Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJune 28, 2016

The Jax Chamber has made no secret of its support of the pension-tax referendum. “This is one of the biggest issues facing Jacksonville and the unfunded pension liability is crippling our city finances,” said Matt Rapp, chair of government affairs for JAX Chamber, said in February after the Florida House approved the measure. “We applaud […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 28, 2016

The Arlington neighborhood of Jacksonville is like a former beauty queen who lost her looks. The strip malls look rough now — half empty in many cases, and the retail trends downmarket. The neighborhoods look rough — more renters than previous years, more owner-occupied homes headed into foreclosure, despite the strong macroeconomic numbers that would seem to […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 27, 2016

On Monday, the Jacksonville Civic Council issued a statement supporting the pension-tax referendum, joining other community stakeholders in backing “Mayor (Lenny) Curry’s campaign to address Jacksonville’s unfunded pension liability by identifying a dedicated funding source and lowering future pension costs.” Since 2013, the Civic Council has keyed in on what it calls the “critical issues arising from the […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 24, 2016

Another day, another example of institutional support for Jacksonville’s Aug. 30 referendum to extend the half-cent sales tax to defray the unfunded actuarial pension liability. On Friday, the JAXSPORTS Council board announced its support for the referendum. “It is our hope that JAXSPORTS’ endorsement of Mayor Curry’s pension proposal will send a message that this […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 13, 2016

“It ain’t sexy and it’s not easy, but if you keep telling the truth, people are going to get it.” At a meeting of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville Monday, a fired-up Mayor Lenny Curry spoke with urgency on the biggest municipal issue on the 2016 ballot: the referendum that would extend the half-cent infrastructure […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 1, 2016

Criticism is mounting of the Aug. 30 Jacksonville pension tax referendum, which would, if passed, extend the half-cent infrastructure sales tax from 2030 until 2060, or whenever current pension debt is retired. The mayor of Neptune Beach, Harriet Pruette, emailed Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry in May, hoping to ensure the beach communities aren’t left out in the […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 26, 2016

After three months of a half-cent sales tax passed to ensure the ongoing quality of St. Johns County schools, the trend is clear. Revenue is surging, month over month, a trend apparently driven in large part by tourism. March saw $1,537,660 collected, money that will go to much-needed capital projects for schools in the fast-growing […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 10, 2016

Passage of 2016-300, which authorizes the referendum to extend the half-cent Better Jacksonville Plan sales tax to address the city’s $2.7 billion unfunded pension liability, seemed to be a certainty before Tuesday’s Jacksonville City Council meeting. After public comment, hand wringing from some council members, and tub thumping from others, it was approved 19 to 0 […]

Melissa RossApril 25, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry says while he knows making the case to voters will be “a heavy lift,” he’s all in for selling his pension referendum plan to the city. “This has to pass,” Curry told WJCT. “We have $2.7 billion in unfunded pension liabilities. Right now we spend $260 million dollars a year in […]

Melissa RossNovember 4, 2015

The operatives on the ground in tax-averse St. Johns County are celebrating sweet, sweet victory. For the first time in 40 years, the residents of this upscale area have approved a tax increase. Voting 61 percent to 39 percent, voters approved a 10-year, half-cent sales tax to pay for new and improved school construction. With […]

Tag: half cent sales tax

Jax Chamber reiterates support for pension-tax referendum

Jax pension tax referendum gets resistance at Arlington town hall

Jax Civic Council backs pension-tax referendum

JAXSPORTS Council backs pension tax referendum

A fired-up Lenny Curry pitches Jax Rotary Club on pension tax referendum

Jax Mayor Lenny Curry answers the pension tax critics

St. Johns County school sales tax revenue nears $4M in first three months

Jacksonville City Council authorizes August pension tax referendum

Lenny Curry on Jax pension referendum: “It has to pass”

A Better St. Johns PAC savors victory: “We’re ecstatic”