Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiAugust 11, 2017

The eternal struggle for Jacksonville Public Library funding continued Friday in the City Council Finance Committee’s budget hearing. Budget cuts took effect in a major way in 2013, leading to cuts in hours and commensurate reductions in services. Since then, advocates have wanted expansion of hours and services. The major improvement in the last two […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 21, 2016

Attendees of Bill Clinton‘s appearance in Jacksonville Friday afternoon should prepare for “airport-style security,” according to an email from event organizers. The email, sent out Friday morning under the aegis of “updated details,” offers fairly detailed logistics for the event, held in the secured space of Jacksonville’s main public library. “Please arrive early and expect airport-style […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 13, 2015

One of the goals of Councilman Tommy Hazouri has been to expand hours and service levels at Urban Core libraries in accordance with Project LEAP, a Library Enhancement Access Program that takes advantage of the library’s role as a “community access center.” Recently filed legislation from fellow At Large Councilman Sam Newby ensures that he will […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 1, 2015

The Jacksonville Public Library has had a rough decade. Ten years of budget cuts have taken the beleaguered JPL past the point of efficiency into the realm of austerity. However, of late there has been hope, says Barbara Gubbin, JPL director. In welcoming Mayor Lenny Curry, Gubbin mentioned that she and her staff have been on “tenterhooks,” […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2015

11201182_660481747422486_2446576573855531870_n-1024x1024.jpg

In what could be construed as a shot across the bow of the Lenny Curry administration, the office of Councilman Tommy Hazouri this weekend advanced an ambitious proposal to expand the library’s collection budget and increase allocations to Urban Core libraries. The moves would expand service hours and add more services to address the outcome […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 23, 2015

This past week, there were four days of Lenny Curry Transition Team Budget Reviews, helmed by new Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa. There are three more days of them this week, running Tuesday through Thursday afternoons, but there already is ample opportunity to gauge the winners, and losers, so far. Winner: Mousa. The “Godfather” has gotten laudatory coverage […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 11, 2015

We are now 13 days away from the Duval County Unitary Election, which will decide some of the City Council races outright. But not every race will be decided. With that in mind, the Jacksonville Public Library has announced plans for multi-location candidate debates on the evening of April 20th. The debates, sponsored by the Jacksonville Public […]

Tag: Jacksonville Public Library

Jax Councilors tackle public library budget

‘Airport-style security’ for Bill Clinton event in Jacksonville

Sam Newby looks to move Jax Journey funds to library “LEAP” program

For Lenny Curry and Jax Public Library, JAXREADS embodies 1C1J

Tommy Hazouri floats proposal to “rebuild” Jax library system

Winners, losers from first week of Lenny Curry budget reviews

Jacksonville City Council debates announced for May runoff election