Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 1, 2016

One of the most compelling races in Northeast Florida this summer was the race for the House District 16 GOP nomination between Jason Fischer and Dick Kravitz. Fischer vs. Kravitz: a battle of closed fists and brass knuckles; charges and countercharges; character assassination, and social media excoriation. In other words, it was good politics and great theater. And […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 31, 2016

The northeast Florida primaries have been in the books for almost 24 hours at this writing. A review of the winners — and the losers — goes beyond the election returns to look at what happened to create these outcomes that will, in historical retrospect, seem inevitable. Winners Lenny Curry — The chattering classes told him he couldn’t get […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 30, 2016

County Referendum 1 — which will authorize the extension of Jacksonville’s half-cent sales surtax and dedicate it to funding the $2.8 billion unfunded pension liability — was passed Tuesday by a resounding number. At the time of publication of this post, the referendum was up 65 to 35 percent, with all but two precincts reporting. Jacksonville Mayor […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 29, 2016

The last eight months in Jacksonville politics have been dominated by one referendum. County Referendum 1, which would allow Jacksonville to extend a current 1/2-cent sales surtax past its sunset and to dedicate it to a $2.8 billion unfunded pension liability, is that referendum. Mayor Lenny Curry and his political machine have done everything they could […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 27, 2016

With final fundraising numbers in, “Yes for Jacksonville,” the committee selling County Referendum 1 in Duval County, raised and spent over $2.1 million. Though the effort fell shy of the $3 to $4 million some had theorized would be necessary to market the referendum, which allows for the extension of a sales tax slated for […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 27, 2016

Friday’s arrest of rabid anti-LGBT rights Brunswick pastor Ken Adkins on charges of child molestation and aggravated child molestation of a young man represented the end of an era in Jacksonville politics. It was the end of an era for white Republicans, who, going back a decade, saw Adkins as a portal to picking up black […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 26, 2016

When it comes to the “Yes for Jacksonville” campaign, designed to authorize an extension of a current half-cent sales tax pending renegotiation of public pension benefits, the best argument arguably has been saved for last. That argument: from the first lady of Jacksonville, Molly Curry, who makes the closing pitch in a mailer targeted to female voters. […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2016

What if someone called a press conference and Jacksonville City Council “public comment” broke out? That was the scene Wednesday as a half-dozen opponents of County Referendum 1 — the so-called “pension tax” vote, which would extend a current half-cent sales tax past its current sunset date in 2030 and devote it to the $2.85 billion […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2016

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On Tuesday, the Friends of Hemming Park group got more capital for its operations when the Jacksonville City Council appropriated $132,618. Of that total, $74,618 went into a council contingency account, related to the Southwest Airlines allocated earlier this year, with the expectation a stage would be built. Meanwhile, $58,000 was allocated for August and September, to close […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2016

If County Referendum 1 passes in Jacksonville, unlocking a sales tax extension dedicated to the city’s $2.8 billion unfunded pension liability, Mayor Lenny Curry says collective bargaining could be done within months. “My plan is to have it done by spring,” Curry told a crowd at the Chamber’s ImpactJax event Monday evening. The timeframe is intended, Curry […]

Tag: Lenny Curry

Jason Fischer discusses his HD 16 GOP primary win

A rundown of the winners and losers from northeast Florida’s primary elections

County Referendum 1 passes big, allowing Jacksonville to resolve $2.8B unfunded liability

Jax referendum opponents coalesced, but too late to matter

Shad Khan, Peter Rummell help ‘Yes for Jax’ finish above $2.1M raised, spent

How hate preacher Ken Adkins became Jacksonville’s problem

Molly Curry features on closing argument ‘Yes for Jacksonville’ mailer

Jax pension tax opposition limps to campaign finish

Friends with benefits: Hemming Park group gets more cash

Lenny Curry: if pension referendum passes, collective bargaining will be quick