Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiAugust 10, 2016

On Thursday, the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee begins seven days of deliberations of the mayor’s budget, meetings that will sprawl out over the next 15 calendar days. Lenny Curry‘s budget was by and large flat, with enhancements for public safety, and drainage projects in traditionally underserved communities. The enhancements, as we wrote last month, include: — […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 18, 2016

Bill McClure, a Republican running in Florida’s 4th Congressional District, has messaged heavily during this campaign against both Jacksonville’s referendum to extend a current half-cent tax to address the unfunded pension liability, and against public pensions in general. The latest example of his rhetoric, “When elected to Congress I will decline all congressional pension benefits ... […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 5, 2016

On Tuesday, the Jacksonville Mayor’s Budget Review Committee performed an omnibus wrap up session, as budget review ends Wednesday. The usual players were analyzing the budgets: Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa, CFO Mike Weinstein, and Chief of Staff Kerri Stewart. The Tuesday session dealt with the “short list” of potential enhancements, bolstered by some small increase in property tax revenues, […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 13, 2016

“It ain’t sexy and it’s not easy, but if you keep telling the truth, people are going to get it.” At a meeting of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville Monday, a fired-up Mayor Lenny Curry spoke with urgency on the biggest municipal issue on the 2016 ballot: the referendum that would extend the half-cent infrastructure […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 2, 2016

In a drama-free move, the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee approved a bill authorizing a referendum on extension of the half-cent sales tax on Monday. Bill 2016-300 passed unanimously as an emergency measure. CFO Mike Weinstein noted that the referendum would close the three existing pension plans, which created the $2.7 billion unfunded pension liability. “The beauty […]

Melissa RossApril 25, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry says while he knows making the case to voters will be “a heavy lift,” he’s all in for selling his pension referendum plan to the city. “This has to pass,” Curry told WJCT. “We have $2.7 billion in unfunded pension liabilities. Right now we spend $260 million dollars a year in […]

Associated PressFebruary 24, 2016

Public employees will get steered away from Florida’s pension plan under a bill approved by the Florida House. The House voted 72-38 for a measure that would automatically place newly hired public employees in an investment 401(k) plan if the employees failed to make a choice within eight months of starting their jobs. The legislation […]

Melissa RossJanuary 11, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council meets Tuesday, and the entire 19-member body has sponsored a new bill that would repurpose the Better Jacksonville Plan with a half-cent sales tax to pay down the city’s massive unfunded pension liability. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry says he’s willing to ask the voters to approve the idea with a referendum. […]

Phil AmmannNovember 23, 2015

Florida’s Republican-led Legislature once again have the state’s pension program in its sights, with a renewed effort to close enrollment to new members and move them to a defined-contribution system, much like a 401(k). As reported by Arek Sarkissian of the Naples Daily News and published Legislative IQ powered by Lobby Tools, the unwritten proposal […]

Melissa RossApril 10, 2015

The latest salvo in Jacksonville’s long-running battle over its pension problems comes from City Councilwoman Lori Boyer. Boyer has filed legislation that would reduce pension benefits for police and firefighters that are hired on starting Oct. 1. It’s an aggressive move and apparently the first time someone on the council has filed a measure stating […]

Tag: Pension
Debate party at Sports Grill Kendall. Image via AP.

Jax Council Finance committee begins budget deliberations Thursday

Pension tax critic Bill McClure is part of the Florida Retirement System

Jax mayor’s budget review committee works toward final recommendations

A fired-up Lenny Curry pitches Jax Rotary Club on pension tax referendum

Jax Finance Committee approves pension tax referendum

Lenny Curry on Jax pension referendum: “It has to pass”

House approves pension changes for state workers

Labor lawyer pushes back on Lenny Curry pension plan: “We’re setting ourselves up for another crisis”

Lawmakers once again set sights on state’s pension plan

New salvo in Jacksonville pension wars