best efforts of Jacksonville City Council President Greg Anderson to ensure a linear process in terms of considering expansion of the Human Rights Ordinance, via Committee of the Whole discussions, out of state political operatives seem intent on ensuring that the circus comes to Council Chambers. New radio ads, reported on by Action News Jax, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 6, 2016

Going into Wednesday’s meeting in Jacksonville, state Sen. Audrey Gibson and NextGen Energy agreed that they were meeting, but not what they were meeting about. Gibson’s letter in December, promoting the event, concerned “engaging Faith Leaders to help with planning power for communities, with an eye towards 50 percent clean carbon-free energy by 2030.” “Engaging faith and […]

Tag: Garrett Dennis

Safety officer cure legislation spurs spirited Jax Council committee budget debate

HRO testimony rocks Jax City Council yet again

Jax Vehicles for Hire panel considers stiffer penalties for rogue operators

Has the Jax NICE Committee failed?

Jax Council Rules Committee spikes ethics proposal

In empty room, Doyle Carter launches Jax Council VP campaign

At Jax MLK parade, the personal is political, and The Dream lives on

HRO expansion talk roils Jax City Council

Anti-HRO radio ads pressure Jax Council members

Audrey Gibson, NextGen Climate hold community forum on clean energy