Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

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 […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 10, 2016

On Thursday, the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee begins seven days of deliberations of the mayor’s budget, meetings that will sprawl out over the next 15 calendar days. Lenny Curry‘s budget was by and large flat, with enhancements for public safety, and drainage projects in traditionally underserved communities. The enhancements, as we wrote last month, include: — […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 9, 2016

At a job creation event Tuesday at Jacksonville’s Deutsche Bank, where 300 new financial services jobs were promised, FloridaPolitics.com had questions for Gov. Rick Scott and Mayor Lenny Curry about their endorsed presidential candidate’s description of Jacksonville being economically “devastated.” Among Donald Trump’s assertions: “This area has been devastated by the loss of industrial jobs …. As you […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 9, 2016

What happens when a group gets thrown out of a Donald Trump rally for no apparent reason? If it’s the Kemetic Empire, they threaten to sue the city of Jacksonville, whose political leaders were on hand at that rally. The Kemetic Empire, an activist group dedicated to “human upliftment,” informed Jacksonville’s Mayor and Sheriff via letter it intends to […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 9, 2016

When Deutsche Bank came to Jacksonville eight years ago, the commitment was for 1,000 jobs. For JAXUSA president Jerry Mallot and civic leaders, that had them on “pins and needles” then. Now? There were 350 new jobs announced Tuesday, 100 of which have already been added, with a commitment to 2,800 local financial services positions in […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 8, 2016

Jacksonville attorney John Winkler may want to debate Mayor Lenny Curry on the merits of the pension tax. But Curry’s not having it. Last week, Winkler challenged Curry to a debate, to be held Tuesday night on Jacksonville’s Southside. Winkler had expected to dialogue with Mayor Curry at a WJCT town hall event, but the scheduling fell […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 8, 2016

“Yes for Jacksonville,” the political committee set up to sell Jacksonville’s pension-tax referendum, raised $255,000 in the last week of July. All told, the committee has raised nearly $1.6 million, and has just under $1 million cash-on-hand. All of the new money was reported as received on July 29, with the usual big donors contributing big […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 5, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry served as master of ceremonies at Wednesday’s Donald Trump event. And though he didn’t have much to say after Trump discussed Jacksonville’s “devastated” economy and businesses looking to leave the First Coast to do business overseas, Curry still got to hear from citizens, who sent messages to his mayoral email account using some of the most pointed language […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 5, 2016

Jacksonville lawyer John Winkler is one of the most outspoken opponents of extending the half-cent sales tax to deal with the city’s unfunded pension liability. To that end he has mobilized, with a political committee, a ubiquity in comment threads, and on Tuesday, he threw down the gauntlet to debate. “I hereby offer you a public opportunity […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 4, 2016

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A surprisingly common thread in coverage of Wednesday’s Donald Trump rally in Jacksonville media was the disconnect between his description of Jacksonville’s post-industrial economic devastation and the message put forth by local politicians and the business community. Among Trump’s assertions: “This area has been devastated by the loss of industrial jobs …. As you stand here thinking […]

Tag: Lenny Curry

AFSCME, Jax Young Republicans back pension tax referendum

Jax Council Finance committee begins budget deliberations Thursday

Lenny Curry, Rick Scott sidestep questions about Donald Trump’s critique of ‘devastated’ Jax economy

The Kemetic Empire alleges racial profiling at Donald Trump rally, threatens legal action

Deutsche Bank to expand, signalling commitment to Jacksonville

No debate on Jax pension tax for Lenny Curry

Yes for Jacksonville finishes July with $255K fundraising week, nears $1M cash on hand

Blistering feedback for Lenny Curry on Donald Trump event

Pension tax opponent challenges Lenny Curry to debate

Jax leaders demur in addressing Donald Trump’s description of local economic devastation