Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 29, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council Transportation, Energy, and Utilities Committee joined Finance in approving the JEA Agreement on Monday. The JEA Agreement bill will apply to the accord between the city and the utility through 2021, with the current JEA contribution set at about $114.2 million, with minimum annual increases of 1 percent. It also allocates […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 17, 2016

In recent months, a bill designed to increase the value of property that can be donated to non-profits and for-profits from $25,000 to $50,000 has been moving through Jacksonville’s City Council. The goal of the bill: to spur development in areas prone to blight. The bill moved through Finance Monday, and had Recreation, Community Development, […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 9, 2016

The question going into Tuesday: would the JEA Agreement finally be reached? Most of the terms had been agreed to, piece by piece, during a year of meetings. And there was cautious optimism, at least from the city side, that Tuesday would be the day. “It looks like the finish line is in sight, unless […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 2, 2016

Votes have consequences. The decision during September’s budget night vote to move $330,799 from stormwater budgets to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department to fund safety officers had big consequences. A lawsuit from the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County resulted in a settlement, which required cure legislation to affirm the budget night decision. The wrinkle in […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 2, 2016

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An interesting development out of Jacksonville’s Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety committee: Reggie Brown going off on the Public Service Grants council criteria, and then (more interestingly) addressing the removal of people from volunteer boards, which was a big part of the early days of the Lenny Curry administration as he removed Alvin Brown appointees and […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 26, 2016

Expectations going into Tuesday’s JEA Agreement meeting were that this process may be winding toward its conclusion. Winding is the operative word here. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. And it’s being filmed in slow motion. The terms by and large had been agreed to in principle weeks before, regarding JEA’s contribution floor and other […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 26, 2016

The Jacksonville City Council VP race continued on Tuesday, with Matt Schellenberg courting supporters. Schellenberg’s meetings: with Scott Wilson, who hadn’t already committed, and Jim Love, who had pledged to frontrunner John Crescimbeni. Wilson, chair of Land Use and Zoning and previously an aide for Don Redman, would be a key pickup. Schellenberg noted that “I don’t know if we’re compatible” […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 21, 2016

Two interesting Jacksonville City Council public notice meetings are slated for Thursday, and both of them have to do with public safety-related legal concerns. At 1 p.m, Councilwoman Anna Brosche meets with Council VP Lori Boyer regarding 2015-783, the so-called Cure Legislation to resolve a controversial budget night allocation of $330,799 from the stormwater budget to salaries for […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 19, 2016

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On Tuesday morning, Doyle Carter joined John Crescimbeni, Aaron Bowman, and Matt Schellenberg in the Jacksonville City Council vice president race. The public notice meeting he called to this effect had plenty of room for whomever, though. No one showed except the councilman, his assistant, a staffer from the mayor’s office, and this reporter. During the half hour meeting, Carter […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 15, 2016

Several Jacksonville City Council members on Friday gave their take on the comments Roy Bay made this week in public comment on HRO expansion. Bay, perceived by some people as a plant put up to make a false connection between the serial child molestation he confessed to and homosexuality, shocked those watching in the room and at […]

Tag: Reggie Brown

2nd Jax Council committee OKs JEA Agreement

NW Jax pushback stalls housing donation bill in Council committee

JEA Agreement achieved at long last

Safety officer cure legislation spurs spirited Jax Council committee budget debate

Reggie Brown attacks removal of people from Jacksonville volunteer boards

JEA Agreement inches closer to resolution

Jax Council VP candidate Matt Schellenberg hustles for votes Tuesday

Interesting public notice meetings in Jax Thursday

In empty room, Doyle Carter launches Jax Council VP campaign

Jax councilmen talk Roy Bay child molestation confession, HRO