Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiNovember 29, 2018

One of the knocks against Jacksonville’s government is a lack of long-range planning. Jacksonville City Council members are working to change that, via the institutionalization of plans extending out as far as five years. These plans have been pushed before in the early 2000s, and are up again. A bill under consideration in the Jacksonville […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 27, 2018

A bill voted down 8-0 last week in the Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee nonetheless got its hearing in front of the full Council this week. However, the result was no different, as the full Council followed the lead of Rules and the Council President and turfed Ordinance 2018-570 by a 3-16 vote. The bill, […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 13, 2018

On Tuesday, Jacksonville City Councilman Matt Schellenberg, the liaison to local utility JEA, reiterated concerns about the Council’s lack of oversight over the power provider. Schellenberg had told the Florida Times-Union of his frustrations with not being able to get a meeting with interim CEO Aaron Zahn until after the utility decided whether or not to make Zahn permanent. The […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 13, 2018

On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council imposed a six-month moratorium on adult arcades. The legislation cleared committees without opposition and landed on the consent agenda, with a majority of the 19-person legislative body listed as sponsors even before Tuesday’s meeting. Ordinance 2018-680 bans any new permitting for so-called internet cafes, a bane to the existence of […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 13, 2018

Two new bills introduced to the Jacksonville City Council Tuesday evening could, at least in theory, lead to a grant to the city from the United Arab Emirates being returned. Though if that happens, it’s over the heads of Mayor Lenny Curry and the Council President. Ordinance 2018-813 would give back that $2.775 million grant. And Ordinance 2018-790 would appropriate the […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 5, 2018

Jacksonville City Council President Aaron Bowman launched his re-election bid Monday, running for his second term in the Southside District 3. Bowman, the former commander of Mayport and current senior vice president of business development for Chamber arm JAXUSA, was elected in 2015. Bowman assumed the Council presidency in July, serving an important role as an […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 31, 2018

Both candidates in the November election for Duval County Tax Collector are attempting political comebacks. However, just one has statewide support when it comes to late-game fundraising. Democrat Mia Jones, CEO of Agape Health Services, was formerly on the Jacksonville City Council and a member of the Florida House, rising to Democratic Leader pro tempore in 2014-16. Now, in […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 16, 2018

Jacksonville political veteran Matt Carlucci, a Republican running for City Council in At Large Group 4, was the first candidate in the 2019 cycle to clear $250,000 raised. He did that by the end of March, a signal that Carlucci — a former Mayoral candidate, a previous member of the Council, and most recently, the head of […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 15, 2018

On Monday morning, the first of three Jacksonville City Council committees of reference mulled a resolution of strong opposition to Amendment 1 on the 2018 ballot. The amendment would boost the homestead exemption by $25,000 to $75,000. City leaders have fretted about the impact to the city budget, reducing millage collections by $27.4 million. However, bill […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 11, 2018

New legislation filed this week to the Jacksonville City Council would impose a six-month moratorium on adult arcades. Ordinance 2018-680 would ban permitting for these so-called internet cafes, a bane to the existence of Jacksonville lawmakers. These establishments are predominately located in areas of town that have socioeconomic challenges already, and Council members have sought to […]

Tag: jacksonville city council

Long-range plan: Jacksonville City Council members delve into budget priorities

Jacksonville City Council downs transparency bill

Jacksonville City Councilmember bristles over lack of JEA oversight

No more games: Jacksonville imposes adult arcade moratorium

’Blood money‘ reconsidered: UAE grant fight heads to Jacksonville City Council

Jacksonville City Council President Aaron Bowman wants four more years

Nikki Fried, GOP money buoy Mia Jones in Duval County Tax Collector race

Matt Carlucci leads parade of apparent Jacksonville City Council shoo-ins

Jacksonville City Council committee punts on opposing homestead exemption change

Game over: Jacksonville mulls adult arcade moratorium