Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiNovember 16, 2016

The Jacksonville Journey is in line to receive almost a million dollars in federal money, via a bill that passed Finance — the third and final Council committee to consider it — on Wednesday. This grant was first announced in the Jax Journey Oversight Committee meeting in late September. The two-year grant facilitates data analysis regarding the best way […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 13, 2016

On Thursday, Jacksonville City Council members Scott Wilson, John Crescimbeni, and Greg Anderson convened to discuss an issue of interest to Wilson: commercial corridors in need of re-development. Wilson, elected in 2015, has contended Jacksonville’s economic incentives policy doesn’t accommodate his district on Jacksonville’s Southside, where many neighborhoods have economic issues, but don’t qualify for incentives in the city’s recently […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 4, 2016

On Tuesday morning, one Jacksonville City Council panel issued a rebuke to the Florida Environmental Regulatory Commission fast-tracking a decision to weaken water quality standards, to where increased amounts benzene and other carcinogenic chemicals can be released in Florida waterways. On Tuesday afternoon, the Rules committee unanimously approved Councilman Jim Love‘s resolution asking the EPA to consider Jacksonville, in a […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 27, 2016

On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council passed a $1.18 billion budget that will add more and better-equipped police officers to city streets. However, the big talkers were swimming lessons, travel budgets, and special events allocations … adding up to a picayune $115,000 out of the council contingency budget. And another big talker: a failed but audacious […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 27, 2016

Opioid abuse has ravaged the country in recent years. In 2015, a staggering 19 million people are estimated to have misused prescription medicines. Most obtained them from friends or relatives. And many of those who misused the drugs were first-time users. In response to that epidemic, Walgreens kicked off its Safe Medication Disposal Program last April […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 21, 2016

In the last Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee meeting before the full council passes the budget Sept. 27, a packed agenda was considered. Among the more compelling bills: a controversial measure to appropriate $5,000 to each of the fourteen district council members for “special events” in public parks; a bill tightening up regulations on burglar […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 15, 2016

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On Thursday afternoon, a Jacksonville City Council subcommittee discussed “measurements of success” for Hemming Park. The object of Thursday’s meeting, said Chair Greg Anderson, was refining those measurements and discerning the “hook” that drives traffic to parks. Previously, the committee agreed on some big-picture goals: safety, cleanliness, and business friendliness of the park. Refining those desired goals, and […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 10, 2016

In one of the longest running and most depressing soap operas in Jacksonville history, the city council’s Hemming Park special committee met Wednesday, agreeing reluctantly to amend 2016-385, which would have appropriated $150,000 to Friends of Hemming Park (FOHP). The committee opted to amend the bill to approve two months of operating funds — $29,000 a month. […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 25, 2016

Jacksonville City Council President Lori Boyer sees her “lunch and learn” meetings as “conversations,” and Monday’s addressed August’s budget hearings in the Finance Committee. The meeting began with former Council President Greg Anderson offering a rundown on budget, based on his five years on the council. Anderson noted 50 percent of city revenue comes through real estate […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 20, 2016

On Wednesday, the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee discussed a council auditor report, which contended the Friends of Hemming Park was “insolvent” as recently as May. Concomitant to that discussion: a deferred $150,000 allocation bill to cede new money to Hemming Park. And Mayor Lenny Curry seeking in his new budget to cut the appropriation to […]

Tag: Greg Anderson

Million-dollar Jax Journey grant clears final council committee

Jacksonville City Council members consider struggling commercial corridors

Second Jacksonville City Council panel rebukes state for lax surface water standards

Jacksonville City Council passes big budget after robust discussion of small details

With legislators on hand, Walgreens unveils Florida drug disposal kiosks

Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee addresses packed agenda

Jax City Council panel mulls how to make Hemming Park more attractive

The Hemming Park experiment looks likely to limp along for a while longer

Jax Council ‘lunch and learn’ guides members through budget process

Friends of Hemming Park scrutinized by Jax Council Finance Committee