Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiOctober 16, 2015

For a measure of how seriously people in Jacksonville City Hall take the recent spate of imbroglios related to boards and commissions, look no further than an exasperated email from Jacksonville Ethics Compliance and Oversight Director Carla Miller to Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa. “We need to step up Board Ethics training; they need to come […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 15, 2015

After a 14 month process of meetings, the Jacksonville City Council Capital Improvement Plan committee is moving toward its last couple of meetings, with one held on Thursday afternoon, after a hiatus during the budget process. Some highlights of the five measures considered: — Stormwater legislation will likely be deferred until April 30, as the Lenny Curry […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 8, 2015

As the Jacksonville mayoral campaign between Lenny Curry and Alvin Brown heated up, one of Curry’s vows was that he would institute a 90 day audit of the city’s financial situation. His rationale was summed up by an email from his campaign in late April in which he pledged to bring back “sound fiscal management.” “With news […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 23, 2015

On Wednesday morning, Jacksonville Councilmembers Lori Boyer and Tommy Hazouri, along with Council President Greg Anderson and the city’s Chief Administrative Officer, Sam Mousa, convened to discuss the future of Jacksonville Transportation Authority road projects that are behind schedule for completion. Among them, intersection improvements at Old St. Augustine and Greenland Road, stretches of Kernan and Girvin […]

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 […]

Tag: Sam Mousa

Jax ethics chief urges after-hours training sessions

Jax Council Capital Improvement committee continues

The 90 day audit: Is Jacksonville on the fiscal brink?

Jax officials discuss road construction backlog with transportation authority

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