Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 26, 2016

On Friday, President Barack Obama visited the Jacksonville Saft America Batteries facility, a success story from his first-term Recovery Act, and the stimulus dollars allocated to this facility and others like it. In what could be President Obama’s last visit to Jacksonville as President, he looked back at the challenges of the early months of […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 23, 2016

On Tuesday, the Jacksonville City Council’s big bill involved attempting to finalize its ongoing conflict with former Police and Fire Pension Fund head John Keane with a settlement agreement. Instead, they “postponed indefinitely,” after a long and tortuous process of discussion and amendments. The goal is to get answers to questions and, seemingly, to show Keane […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 22, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council has been wrestling with the issue of blight created by donation bins for some time, with a legislative process that has been less than conclusive. A meeting this month was Council’s latest attempt to formulate legislation that would address the issue. And there have been at least preliminary inquiries into a […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 18, 2016

On Thursday, the Jacksonville City Council met for its Committee of the Whole meeting regarding expansion of the Human Rights Ordinance. The expectation going in was that both the Tommy Hazouri and Bill Gulliford iterations of the legislation would be withdrawn. In the hours leading up to the meeting, an intriguing narrative surfaced: whether Hazouri’s withdrawal motion […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 16, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday OKd the settlement with John Keane, while it OK’d the JEA Agreement, and increased property donation limits. The settlement between the city and John Keane, a bill described as the “gorilla in the room,” was the big talker. The settlement version of the plan would pay Keane $225,000 in […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 11, 2016

A Jacksonville City Council subcommittee took on the recurring issue of blight from donation bins for nonprofits, thrift stores, and such on Thursday. Last spring, the former Blight Committee struggled with the issue. A bill was passed prohibiting them, and then a lawsuit was filed by a company called Go Green on “free speech” grounds, […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 9, 2016

Highlighting the Jacksonville City Council agenda on Tuesday was “cure legislation” to address safety officer salary allocations from the September budget. The other looming issue was yet another round of public comment for the Human Rights Ordinance. The agenda meeting addressed both. Regarding the cure legislation, Garrett Dennis and Al Ferraro, during the agenda meeting, expressed concerns […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 9, 2016

Tuesday’s Jacksonville City Council meeting lacked a lot of punch when it came to legislation. The big bill of the night, the controversial term limits referendum measure, was said (H/t David Chapman) to be tabled ahead of the meeting. During agenda, Matt Schellenberg confirmed it. Schellenberg, in Tallahassee last week representing the City Council for the Florida […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 9, 2016

Former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown is gone from City Hall, but not forgotten, if WJXT’s latest slab of anti-Brown red meat is worth noting. The issue this time: inventory control. $4.3 million of city property was lost from 2010 to July 1, 2015. And a big part of the reason? A lack of a meaningful inventory […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 4, 2016

The first of three meetings of the Jacksonville City Council Committee of the Whole on two Human Rights Ordinance expansion bills had all the drama you could want. Those paying attention would have noted that the real drama, the procedural drama, was set up hours ahead of this meeting. Even before the three hour meeting […]

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Image via Rosen Hotels and Resorts.

Barack Obama visits Jacksonville, talks about progress made via 2009 Recovery Act

Jax Council “postpones indefinitely” John Keane settlement

Textile recycling could figure in Jacksonville’s future

Both Jax HRO bills withdrawn

Jax Finance Committee reluctantly OKs John Keane settlement

Jax Council wrestles anew with donation bin blight

Jax Council passes Safety Officer cure legislation

Matt Schellenberg to withdraw term limits bill

Debit-gate revisited: WJXT hits Alvin Brown over inventory control

Lori Boyer’s withdrawal motion highlights Jax HRO Committee of the Whole