Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 10, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council starts off 2017 with an agenda light on controversial legislation, which presumably gives the body more time for HRO-related public comment. That said, the agenda Tuesday evening in Council Chambers is highlighted by notable board nominees and local bills to be pushed in Tallahassee. **** One interesting moment that likely will […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 6, 2017

Kerri Stewart, the chief of staff for Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, spent much of 2016 under the cloud of an ethics investigation. During a previous stint with the city, Stewart served as chief administrative officer for Mayor John Peyton. While serving in that role, a lobbying group – Infinity Global Solutions, known during the period […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 5, 2017

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The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee mulled reports from the council auditor, Kirk Sherman, in its Thursday morning meeting. Discussed: the summary for Fiscal Year 2016, a report which led to a move to boost the city’s emergency reserve to 6 percent. According to the Jacksonville City Council auditor’s report, FY 2016 was a good year for […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 4, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee approved resolutions backing three local bills they would like to see the State Legislature consider this session. Two of them involve drinking. And one involves the school board, which drives people to drink. **** One local bill, “J-2”, asks for “special zones” in older neighborhoods, such as Murray Hill, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 3, 2017

Tuesday morning saw the Jacksonville City Council Neighborhoods, Community Investments, and Services committee greenlight a bill that frustrated it in December. The bill would increase city-imposed ticket surcharges for the Veterans Memorial Arena, the Baseball Grounds of Jax, and the Times Union Center for the Performing Arts, while adding surcharges for events at the under construction amphitheater and […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 13, 2016

Tuesday night’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council was more notable for being the last one of 2016 than it was for any particular legislative achievement. Among the highlights: $70,000 was appropriated for “neighborhood events” for Jacksonville City Council members. And $415,000 appropriated for the installation of temporary seats for the TaxSlayer Bowl. “This is […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 13, 2016

As city of Jacksonville negotiators square off with union heads for a protracted round of collective bargaining, Jacksonville General Counsel Jason Gabriel advises legislators to stay in their lane. In an email sent Friday to council members, Gabriel noted that “questions have been raised recently with respect to whether City Council members should accept invitations from union […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 7, 2016

[Updated: 6:40 p.m. with commentary from Mike Weinstein, at the bottom of the piece.] In the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee Wednesday, Mike Weinstein, the city’s CFO, and Tim Johnson, the director of the Police and Fire Pension Fund, discussed a “waiver” in pension cost allocations that had been controversial in recent news cycles. Their joint appearance was […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 7, 2016

Two bills related to sports and entertainment cleared the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee on Wednesday. The first bill would increase city-imposed ticket surcharges for the Veterans Memorial Arena, the Baseball Grounds of Jax, and the Times Union Center for the Performing Arts, while adding surcharges for events at the under construction amphitheater and flex field at […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 7, 2016

A bill designed to give Jacksonville City Council members access to a pot of $70,000 for neighborhood events cleared its final committee Wednesday. The measure cleared Neighborhoods, Community Investments, and Services on Monday with no opposition. And on Tuesday, the Rules Committee approved it 5 to 1. A number of amendments, intended to sharpen distinctions […]

Jacksonville City Council to push local bills, notable board nominees Tuesday

Jacksonville council auditor and ethics director clash over Kerri Stewart investigation

Jacksonville City Council Finance committee moves to boost emergency reserve

Jacksonville City Council Rules committee backs three local J-bills

Ticket surcharge hike, school board governance bills clear Jacksonville council panel

Jacksonville City Council wraps up 2016

Jacksonville General Counsel reminds City Council to stay out of collective bargaining

Jacksonville CFO: money in $44M pension “waiver” is “hiccup” compared to total liability

Ticket surcharge, temporary seat bills clear Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee

Neighborhood events bill clears final Jacksonville council panel