Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 6, 2017

Monday morning saw the first of three Jacksonville City Council committees approve the latest attempt to expand the Human Rights Ordinance. The vote was 4-2. The measure would extend protections in housing, public accommodations, and employment on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. As well, the bill offered in its original form […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 2, 2017

With less than a week to go before 2017-15, the latest attempt to expand the Human Rights Ordinance, hits three Jacksonville City Council committees, advocates are rightly optimistic and proud of the progress they’ve made in educating the council. The HRO expansion bill would include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression as categories in […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 31, 2017

Ballard Partners is extending its reach, announcing it is opening an office in Washington, D.C. Brian Ballard, the firm’s president, announced this week Ballard Partners has opened an office in the nation’s capital. The announcement comes just weeks after President Donald Trump, who Ballard supported, took the oath of office. “There is great enthusiasm with […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 31, 2017

Though some religious organizations, such as the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine, liken expanding Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance to the “darkest days of World War II,” other groups have different takes. On Jan. 26, the Anti-Defamation League sent Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry a letter, urging Jacksonville to take a “leadership role by adding sexual orientation and […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 27, 2017

Jacksonville Bold is back with a new format. Here we will offer our take on 10 of Northeast Florida’s biggest stories — beyond the blow-by-blow — explaining, as ever, why something is happening. And why it’s important. This edition will take readers inside issues related to the city’s legislative priorities, the Human Rights Ordinance debate, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2017

As with the morning collective bargaining session with the city’s fire union, the city of Jacksonville’s afternoon session with the police union saw a sweetened offer for police and corrections. But with the sweet comes the sour. The Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police held firm to the #YesToFRS position for new hires … and opened […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2017

On Monday, a political ally of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry filed a bill that would close the Florida Retirement System’s defined benefit plan to new cities. This is particularly relevant to Jacksonville’s police and fire unions, both of which want to see new hires put in the FRS defined benefit plan as a condition of collective bargaining. […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 20, 2017

There were rumblings last week that some civil rights leaders in Jacksonville were unhappy with the yearly Martin Luther King Jr. breakfast. This week, there is written confirmation. A letter in the mailbox of Mayor Lenny Curry from Jacksonville NAACP President Isaiah Rumlin let it be known that while the NAACP, the SCLC, and the Urban League […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 20, 2017

Florida’s unemployment rate remained unchanged in December, holding steady at 4.9 percent for the second month in a row. State officials, however, touted gains made in 2016, boasting Florida businesses created 237,300 private sector jobs in 2016. “Over the last six years, we’ve worked each day to make it easier for job creators to invest […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 17, 2017

A bill authorizing the release of 101 properties from Jacksonville’s surplus properties list cleared its first Jacksonville City Council committee Tuesday. Neighborhoods, Community Investments, and Services approved the measure that would, if approved by the full council next week, release the properties housed in five different council districts for the development of affordable housing. The […]

Tag: Jacksonville
A view of SeaWorld San Antonio (Gabrielle Russon)

Amended HRO expansion bill clears first Jacksonville City Council committee

Jacksonville’s HRO expansion is in sight, but questions loom

Ballard Partners going national, opens D.C. office

Anti-Defamation League backs expanded Jacksonville Human Rights Ordinance

Jacksonville Bold for 01.27.17 – Back in business

Jacksonville, police union haggle over body cameras, pensions

Jacksonville offers seven year agreement to firefighters in collective bargaining

Jacksonville civil rights groups plan to take control of MLK Breakfast

Florida unemployment rate holds steady at 4.9% in December

Affordable housing inventory bill clears first Jacksonville council committee