Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiDecember 8, 2015

After a grueling round of committee hearings, the only question regarding the Jacksonville City Council’s approval of a $45 million investment into EverBank Field upgrades was this. Would it be 19 to 0? Or would dissident Danny Becton stand his ground and vote against the measure, as he did in two Committees? It turned out that […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 3, 2015

A recent Jacksonville politics controversy has been over largesse from the Jaguars to members of Jacksonville’s City Council. The largesse included passes to the owner’s box, distributed outside of approved channels, and the gift of Tiffany champagne flutes. Jaguars lobbyist Paul Harden and city Ethics Officer Carla Miller had exchanged emails on acceptable gifts recently, and so […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 1, 2015

Rules, the third Jacksonville City Council committee deliberating the bill, approved the EverBank Field amphitheater package on Tuesday afternoon without even a moment of committee discussion. The bill allocates $90 million for stadium improvements, including a new amphitheater, a covered practice field, and other enhancements to the Sports Complex. With no discussion at all, Rules […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 1, 2015

The vote, much like the Jaguars’ game against New England this year, was never in doubt. With heavy backing from the Lenny Curry administration throughout the process, Jacksonville City Council’s Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety Committee unanimously OK’d the city’s $45 million allocation for the improvements to EverBank Field, which include a covered practice […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 30, 2015

A delightful #jaxpol subplot has been the continuing controversy over what gifts are acceptable outlays from the Jacksonville Jaguars to Jacksonville’s City Council members and members of the executive branch. Even as Jacksonville public officials wrestle over the seemingly inevitable $45 million capital outlay on the latest round of stadium improvements, with THREE more committees […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 30, 2015

A packed Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee meeting Monday included what Chairman Bill Gulliford described as a “dog and pony show” related to Jaguars stadium upgrades and an update on the Police and Fire Pension Fund imbroglio, among other issues. If this were pro wrestling, it would be a supercard. Paul Harden, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ superlobbyist, was on […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 16, 2015

Does Shad Khan need an even bigger scoreboard? It would seem that way, given the free and easy access Jacksonville City Council members apparently have to the owner’s box as indicated by an email by Ethics Director Carla Miller. She sent the missive to local Jags-and-everything-else lobbyist Paul Harden and General Counsel Jason Gabriel over owner’s […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 21, 2015

In what will be one of the most eagerly anticipated Jacksonville City Council meetings of the year, the City Council is set to officially approve the FY 16 budget and related bills on Monday evening. But wait, there’s so much more. A resolution authorizing an inquiry into the legality and the validity of the Police and Fire […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 18, 2015

Laveranues Coles was a legendary wide receiver by Jacksonville standards. After his high school career at Ribault, Coles went on to Florida State University, where, after he took the fall for shoplifting with Peter Warrick (an incident which earned FSU the Steve Spurrier sobriquet “Free Shoes University”), he vowed never to return. Despite the abrupt […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 10, 2015

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There is every expectation that the Human Rights Ordinance is going to be at the forefront of Jacksonville City Council concerns once the city’s budget is likely approved at the Sept. 21 City Council meeting. With that in mind, the national Human Rights Campaign has a concerted lobbying effort, with multiple registered lobbyists making its […]

Tag: Paul Harden

Jax City Council approves EverBank Field upgrades 19-0, a “legacy for this council”

The Case of the Tiffany Champagne Flutes, revisited

With no discussion, Jax Rules Committee greenlights Jags stadium improvements

2nd Jax city panel, recreation committee, OKs Jaguars’ amphitheater bill

Jaguars lobbyist Paul Harden mansplains, throws shade at Jax Ethics office

Jax Finance Committee OKs amphitheater deal

Jags box tickets “flowing” to council members draw ethics slap

Jax City Council has packed agenda on Monday

FSU alum Laveranues Coles looks to open Jax showbar

Human Rights Campaign lobbying hard in Jax on HRO issue