Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiMarch 22, 2018

During a Wednesday public notice meeting regarding the pros and cons of selling JEA, John Crescimbeni, who chairs a special committee on the “potential sale” of JEA, advised a Council colleague who thought the local utility’s electrical component could fetch $5 billion on the open market to “stay tuned to our special committee.” That special committee met […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 6, 2017

Kerri Stewart, the chief of staff for Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, spent much of 2016 under the cloud of an ethics investigation. During a previous stint with the city, Stewart served as chief administrative officer for Mayor John Peyton. While serving in that role, a lobbying group – Infinity Global Solutions, known during the period […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 5, 2017

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The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee mulled reports from the council auditor, Kirk Sherman, in its Thursday morning meeting. Discussed: the summary for Fiscal Year 2016, a report which led to a move to boost the city’s emergency reserve to 6 percent. According to the Jacksonville City Council auditor’s report, FY 2016 was a good year for […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 5, 2016

Dead pensioners getting money. Inadequate and outdated procedures. Slow responses to audit recommendations. County Referendum 1 offered a a path to a funding source for Jacksonville’s $2.8 billion unfunded pension liability, but issues remain with the pension office itself. On Wednesday in the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee, auditor Kirk Sherman discussed matters with “a few legal issues” […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 11, 2016

Spending will go up on public safety, stay flat in most other areas. Revenue will be up, though millage collection still isn’t back to where it was before the crash of 2008, and business tax collection is down almost 10 percent. These insights and others were to be heard in council chambers Thursday morning, as […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 25, 2016

Jacksonville City Council President Lori Boyer sees her “lunch and learn” meetings as “conversations,” and Monday’s addressed August’s budget hearings in the Finance Committee. The meeting began with former Council President Greg Anderson offering a rundown on budget, based on his five years on the council. Anderson noted 50 percent of city revenue comes through real estate […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 14, 2015

On Monday, the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee mulled a packed agenda, including pushing forward on inquiring into the validity of the Police and Fire Pension Fund Senior Staff Voluntary Retirement Plan, a measure that will yet again be considered by the full Council next Monday. • 2014-769, which was referred back to Finance under […]

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 […]

Tag: Kirk Sherman
Image via AP.

Jacksonville Council auditor throws cold water on JEA sale fever

Jacksonville council auditor and ethics director clash over Kerri Stewart investigation

Jacksonville City Council Finance committee moves to boost emergency reserve

Jacksonville pension office struggles with audit issues

Jax City Council begins budget deliberations

Jax Council ‘lunch and learn’ guides members through budget process

Jax City Council Finance Committee OKs PFPF probe

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