Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Melissa RossApril 15, 2015

Appearing in front of a fire station on the city’s Northwest Side, Mayor Alvin Brown touted the endorsements of the city’s Brotherhood of Police Officers and Firefighters, saying he’s got the better plan to improve Jacksonville’s public safety. The organizations primarily represent African-American police and fire personnel. As recently as December, their blessings were not […]

Julie DelegalJanuary 22, 2015

Jacksonville needs to get on top of police-and-fire pension reform, and failing to do it now amounts to playing politics with taxpayer money. And contrary to what a recent direct mail piece would have us believe, it’s not the mayor who’s playing fast and loose with our tax dollars. Our past rates of payment on […]

Daniel TilsonSeptember 1, 2014

If most of Florida’s lower and middle-income working families were represented and protected by trade unions, Labor Day would be one hell of a big, statewide block party. Parades would wind along thoroughfares of cities large and small, honoring Organized Labor’s historic struggle for social justice and economic fairness, and celebrating its transformative success. Men, […]

Guest AuthorJuly 3, 2014

Because of a credit rating downgrade by Moody’s Investors Service, Jacksonville will soon be paying higher interest rates on its debts. This may well divert millions of tax dollars from serving the city’s residents to enhancing the bottom line of Wall Street’s lenders. The Florida Legislature’s chronic failure to make major reforms in state and […]

Guest AuthorApril 24, 2014

NOTE: The views of state Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, may influence the outcome of proposed legislation concerning state pensions and the Florida Retirement System. Dear Senator: Perhaps you hold some sway over this matter. In a little over a week, the Florida Legislature will make another momentous decision regarding Florida’s public retirement system. […]

Dominic CalabroDecember 15, 2013

With only three months before the legislative session starts, lawmakers are gearing up to help frustrated cities whose pension obligations are eating up larger portions of their municipal budgets. Last month, Sen. Robert Bradley and Sen. Jeremy Ring filed the first 2014 bill addressing local pension legislation, at the behest of many Florida cities that […]

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

Jacksonville’s black firefighters, police endorse Alvin Brown

Julie Delegal: Pension politics squanders millions in Jax tax dollars

Daniel Tilson: Reimagining Labor Day in Florida

J. Robert McClure: Legislature’s failure to reform pensions contributes to Jacksonville’s woes

Michael Richardson: An appeal to Sen. Jack Latvala for prudent pension reform

Dominic Calabro: Legislators must help cities with pensions burden