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A.G. GancarskiFebruary 28, 2017

On Tuesday night, the Jacksonville City Council passed by a 17 to 0 margin two bills that address public safety concerns. —- 2017-51 appropriates $883,519 from the budget of the State Attorney’s Office to test sexual assault kits. A backlog in tests emerged during the administration of the previous state attorney, which became a campaign issue […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 28, 2017

Tuesday saw the first public notice meetings by candidates for 2017-18 Jacksonville City Council leadership. And both of them were productive for the candidates. In the VP race, Scott Wilson came out of the 2:00 meeting with two pledges: current VP John Crescimbeni and Bill Gulliford. Wilson, running against Aaron Bowman, now has a 3-1 lead in pledges (counting […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 22, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council’s Public Health and Safety committee cleared three bills with a public safety impact on Wednesday morning. Ex-offender jobs: PHS passed Councilman Garrett Dennis’ bill (2017-35) strengthening requirements that companies doing business with the city of Jacksonville hire ex-offenders that have gone through rehabilitation programs funded and authorized by the city. The city […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 21, 2017

On Tuesday morning, a Jacksonville City Council committee mulled the impact of auto repair shops, internet cafes, nightclubs, and liquor stores in certain neighborhoods. Such questionable businesses exacerbate the city’s pervasive blight issues, legislators agree. The fix, it turns out, may be in zoning. But there is no clear consensus on what that fix may […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 21, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council will enter a week of committee meetings on Tuesday morning. Below, some of the bills we are watching work through the process. Ex-offender employment: The most compelling legislation starts cycling through the committees on Wednesday morning, beginning with Councilman Garrett Dennis’ bill strengthening requirements that companies doing business with the city […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 14, 2017

While the Human Rights Ordinance expansion is the biggest item being considered Tuesday by the Jacksonville City Council, it’s not the only one. Below, a preview of what to watch in Council Chambers. *** Margin Call: On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council has a decision to make: will the city protect LGBT rights as other major […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 7, 2017

The Rules Committee of the Jacksonville City Council was the second committee in two days to approve expansion of the city’s Human Rights Ordinance. The measure would extend protections in housing, public accommodations, and employment on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The Rules meeting saw two co-sponsors of the HRO expansion […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 3, 2017

A sign of the times in Jacksonville’s City Council as discussion of expanding the Human Rights Ordinance begins next week: requests for press passes to the February 14 meeting when the full vote is expected to occur are already being taken. The public hearing in January drew an overflow crowd to the council chambers, leading […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 1, 2017

How much longer can a Jacksonville city councilwoman, whose family businesses have bombshell news reports every couple of days for failure to pay debts, stay on the council’s Finance Committee? That’s the question in Jacksonville right now, as the saga of the family businesses of Jacksonville City Councilwoman Katrina Brown continues to move from sauce to […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2017

The eternal question in Jacksonville, at least since 2012: will the Human Rights Ordinance be expanded to protect people on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression? That question was not resolved Tuesday evening, in a packed council chambers where the main attraction on an otherwise unremarkable agenda was a public hearing […]

Tag: jacksonville city council
Kamala Harris. Image via AP.

Jacksonville City Council funds sexual assault test kits, body cameras

Scott Wilson, John Crescimbeni get support in Jacksonville City Council leadership races

Jacksonville council panel clears ex-offender bill, body camera and rape test kit funds

Jacksonville council panel weighs blight impacts of sketchy businesses

Jacksonville City Council tackles body camera cost, ex-offender jobs

HRO expansion is not the only story in Jacksonville City Council Tuesday

HRO clears second Jacksonville City Council committee

HRO onslaught hits Jacksonville City Council committees starting Monday

Foreclosure action filed on Jacksonville councilor’s troubled family business

‘Democracy in action,’ as Jacksonville human rights ordinance hearing draws overflow crowd