Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiAugust 19, 2016

There is nothing quite as interesting and larger than life than a 20th century Jacksonville mayor. And nothing amusing in quite the same way as seeing two of them in a parking lot. Riding to a “Yes for Jacksonville” event at the Eastside’s Mary Singleton Center with Councilman Tommy Hazouri, we noticed a SUV parked provocatively by […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 18, 2016

For the first time perhaps ever, an initiative of former RPOF chair and current Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is being packaged as “progressive.” A “Yes for Jacksonville” mailer bills County Referendum 1, which would extend a current half-cent sales tax devoted to infrastructure from 2030 to as far out as 2060 to deal with the current […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 17, 2016

On Wednesday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry pitched County Referendum 1 — which would authorize a half-cent sales tax extension to address the city’s $2.8 billion unfunded pension liability — to the Southside Business Men’s Club, where one of his most recurrent political opponents is a member. After the March 2015 first election, when the endorsement of […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2016

Those who have waited for opposition to Jacksonville’s proposed “pension tax” are finally seeing it manifest, just in time for early voting. With oppressive humidity in the air and a non-affiliated crackhead milling around the parking lot engaging with the media, the Duval Democrats made their stand against Jacksonville’s County Referendum 1 in a parking […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 15, 2016

“I’ve heard it loud and clear tonight. People don’t trust the government. People don’t trust City Council. I heard it tonight; a gentleman said he didn’t trust me.” Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry has two weeks left to sell County Referendum 1, which would secure a dedicated revenue source (and an actuarial solution) for the $2.7 billion […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 15, 2016

The critics wanted the mayor to debate them on the pension tax referendum. And on Monday afternoon they got their wish. The agenda at the Jacksonville Rotary Club included two opponents of Jacksonville’s County Referendum 1, which would (if passed Aug. 30) allow for the extension of the current half-cent infrastructure tax past 2030 (when […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 11, 2016

Though two former Jacksonville City Council presidents, Bill Bishop and Stephen Joost, went to the press in opposition to County Referendum 1, which would authorize the extension of the half-cent sales tax through 2060 to deal with the $2.8 billion unfunded actuarial liability on public pensions, five more came out in support of the measure Thursday. Former […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 11, 2016

On a sweltering Thursday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry convened with local police and fire union heads and AFSCME members to receive the union’s backing for County Referendum 1, the Aug. 30 plebiscite that would extend the current half-cent sales tax from 2030 to 2060, with the revenue used to guarantee payoff of the $2.8 billion unfunded pension […]

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. GancarskiAugust 10, 2016

In the words of Billy Bragg, “there is power in a union.” And that power will be on display Thursday morning, as AFSCME Florida will hold a presser with Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry in Hemming Park. The AFSCME press conference, in support of County Referendum 1, will offer an interesting convergence: a public sector union supporting an […]

Tag: Lenny Curry

Jake Godbold calls on ‘army’ of seniors to support pension-tax referendum

New ‘Yes for Jacksonville’ flyer calls pension-tax referendum ‘progressive solution’

Lenny Curry sells the pension tax to Southside Business Men’s Club

Duval Dems slam ‘sham flyer,’ ‘smoke and mirrors’ pension tax

Pushback for Lenny Curry’s pension-tax plan at northwest Jacksonville town hall

Lenny Curry confronts pension tax critics at Rotary meeting

Former Jax Council presidents back pension tax referendum

AFSCME backing illustrates unique marketing of Jax pension tax referendum

Jax City Council begins budget deliberations

AFSCME, Jax Young Republicans back pension tax referendum