Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Kevin MeerschaertApril 21, 2015

Jacksonville City Council member Kim Daniels is responding to critics who say she could have attended Monday night’s At-Large Region 1 debate at the Main Library downtown if she really wanted to. Daniels said she had a previous commitment and was unable to appear. She instead participated in an event at The Jacksonville Landing in […]

Kevin MeerschaertApril 21, 2015

The crowd at the Main Library downtown for the Jacksonville City Council debate may not have been as large as others around town. What it lacked in size, it made up with substance. About 40 people, many connected to a campaign in one way or another, attended to hear candidates discuss the issues facing Jacksonville. […]

Kevin MeerschaertApril 21, 2015

The Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Board of Trustees voted Monday morning to hold off on any appeal of a judge’s ruling that tossed out part of a 30-year agreement it had with the city. Last month, Judge Thomas Beverly stuck down the agreement saying the agreement from 2000 was negotiated in secret, a violation […]

Kevin MeerschaertApril 16, 2015

A Jacksonville City Council subcommittee is looking for ways to reduce blight, but some residents are asking whether there aren’t more important issues the council should focus on. The full council approved legislation this week to crack down on so-called “bucket and hose” car wash operations. Many have sprouted on Jacksonville street corners in the […]

Kevin MeerschaertMarch 26, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council once again rejected a police and fire-pension reform plan championed by Mayor Alvin Brown. The proposal was defeated on a 9-9 vote, falling short of the majority needed to pass. There was a long debate on several amendments that if approved likely would have gotten the legislation approved. One would have […]

Kevin MeerschaertMarch 18, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council may have come up with a compromise that could inch the city closer to a deal on pension reform. However, finding a funding source for any plan still seems far down the road. Three council committees amended and voted on the latest proposal. The Finance and the Recreation, Community Development Public […]

Kevin MeerschaertMarch 17, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee on Tuesday rejected the latest version of a bill to reform the city’s police and firefighter pension plan. Still at issue is whether the council waits three years or 10 before it makes any changes to pension plans for current employees. After amending the deal to include the three-year […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 20, 2015

The First Coast Tiger Bay Club held a candidate forum Friday for the at-large seats on Jacksonville City Council hopefuls . Though not every candidate showed at the club’s monthly meeting, each of the five at-large races was represented, and the candidates acquitted themselves well for the mature crowd of the influential in the venerable University […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 19, 2015

With a little more than a month before the March 24 election, the First Coast Tiger Bay Club will hold an at-large City Council candidate forum at 11:30 a.m. Friday during its monthly meeting, at the venerable University Club in Jacksonville. With five at-large races, it will be a crowded forum, and in its monthly newsletter, […]

Kevin MeerschaertFebruary 16, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council is expected to ask voters whether they are willing to pay an additional half-cent sales tax to pay off the city’s pension obligation. Councilman Bill Gulliford introduced a bill that would place the question on the city’s May election ballot. The higher tax rate would last 10 years with the money […]

Tag: jacksonville city council

Jax City Council member Kim Daniels responds to debate critics

Jax City Council debate small in size, big on substance

Jax Pension Board will not appeal ruling tossing out 30-year agreement

Jacksonville cracks down on “bucket and hose” car washes

Jax City Council rejects (again) pension reform plan

Jax City Council seeks possible compromise on pension reform

Jacksonville City Council panel rejects pension reform bill

Jax City Council hopefuls promote agendas at Tiger Bay forum

First Coast Tiger Bay Club plans at-large City Council candidate forum

Sales tax bump for pension payoffs introduced for Jax ballot