Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJuly 25, 2017

Back in the early 1990s, the people of Jacksonville voted via referendum to limit city officials to two consecutive terms. Now, almost three decades later, a Jacksonville City Councilman wants another referendum — to amend that two-term limit, making it three terms for every elected office but that of the Mayor. In addition to giving […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 18, 2017

A bill authorizing a referendum to increase the number of consecutive terms a Jacksonville City Council member can serve passed its second and final committee on Tuesday. The bill, sponsored by second-term Councilman Matt Schellenberg, passed Finance by a 5-2 margin Tuesday morning. Between committee stops, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry punted on expressing an opinion on the […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 18, 2017

Nothing like starting off a new committee by voting to gut term limits. Yet that’s what the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee did Tuesday. Tuesday saw the newly-reconfigured Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee approve a bill that would authorize a 2018 referendum to give City Councilors, constitutional officers, and School Board members a three-term limit. The […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 18, 2017

At a time when some constituents of Jacksonville City Councilman Matt Schellenberg are hopping mad at him over a zoning issue, a bill authorizing a referendum seems like an interesting play. And yet, that’s what Schellenberg seeks — with a bill in committees on Tuesday (Rules and Finance), a measure which would allow a third term, […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 20, 2017

Term limits were imposed by voter plebiscite on the Jacksonville City Council decades back, yet Councilman Matt Schellenberg believes that institutional knowledge outweighs voter predilection. To that end, he introduced — for the second time in just over a year — legislation to repeal two-term limits. This would be for councilors, School Board members, and Constitutional […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 24, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council Officer Elections have wrapped, and now comes the inevitable post-game analysis…. ____ PROLOGUE A year ago, the Jacksonville City Council – like Jacksonville itself – was in a different place. Pension reform was a concept, ethereal on some distant horizon. And you couldn’t go a week without a thinkpiece on the […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 22, 2017

On the eve of a vote for the next Jacksonville City Council President, a reliable source notes that three councilors — including one candidate for President — had breakfast together Saturday at a Metro Diner location. Councilwoman Anna Brosche and Councilmen Matt Schellenberg and Doyle Carter (two committed Brosche backers) were among the participants in a group breakfast, […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 16, 2017

Shots were fired across the bow of the Duval County Legislative Delegation Tuesday by Jacksonville City Councilman Matt Schellenberg. In the Florida Times-Union, Schellenberg said the “meek and mild” delegation brought home “crumbs … a huge disappointment.” He also said the delegation kowtowed to House leadership rather than bringing home the bacon, taking specific issue with the […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 8, 2017

Wednesday saw the Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee pass bills related to small business microfinancing, city contractor jobs for ex-offenders, and the council travel budget for groups like the Florida League of Cities. The full council will vote on these bills Tuesday night. ____ Microfinance: 2016-486 revives the city’s Access to Capital program for Jacksonville’s Small and […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 24, 2017

The race for Jacksonville City Council VP is heating up, as Aaron Bowman threw his hat into the ring this week. Bowman had run in 2016, though questions were raised at the time about his run, such as whether or not he was running “too early” in his term, and how independent he would be from […]

Tag: Matt Schellenberg

Are two terms enough for Jacksonville’s public officials?

Bill gutting term limits moves to full Jacksonville City Council

Jax Council Finance Committee votes to gut two-term limit

Third term for Jacksonville City Council? The bill is back

Jax City Council again mulls removing two-term limit

Winners and losers emerging from the 2017 Jax Council leadership elections

Unnoticed meeting of Jax Councilors, including Presidential candidate, draws notice

‘Meek and Mild’ legislators dispute Matt Schellenberg’s Duval Delegation diss

Access to Capital, ex-offender jobs, travel budget bills cleared for full Jacksonville City Council

Aaron Bowman makes second try for Jacksonville City Council VP