Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

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 […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 1, 2016

One of the most hot-button issues before Jacksonville’s City Council is the decision whether to increase the number of terms city officials can serve. On Monday, it cleared its fourth and final committee. The Matt Schellenberg bill seeks to boost consecutive terms for the Jacksonville mayor, City Council, and Duval County constitutional officers from two to […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 28, 2016

Where does Lenny Curry fall on the expansion of Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance to the LGBT community? The decision, which he pledged to make by the end of January, is imminent, said Kerri Stewart, Curry’s Chief of Staff, Thursday. Stewart added that he has been locked in “discernment,” as Council President Greg Anderson described it earlier this month. However, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 26, 2016

With two HRO expansion bills in public hearing at the end of the meeting, Jacksonville’s City Council steeled itself for another extended round of public comment. The legislative agenda? Light. But even the agenda meeting had allusions to the conflict to come, such as Bill Gulliford‘s quip about a city employee moving to the Beach, saying […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 20, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee had an active agenda on Tuesday, highlighted by term limits, texting, and other hot button issues. The most interesting thing on the agenda: a bill they all voted against. Rules came together and downed a measure to increase the statute of limitations on ethics complaints from 2 years to […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 18, 2016

In life, the Gospel Teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. ineluctably informed his political perspective and stances. Nearly half a century since his passing, Dr. King is a canonical figure in American politics. This is true also in Jacksonville, where the annual MLK parade is one of the biggest events for politicos to show out […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 12, 2016

““Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There was never a democracy that did not commit suicide.” — John Adams “If we’d had a referendum in 1965, I’d still be on the back of the bus.” — Denise Hunt A light legislative agenda on Jacksonville’s City Council was offset by dozens of […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 1, 2015

After Land Use and Zoning, four Jacksonville City Council committees have deliberated the $90 million package of stadium improvements for EverBank Field. And four have approved it, despite the best efforts of dissident Councilman Danny Becton. On Tuesday evening, Land Use and Zoning was the final committee hurdle to be cleared for the bill, which commits […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 24, 2015

The penultimate Jacksonville City Council meeting of the year, on “getaway day” before Thanksgiving break unofficially begins, had, in theory, a light agenda with expected heavy public comment on the HRO and related issues. In practice, though the agenda was light and the public comment was robust, the HRO commentary was surprisingly muted. The agenda […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 23, 2015

The Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County have arrived at a “semi-settlement” of their “Text-ghazi” lawsuit against the Jacksonville City Council members involved in forbidden texting during budget deliberations Sept. 21. Scott Wilson, Tommy Hazouri, Joyce Morgan, and Aaron Bowman agreed to terms. “Four of the nine city council members who were being sued over texting about […]

Tag: Joyce Morgan

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

Jax term limit extension bill clears final committee

“Discernment” continues for Lenny Curry on HRO … but for how long?

HRO testimony rocks Jax City Council yet again

Jax Council Rules Committee spikes ethics proposal

At Jax MLK parade, the personal is political, and The Dream lives on

HRO expansion talk roils Jax City Council

Tensions flare as Jax land use and zoning panel OKs $90M stadium deal 5-1

Jax City Council light on agenda, heavy on public comment

“Semi-settlement” reached on Jacksonville council’s “Text-ghazi”