Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiMarch 21, 2016

Changes to the way the Jacksonville City Council handles its Banking Fund could be on the horizon. For those paying attention, this has been a long time coming. Back in June, before the Lenny Curry administration came in, there was disquiet in the Finance Committee about the Banking Fund, which had become a loosely-accounted slush fund for projects that […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 29, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee mulled on Monday an agenda including bills on the Bob Hayes Track Meet, JEA Agreement, increased money for JSO, and stolen property. • 2015-764, the JEA Agreement ordinance, passed Finance 6-0. Included: a floor amendment from Lori Boyer. One such sticking point: revenue from future utility businesses in which JEA […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee, again, addressed Bill Gulliford and his bill prohibiting Council members from texting or exchanging other written communication with lobbyists, union representatives, or members of the Council on Wednesday. As was the case two weeks ago, there was pushback, including from Council members whose verboten texts in September led to the […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

The key to understanding how Jacksonville’s current pension tax proposal will retire the unfunded liability rests in understanding the concept of “deferred contribution” outlined in the projections for the use of the extension of the Better Jacksonville Plan to pay off the unfunded pension liability. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is not prone to exaggeration. When […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

In recent months, a bill designed to increase the value of property that can be donated to non-profits and for-profits from $25,000 to $50,000 has been moving through Jacksonville’s City Council. The goal of the bill: to spur development in areas prone to blight. The bill moved through Finance Monday, and had Recreation, Community Development, […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 2, 2016

Votes have consequences. The decision during September’s budget night vote to move $330,799 from stormwater budgets to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department to fund safety officers had big consequences. A lawsuit from the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County resulted in a settlement, which required cure legislation to affirm the budget night decision. The wrinkle in […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 26, 2016

Tuesday, the Community Affairs Committee of the Florida Senate approved Senate Bill 1652, the Discretionary Sales Surtax bill introduced by Rob Bradley and co-sponsored by Aaron Bean. The bill has its first House committee stop scheduled for Wednesday; it still has two Senate committees to go. As the meeting soldiered toward the presentation, Jax Mayor Lenny Curry could be […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 20, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee had an active agenda on Tuesday, highlighted by term limits, texting, and other hot button issues. The most interesting thing on the agenda: a bill they all voted against. Rules came together and downed a measure to increase the statute of limitations on ethics complaints from 2 years to […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 15, 2016

As Sam Mousa walked into the Police and Fire Pension Fund building on a misty Friday morning to sell the board on the Lenny Curry plan, FloridaPolitics.com asked him his thoughts on Rick Scott not committing to support the Jacksonville mayor’s pension sales tax plan to address the unfunded actuarial liability. Mousa’s answer was typically economical, “The mayor never asked the […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 12, 2016

Tuesday’s JEA Agreement meeting, at least on the agenda, was dominated by two meaningful issues. The first: pension issues, in light of both the General Counsel ruling that Council, and not JEA, was the appropriative body for pay negotiations. This ruling overruled the previous General Counsel’s take on the matter earlier in the decade. As well, […]

Tag: Mike Weinstein
Rodney Guttman, image via University of West Florida.

Changes ahead for Jax Banking Fund?

Jax City Council Finance Committee OKs Bob Hayes, JEA, inventory control bills

Jax Council Rules Committee OKs ban on in-meeting written communications

“Deferred Contribution” key to how proposed Jax pension tax works

NW Jax pushback stalls housing donation bill in Council committee

Safety officer cure legislation spurs spirited Jax Council committee budget debate

Jax pension tax bill clears Senate Community Affairs Committee

Jax Council Rules Committee spikes ethics proposal

Pension Tension: PFPF pushback on Jax pension unfunded liability surtax

Pension, contribution issues dominate JEA Agreement meeting