Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 10, 2017

The city of Jacksonville’s battle against the failing family businesses of a Jacksonville City Councilwoman was escalated this week. Jacksonville filed a suit Tuesday against CoWealth, LLC and Basic Products, LLC. in Florida’s 4th Circuit. [COJ v. Cowealth Complaint] Both limited liability corporations see Jacksonville City Councilwoman Katrina Brown, a member of the council’s Finance Committee, listed as a member-manager […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee approved the expansion of the city’s Human Rights Ordinance on Wednesday morning. The measure was approved by a 4-3 vote, with Bill Gulliford, Sam Newby, and Matt Schellenberg opposing expansion. The expansion would add sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to the list of protected categories under the ordinance, which ensures […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

A bill to attempt to ensure Jacksonville city government offers equal employment opportunity on racial grounds passed the city council’s Finance Committee Wednesday. But passage did not come without chippy discussion on the subject, including a description of the bill as a “race hunt” by one councilman. **** Ordinance 2017-16 calls for the following: annual reporting to […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 1, 2017

How much longer can a Jacksonville city councilwoman, whose family businesses have bombshell news reports every couple of days for failure to pay debts, stay on the council’s Finance Committee? That’s the question in Jacksonville right now, as the saga of the family businesses of Jacksonville City Councilwoman Katrina Brown continues to move from sauce to […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 30, 2017

Last week, Ameris Bank moved for a Summary Judgment against KJB Specialties, one of the troubled businesses associated with Councilwoman Katrina Brown (a member of the council’s Finance Committee.) Back in 2007, KJB Specialties borrowed $50,000 from Ameris Bank. Payments were made as agreed until March 2015, during the time when Councilwoman Brown was running for office. Brown, […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 16, 2017

Yet another business associated with the family of Jacksonville City Councilwoman Katrina Brown has run afoul of the tax collector. A warrant for collection of delinquent sales and use taxes was issued on January 9 to “Basic Products, LLC.” The total hit this time: $4,889. According to SunBiz, Councilwoman Brown and her mother are the registered […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 13, 2017

A letter from the city of Jacksonville’s Office of Economic Development to the family business of Councilwoman Katrina Brown demanded repayment for economic incentive money that didn’t create jobs. On Jan. 5, a Certified Letter was sent from OED to CoWealth, LLC, noting that the city received the “required annual surveys” for 2012 to 2015, in which […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 5, 2017

KJB Specialties, a Jacksonville company that has Councilwoman Katrina Brown as a managing partner, has been slapped with sales tax warrants recently. One warrant, totaling $5,236, was issued on Sept. 10, 2016. Brown has asserted previously that said warrant was satisfied. The second warrant, totaling $5,219, was issued on January 3, 2017. Brown’s familial business interests […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 2, 2017

CoWealth, the family business of Jacksonville City Councilwoman Katrina Brown, closed out 2016 by paying its delinquent 2015 property taxes. JoAnn Brown, the Councilwoman’s mother, paid the balance of $22,515.69 in full on Dec. 30. CoWealth was raided in December, in a multi-jurisdictional effort that included the FBI, the IRS, HUD, the Small Business Administration and the […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 2, 2017

Now that 2017 is all but upon us — after a tumultuous 2016 electorally — what’s next for Northeast Florida politics? One assurance: unlike in 2016, with a massive electoral turnover in the region’s Washington and Tallahassee delegations, as well as in both the state attorney and public defender offices, 2017 won’t see that. With […]

Tag: Katrina Brown

Jacksonville sues Councilwoman Katrina Brown’s family businesses

Jacksonville HRO clears final city council committee

After heated debate, ‘Equal Opportunity’ bill heads to full Jacksonville City Council

Foreclosure action filed on Jacksonville councilor’s troubled family business

Bank moves on BBQ biz associated with Jacksonville councilor

More tax troubles for Jacksonville council woman’s family businesses

City of Jacksonville to council woman’s business: pay up the $210K you owe us

Jacksonville councilwoman’s business slapped with sales tax warrants

Katrina Brown’s family business finally pays 2015 property taxes

A.G. Gancarski’s 10 predictions for Jacksonville politics in 2017