Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiMay 17, 2017

Just as films and books have reviews, the municipal bond sector has its own critiques from bond ratings agencies. In the case of Moody’s, which dropped its report Wednesday on Jacksonville’s status after pension reform, the writeup boils down to six words: “buy now, pay later, assume risks.” And Moody’s also asserts that there may be […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 24, 2017

The real work was done over the past weeks and months. But the ceremony, the cameras, the victory lap were all reserved for Monday afternoon, when the Jacksonville City Council officially passed 14 bills that equate to pension reform. The “committee of the whole” vote – held Wednesday – was the dispositive one. In that meeting, […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 12, 2017

A Wednesday afternoon meeting of the Jacksonville City Council was intended to facilitate deeper inquiry into Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry‘s ambitious pension reform package. However, the big news was the downward impact of adjustments to payroll growth projections and COLA calculations after Monday’s meeting of the Police and Fire Pension Fund. “We still save a lot. […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 28, 2017

It’s an interesting political week in Jacksonville. And on Tuesday, Mayor Lenny Curry discussed a potpourri of current topics. At Monday evening’s ICARE event, a consortium of local pastors upbraided Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry for not showing up to commit to a homeless day resource center. And on Tuesday evening, expectations from the city council were that Curry’s administration would introduce […]

Staff ReportsDecember 19, 2016

It’s fair to say Lenny Curry had one heck of the year. He did everything from addressing the public pension funding shortfall to bracing his community for a 100-year storm. And now the 46-year-old Jacksonville mayor can add one more thing to his list of 2016 accomplishments: INFLUENCE Magazine’s 2016 Politician of the Year. The biggest […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterNovember 28, 2016

Sen. Jeff Brandes will once again file legislation to repeal the state’s no-fault auto insurance requirement, saying it’s time for Florida to move away from the troubled system. The St. Petersburg Republican said repealing the state’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) system will be one of his top priorities during the 2017 legislative session. The decision […]

Jim RosicaAugust 16, 2016

State Sen. Jeremy Ring is lashing out against a government-efficiency task force report that again is recommending the state’s pension system be closed to new hires. Ring released a statement through the Florida Senate Democratic Office Tuesday. He is actually a member of the Task Force on Government Efficiency, having been appointed by outgoing Senate President Andy Gardiner. […]

Melissa RossApril 12, 2016

Pension reform (not just in Jacksonville, but statewide) was one of the hot topics at the Florida TaxWatch roundtable luncheon hosted by powerhouse legal firm Holland & Knight and attended by a local who’s who of players. The forum, which also featured this website’s own A.G. Gancarski as a panelist, also touched on other issues […]

Melissa RossJune 24, 2015

With resolutely positive messaging, outgoing Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown is reflecting on his four years in office by noting the accomplishments that he says make him most proud: pension reform, downtown development, and the growth of the city as a sports and entertainment destination. On the pension deal: “I’m very happy for the hardworking taxpayers […]

Melissa RossMay 15, 2015

They’ve participated in dozens of forums together over a long and, at times, bitterly fought campaign. Thursday night’s televised debate was the final bout between Jacksonville sheriff candidates Ken Jefferson and Mike Williams, with both men looking to land a roundhouse or two before the Tuesday runoff election. The debate, held on the FSCJ South […]

Tag: pension reform

Moody’s on Jax pension reform: Buy now, pay later, assume risks

Jacksonville City Council passes pension reform legislation

‘Slight adjustments’ drive City Council pushback to Jax pension reform projections

Lenny Curry talks ICARE, pension reform, Nikolai Vitti

Lenny Curry is INFLUENCE Magazine’s Florida Politician of the Year for 2016

Repealing PIP, implementing Amendment 4 top priorities for Jeff Brandes in 2017

Jeremy Ring disowns task force’s pension reform move

Florida TaxWatch: “We need to look at statewide pension reform”

Alvin Brown says, “I kept my promises”

Jax sheriff candidates enter ring for final round of debate