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A.G. GancarskiSeptember 22, 2015

They didn’t pop bottles in the Council Chambers of Jacksonville’s City Hall after the FY 16 Budget passed. However, they might as well have. Florida Politics spoke to Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa after the budget was approved, and he called it a “great budget.” Equally great: the dynamic with City Council. “We defer to […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 22, 2015

Early next week, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is scheduling one on one meetings with JEA Board members, in the wake of some serious issues he and his administration has with scripted comments made by board members related to a pay increase for the JEA CEO. In the wake of the scheduling of those meetings, he […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 21, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council officially approved the FY 16 budget and related bills on Monday evening. Leading off the meeting, Council President Greg Anderson quipped, regarding the jampacked Chambers, “I wonder why you’re all here tonight.” The Capital Improvement Plan was approved without discussion or exception (though a floor amendment at the end changed that), as […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 21, 2015

The normally below-the-fold JEA board got headline status over the weekend when the Florida Times-Union posted an article explaining, in great detail, the board’s practice of scripting comments for board members related to a raise and a contract extension for JEA CEO Paul McElroy. This irked senior members of the Lenny Curry administration and set the […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 21, 2015

Comments at JEA board meetings have been scripted, according to a must-read piece in the Florida Times-Union over the weekend. Such comments have included talking points for board members to justify the latest raise and contract extension for JEA CEO Paul McElroy. The issue has not gone unnoticed by the Lenny Curry administration, according to a […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 12, 2015

At Jacksonville City Council last Tuesday, there was some concern expressed that, because of a $326,000 shortfall of property tax revenue, the Finance Committee would have to tweak the budget accordingly on Monday. That may not need to happen. “I think we can make up the difference on the Ad Valorem decrease if we revise […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 10, 2015

On Wednesday afternoon, some small but important steps were made toward accomplishing something essential in Jacksonville: making the contracts process more transparent. Councilman Tommy Hazouri, a former mayor and probably the most dyed-in-the-wool populist on the current Council, scheduled a meeting with Council Vice-President Lori Boyer, who has as much experience with contracts on the current Council […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 9, 2015

Florida Politics has learned that a “meet-and-greet” meeting with “no fixed agenda” is planned Friday between members of the Lenny Curry administration, including the mayor and Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa, and the Florida Department of Transportation. Among the issues to be discussed, according to an email from Mousa, are area transportation issues. Those could include matters […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 2, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee continued its budget deliberations on Wednesday afternoon, with an eye toward same-day finalization of the budget. UF Health’s contribution from the city of Jacksonville was another cleanup item on the agenda. $26,275,594 is the proposed amount, unchanged from the previous year. Councilman Reggie Gaffney wondered what any extra money would go […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 28, 2015

A red-hot Friday session of the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee budget review included an conversation about Jacksonville Transit Authority revenue that got to the heart of the fractious relationship between City Council and Jacksonville’s independent authorities. Councilwoman Lori Boyer held forth with an extended address about the local option gas tax as part of a […]

Tag: Sam Mousa

Jacksonville’s collaborative budget process vindicates Lenny Curry’s vision

JEA Board member accuses Lenny Curry of paranoia-induced purge

Jax City Council approves FY16 budget

JEA board issues feature at JEA agreement meeting, agenda notwithstanding

Lenny Curry administration incensed with JEA Board

Budget Booster: Jax “strong finish” in FY 15 sales tax revenue

Sam Mousa, Jax Council members discuss transparency in contracts

Meeting planned between Lenny Curry administration, FDOT on Friday

Jax Finance Committee wrestles with UF Health funding woes

JTA, Jax Council Finance Committee spar over funding, Skyway