Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiNovember 23, 2015

The name of the south Jacksonville sign shop where Florida Governor Rick Scott unveiled his “Florida First” budget on Monday, Harbinger Signs (a business in Jacksonville for 53 years now), had a Thomas Pynchon quality. Expected going in, as a “harbinger” of the Monday event: an announcement that Florida would have a record $29.8 billion of general […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 17, 2015

Jacksonville City Council committee meetings rarely resemble an episode of “Survivor.” But the Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety Committee started three short: Katrina Brown, Sam Newby, and Reggie Brown were not in the house. Reggie Brown did materialize a few minutes in, however. And then Katrina Brown got in just before 10 a.m. […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 16, 2015

On Monday, Jacksonville City Council President Greg Anderson met with Rules Committee Chair Matt Schellenberg (and a room full of interested parties from the taxi cab industry) regarding vehicles for hire, a legislative issue that Council has, of yet, no easy answers to. A special subcommittee might change that. Anderson: “where we left this off… we […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 16, 2015

A crowded agenda greeted the seven stalwart members of the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee on Monday, including economic development incentive deals. Some highlights: An economic development deal with Fidelity Global Brokerage group was approved. The city throws in $360,000 and the state, $1.44 million; 300 jobs would be created. Another one, “Project Revere,” creating […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 9, 2015

Despite persistent rumors and a floated poll that suggest that Jacksonville City Councilman Matt Schellenberg may still be looking at this race, the HD 16 contest is still a binary clash between old-school Jacksonville politico Dick Kravitz and new-school candidate Jason Fischer. Fischer has maintained a fundraising advantage even without the benefit of October numbers, […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 3, 2015

Tuesday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee drew a less robust crowd than the one two weeks ago, both in terms of interested parties and interested media. The highlight: Jacksonville Ethics Commission Chairman Joe Jacquot came to discuss the pending legislation barring texting during Council meetings. Jacquot noted that, during the Ethics Commission […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 3, 2015

On Tuesday morning, the Jacksonville Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety Committee handled a number of bills. One such: 2015-428, a bill from the Capital Improvement Project committee, which Councilwoman Lori Boyer discussed. “The real reason this particular bill was referred to RCDPHS,” said Boyer, was that it “provides that the administration in the […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 2, 2015

A crowded agenda greeted the Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee on Monday morning, ahead of two Public Notice meetings featuring Finance Chair Bill Gulliford on the ever-controversial Police and Fire Pension Fund. Matt Schellenberg’s bill to allow a ballot measure to increase the maximum number of consecutive terms for council members to three met with pushback from council Vice […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 29, 2015

The extended drama over Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and his decision to remake the city’s Planning Commission to accord with his “vision” is over, and former Chair Lisa King is the most high-profile casualty. In a written statement on Wednesday, King looked back at her tenure, her battle, and looked forward as well. Describing the 13 to 5 […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 22, 2015

The last time the local media heard from former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown was the end of June, at a combination farewell address and employee appreciation event that sounded not a little bit like the campaign speeches of yesteryear. He said, at the time, that he was taking his children on a vacation. Presumably, the […]

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Rick Scott unveils “Florida First” budget at Jax sign shop

Jax health and safety committee clashes, then punts, on “prohibited outdoor storage” issue

Jax Vehicles for Hire subcommittee being formed, to meet 11/24 at noon

Jax Finance Committee approves economic development deals

HD 16 hopeful Dick Kravitz clears $39K raised

Ethics Commission chairman talks texting ban with Jax City Council Rules Committee

Jax RCDPHS committee OKs capital improvement bill, LEAP $, Riverside dog park funds

Jax Finance Committee backs staff pay increases, punts on term limit increase

Lisa King reflects on her Planning Commission tenure

Where in the world is Alvin Brown?