Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiNovember 28, 2016

Steve Zona, the head of the Jacksonville branch of the Fraternal Order of Police, got some backup over the holiday weekend from leaders of the state and national FOP in the biggest debate his union has had in some time. They conveyed a clear message: the FOP has support in what looks to be a protracted […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 23, 2016

Tuesday saw the Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters slamming a pension reform proposal from City Hall. Wednesday saw the Fraternal Order of Police doing the same, offering its own proposals for police and corrections that include raises for all employees, pension benefits rolled back to 2015 levels for extant employees, and the Florida Retirement System […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 22, 2016

Tuesday saw senior staff from the city of Jacksonville locked in negotiations with representatives from the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters. Spoiler alert: those negotiations won’t be wrapped up in time for Thanksgiving. The fire union seems to prefer switching to the Florida Retirement System’s pension plan; the city likes defined contribution. That is a huge gap. […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 21, 2016

Jacksonville is wrestling with a pension crisis decades in the making. And national media and political pressure groups are taking notice. The venerable American Spectator magazine — a bible of movement conservatism — waded into the Jacksonville public pension debate last week, throwing sharp elbows at the Northeast Florida city’s pension crisis. The Spectator hit on Jacksonville is […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 21, 2016

With Gov. Rick Scott in Jacksonville announcing record-setting tourism numbers and attributing them to VISIT FLORIDA, it was only natural that Paul Astleford, who heads up Visit Jacksonville, would have his say on the “big numbers.” With Visit Jacksonville under scrutiny for travel expenses, and with its contract due for renewal in a year, Astleford took advantage of the […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 18, 2016

Two heads of Jacksonville departments are being promoted from within, it was announced Friday by the office of Mayor Lenny Curry. Diane Moser, chief of Talent Management, has been promoted to serve as director of Employee Services. Stephanie Burch, chief of Real Estate, has been promoted to director of Neighborhoods. Curry described these roles as “critically important” […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 16, 2016

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As Melissa Nelson prepares to become 4th Circuit State Attorney in January, her administration is taking shape. Two Chief Assistant State Attorneys, Mac D. Heavener III and L.E. “Leh” Hutton, were announced on Wednesday. Both Heavener and Hutton worked at the SAO previously. Heavener currently is deputy chief of the U.S. Attorney Office in Jacksonville, while Hutton […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 15, 2016

The major conflict in Jacksonville politics right now: negotiations between Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and the heads of various public sector unions. Curry wants to move the unions beyond defined benefit “dinosaur” plans, offering raises for current workers, assurances that their plans won’t change, and bonuses for the current employees. The unions are reluctant to move […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 15, 2016

Justice was delayed for an important member of Jacksonville’s city government. But on Monday, it was finally delivered, as one of the most honorable people in City Hall was cleared of what were ultimately spurious charges. Last year, a report from the Jacksonville City Council auditor’s office implied Kerri Stewart, the chief of staff for […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 14, 2016

Jacksonville has changed a lot since the late 1970s. But the city’s tourist development plan remains as it was when originally implemented almost 40 years ago. With that in mind, Council President Lori Boyer brought forth a bill Monday morning to the Neighborhoods, Community Investments, and Services Committee with some revisions to charter language regarding the […]

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National politics, political legacies, & the Jacksonville pension debate

Jacksonville police union: defined benefit pensions are not ‘dinosaurs’

Jacksonville pension proposal: A ‘shock’ to firefighters

Jacksonville’s pension reform efforts get national attention

Paul Astleford says Visit Jacksonville gets results

New Jacksonville department heads are promoted from within

4th Circuit State Attorney-elect Melissa Nelson announces leadership team

Americans for Prosperity issues call to action on Jacksonville pension debt

Kerri Stewart cleared of ethics charges

Jacksonville council panel OKs revision of tourist development plan