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A.G. GancarskiAugust 28, 2015

The Inspector General budget got a look from the Finance Committee of the Jacksonville City Council on Friday. Less interesting than the budget was the performance of the IG on the stand. Councilman John Crescimbeni and the new Inspector General had several exchanges that left the longtime councilman less than impressed. There were times when the […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 28, 2015

A red-hot Friday session of the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee budget review included an conversation about Jacksonville Transit Authority revenue that got to the heart of the fractious relationship between City Council and Jacksonville’s independent authorities. Councilwoman Lori Boyer held forth with an extended address about the local option gas tax as part of a […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 27, 2015

On Thursday, the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee took a romp through the Public Works budget as part of its larger budget review. As the discussion proceeded from JEA and vehicle replacement to stormwater and landfill issues, tensions reared their head. Before that, many other subjects were discussed. Fun Fact: Operating expenses are up $3,7M, […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 27, 2015

Thursday morning’s Jacksonville Finance Committee budget hearing includes a cavalcade of departments. Interesting talkers include the Human Rights Commission, Downtown Vision, the Jacksonville Journey, and the Jacksonville Children’s Commission. The latter department occasioned a robust discussion of salary raises in independent authorities, with accord from senior administration members and council members that the process needed […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 26, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee continued its budget reviews on Wednesday afternoon. Documents were sparse in terms of change recommendations from Council Auditor Kirk Sherman, yet with the Jacksonville City Council, the potential is always there for lively discussion. The discussion of the Court budget, with Chief Judge Mark Mahon, was notable more for its […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 26, 2015

Beyond the Liberty Street discussion, there were discussion points of note during Wednesday morning’s Capital Improvement Projects review by the Finance Committee of the Jacksonville City Council. This is by no means an exhaustive recap of these. John Crescimbeni asked for a total recap of this CIP budget compared to the last. About $71 million […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 26, 2015

On Wednesday morning, the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee considered the Capital Improvement Projects Budget. As these things go, it was not a spectator sport. The big story: the Liberty Street issue, described as “unsightly” and the consequences of “deferred maintenance” by Council President Greg Anderson. The Liberty Street Collapse was a big talking point for Lenny […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 25, 2015

At a Jacksonville City Council meeting on Tuesday night where most of the drama was in the public comments, the most interesting exchanges, both during the agenda meeting and the meeting itself, revolved around Councilman John Crescimbeni‘s introduction of ultimately unsuccessful legislation to force a review of the Property Appraiser budget and appeal $182K in raises […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 25, 2015

The highlight of the agenda meeting before Tuesday’s Jacksonville City Council meeting: a discussion of a potential appeal of the Property Appraiser budget (2015-616). “The success of this” sort of action is “nominal at best,” said Matt Schellenberg, referring to exchanges that he had with the Florida League of Cities. Schellenberg, of course, was not driving […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 25, 2015

The agenda meeting before Tuesday’s Jacksonville City Council meeting was, by and large, a quiet affair, except for an animated discussion of 2015-522, a disaster preparation bill that had proven controversial in committee, as an iteration of it would have required gated communities to keep their gates open for public works vehicles when a state […]

Tag: John Crescimbeni

Jax Inspector General underwhelms in budget hearing

JTA, Jax Council Finance Committee spar over funding, Skyway

Jax Public Works budget reveals landfill, stormwater stresses

Lenny Curry addresses Jax Finance Committee budget hearing

Jax Finance Committee looks at regulatory compliance, debt affordability

Jax Finance Committee mulls CIP, banking fund

Liberty Street fix highlights Jax CIP budget discussion; Finance backs 2 year plan

John Crescimbeni refutes Jerry Holland’s claim

Property appraiser budget emergency appeal falls at Jax Council meeting

Jax Property Appraiser budget dispute a personal matter?