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A.G. GancarskiAugust 25, 2017

Friday saw the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee move toward wrapping up budget deliberations. However, there was still some unfinished business with various departments. And the most interesting bit of business was political business — not budgetary. — The big enchilada: the 100 new police officers and other proposals from JSO, which were not approved […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2017

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry prioritized improving the city’s financial picture as a candidate in 2015, and in 2017 there was strong evidence that happened. The city has strong bond ratings — AA- — and the market’s confidence was reflected in $388 million of offers on $145M worth of bonds this week. Curry noted Wednesday that “demand […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 18, 2017

Friday morning saw the Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee review the Mayor’s proposed capital budgets for JEA. The discussion sprawled close to 90 minutes — double the allotted time — and was one in which budget line items were often directly related to equity in services throughout the city. ____ JEA was up first. The […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 17, 2017

Jacksonville’s Parks and Recreation Department is in the headlines a bit more this summer than usual. For one thing, there is a public safety crisis at parks, specifically those in Northside and Northwest Jacksonville. For another thing, Council President Anna Brosche prioritized improving the park system in her inauguration speech. And for still another thing, Brosche […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2017

The slogan d’jour: One City, One Jacksonville. But the city’s boards and commissions are largely white and male. And it will take time and work to change that imbalance. Of 332 people currently serving, 65 percent are male — a number not substantially different between City Council appointees (64 percent male) and appointees from other […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 11, 2017

Taking advantage of budget relief after pension reform, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry‘s new budget proposed raising the emergency reserve. When Curry came into office, there were worries that — absent pension reform — Jacksonville would have to tap into the reserve. Curry’s team proposes a bump up to 6 percent this year, and the hope […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 10, 2017

The first day of Jacksonville City Council review of Mayor Lenny Curry‘s proposed budget was highlighted by a deep dive into the Sheriff’s budget: 35 percent of the general fund. Among the highlights of the proposed budget: 100 more cops, which would bring force levels within a few dozen of the peak of 1,800 officers years back. […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 10, 2017

The August ritual began anew Thursday morning in Jacksonville’s City Hall, with the City Council Finance Committee beginning its review of the Mayor’s proposed budget. The day began with a romp through a presentation from the Curry administration, followed by the Council Auditor’s review of the budget. The proposed $1.27B budget is up from the […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 9, 2017

The scene at the end of Tuesday night’s Jacksonville City Council meeting was interesting. John Crescimbeni, who came within a few votes of being Jacksonville City Council President, was imploring the candidate who won — Anna Brosche — to hold public hearings on dredging the St. Johns River as JAXPORT wants. Though no money has been […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 8, 2017

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and City Councilman Garrett Dennis agree that more money is needed for Duval County’s after-school programs. However, they are on what Dennis called “different pages” regarding how much is needed. A need for resolution looms and will be provided at Council Tuesday night. And that resolution looks likely to come out of one-time, […]

Tag: Lori Boyer

Jax Councilors feel ‘targeted’ by Sheriff’s poll pushing 100 new cops

Lenny Curry: Jacksonville is ‘on good financial ground right now’

Jax City Councilors mull JEA budget, ‘broken promises’ of Consolidation

Public safety drives Jax City Council Parks budget discussion

Diversity presents recurring challenge for Jacksonville boards, commissions

Reserve fund row rocks Jacksonville budget hearing

Jax Councilors hammer Sheriff Mike Williams on policy, procedure

Jax City Council begins mulling Lenny Curry’s budget

Public hearing on Jax dredge? Opinions vary in City Hall

After-school funding showdown looms in Jax City Council