Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJune 24, 2016

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Jacksonville faces many issues. Crumbling infrastructure. Shortfalls in public safety. And yes, a $2.7 trillion unfunded pension liability. The roads? They aren’t so good either. City lawn mowing? Even the mayor will tell you there are places in Jacksonville that don’t get cut enough. And yet, one council member asserts that the next budget, which […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 21, 2016

The passage of the revamped Public Investment Policy (PIP) was the big news to come out of Tuesday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety Committee. This was the final meeting of the combined RCDPHS committee, which will be split up and given sharper individuation and focus under incoming Council […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 7, 2016

On Tuesday morning, the Jacksonville City Council Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety committee mulled Zika-related legislation. One bill, which moves $122,524 from the mosquito control fund balance to allocations for insecticide and equipment this fiscal year and next, was approved by the Finance Committee Monday. RCDPHS approved the bill 5-0 without discussion. A […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 3, 2016

City Councilman Tommy Hazouri is the only former Jacksonville mayor on the 19-member legislative body. During his tenure, he dealt with issues in low-income housing at Blodgett Homes. A quarter-century later, Hazouri is dealing with issues at properties owned by Global Ministries Foundation, such as Eureka Garden and Washington Heights. Eureka Garden has gotten national […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 17, 2016

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An ordinance appropriating $250,000 from Jacksonville City Council contingency funds to construct a stage at downtown’s Hemming Park was approved Tuesday by the Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety (RCDPHS) committee, the second of two committees to mull the measure before the full council considers it Tuesday. The allocation was approved Monday by a 6-to-1 […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 11, 2016

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The big news thus far this week in the Jacksonville City Council race for vice president hasn’t been flux in the pledge count, which still sees John Crescimbeni leading Doyle Carter 7 to 6. Rather, it’s in the discussion of whether or not the system, as Councilman Reggie Brown charged, is “broken” or not. The […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 9, 2016

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On Monday, Jacksonville City Councilman John Crescimbeni attempted to get fellow Democrat Reggie Brown to join “Team Crescimbeni” and support his bid for council vice president. That support did not manifest. Instead his signature on a pledge letter, Brown offered a critique of institutionalized racism in council leadership. “It’s a broken system,” Brown said. “It’s been broken for […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 26, 2016

A controversial bill, 2015-519, changing guidelines for city donation of vacant, buildable lots owned by the city after tax reversion for affordable housing inventory purposes, was passed by Jacksonville City Council on Tuesday. The bill doubles the permissible value of properties that can be dispensed to CHDOs and other affordable housing non-profits from $25,000 to […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 26, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry addressed the City Council Tuesday evening, regarding 2016-300, the ordinance setting an August referendum for the pension tax. Curry noted that with Council support, “we now have the opportunity to save our city from financial ruin,” by extending the half cent sales tax, before speaking to “critics” who want a new sales tax, saying […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 25, 2016

A Jacksonville City Council Special Committee comprised of the Finance and Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety (RCDPHS) committees tackled on Monday a controversial bill, 2015-519, which regulates property donation of the 436 parcels under city ownership. The bill, passed on Monday, will be on Tuesday’s Council agenda as an addendum item. 2015-519, which […]

Tag: Reggie Brown
Image via AP.

City on financial brink to consider paying for speed bumps

Public Investment Policy clears final Jax Council committee

Second Jax council committee approves mosquito-control funds

Tommy Hazouri: ‘Hold a stick over HUD’

Second Jax Council committee approves $250K for Hemming Park stage

Garrett Dennis says the Jax Council leadership system is not broken

Is the Jax City Council system for choosing leadership broken?

Jax Council finally passes property donation bill

Lenny Curry pitches August pension tax referendum to Council

Jax Council special committee OKs property donation bill, 2015-519