Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 17, 2015

Ahead of Thursday’s surprisingly dramatic Jacksonville Planning Commission meeting, in which Commissioners Lisa King and Joey McKinnon, who have been asked to resign, in fact intend to show up and fulfill their duties, a couple of things are clear after conversations Florida Politics had with the mayor and several Council members on Thursday morning. Jacksonville […]

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 14, 2015

Monday’s meeting of City Councils Neighborhood Improvement and Enhancement Committee was to be highlighted by subcommittee presentations about the persistent issues of vehicle requirements and backing cars into driveways. However, the real highlight ended up being a committee inquiry into federal law, overly restrictive FCC guidelines relative to robocalls, and a potential lawsuit against Google […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 8, 2015

The Tuesday night Jacksonville City Council meeting was expected, for the most part, to be quiet. The principal drama of the budget is forestalled until Sept. 21 meeting, and the big talker, going in, was expected to be the Police and Fire Pension Fund’s senior staff retirement plan. In the wake of the retirement of Police and […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 31, 2015

If you’re getting a sense of deja vu, it’s not unfounded. Monday’s Jacksonville City Council Neighborhood Improvement and Community Enhancement Committee meeting revisited a lot of popular topics. One such topic: the Snipe Signs legislation. Councilman John Crescimbeni updated the committee on the progress made toward enhancing fines last week in discussion. Councilman Bill Gulliford observed that […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 28, 2015

Jacksonville’s flawed Public Service Grants process got yet another review from the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee on Friday afternoon. Councilman John Crescimbeni again spotlighted the lack of funding, and how many of the organizations toward the bottom of the funding matrix suffer because of a lack of funding. The total request for all organizations: $3.78 […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 18, 2015

The last Rules Committee meeting of the Jacksonville City Council in August had an appointment-heavy agenda, yet there was room also to address two major issues. Included on the agenda: 2015-508, which increases fines on unlicensed contractors to bring it in line with state recommendations; and 2015-522, a bill addressing emergency roadway clearance and post-disaster […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 18, 2015

On Tuesday morning, the Jacksonville City Council Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety committee tackled a few bills of note, amidst an agenda heavy with deferrals. The main point of intrigue: 2015-322, which has been a point of contention in both the full Council meeting last week and committees on Monday. 2015-322 promotes a […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 17, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council special ad hoc committee on Neighborhood Improvement and Community Enhancement discussed, as did Finance earlier on Monday, 2015-322, which Chief of Staff Kerri Stewart called a “three-year strategy” for fund allocation for affordable housing programs. Councilman John Crescimbeni asked Stewart interesting questions about Mayor Lenny Curry being on the Housing Commission, noting a “lot […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 13, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee Budget Hearing Day One commenced with the administration overview, then a bracing 165-minute romp through capital improvement projects with Council Auditor Kirk Sherman. As the old song goes, “Let’s get this party started right; let’s get this party started quickly.” Overall, it was a very smooth session, with minor […]

Tag: Garrett Dennis
Image via the Associated Press.

Despite criticism on Planning Commission moves, Lenny Curry stands ground, with Council support

Jax rec panel grills Alberta Hipps on Equestrian Center funding

Jax NICE committee questions federal law, proposes suing Google in snipe sign discussion

Jax Council refers PFPF Senior Staff retirement plan legality question to Finance

Jax NICE Committee mulls snipe signs, covered vehicles again

Finance adds $608K to Jax PSG funding for 6 agencies

Contractors, disaster prep on agenda in Jax Rules committee

Jax RCDPHS committee moves affordable housing bill

Jax NICE Committee mulls housing, “junk cars”

Jax Council budget review morning session addresses UF Health, other issues