Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiDecember 14, 2015

Florida Governor Rick Scott made another in an extended series of visits to Jacksonville Monday. The reason for the visit: job creation. The locale: Sweet Pete’s, the Cowford Confectionary just across the street from City Hall. Yet for Governor Scott, the draw is not the gourmet chocolate marshmallows, or is it the Grand Marnier cherry cordials, […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 1, 2015

Rules, the third Jacksonville City Council committee deliberating the bill, approved the EverBank Field amphitheater package on Tuesday afternoon without even a moment of committee discussion. The bill allocates $90 million for stadium improvements, including a new amphitheater, a covered practice field, and other enhancements to the Sports Complex. With no discussion at all, Rules […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 1, 2015

The vote, much like the Jaguars’ game against New England this year, was never in doubt. With heavy backing from the Lenny Curry administration throughout the process, Jacksonville City Council’s Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety Committee unanimously OK’d the city’s $45 million allocation for the improvements to EverBank Field, which include a covered practice […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 17, 2015

Jacksonville City Council committee meetings rarely resemble an episode of “Survivor.” But the Recreation, Community Development, Public Health, and Safety Committee started three short: Katrina Brown, Sam Newby, and Reggie Brown were not in the house. Reggie Brown did materialize a few minutes in, however. And then Katrina Brown got in just before 10 a.m. […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 10, 2015

In the third to the last Jacksonville City council meeting of 2016, the agenda had a couple of interesting items. Perhaps most interesting: two bills that would restore a pay cut made in 2010. As council went through some lengthy recognition ceremonies, a phalanx of police officers stood in the back of the room. Police […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 4, 2015

The one scheduled public notice meeting at Jacksonville’s City Council on Wednesday: Councilwoman Katrina Brown meeting at 3:00 p.m. with Councilman Tommy Hazouri on the subject of having the city’s annual budget bills considered by the whole Council for deliberation and vote. This would significantly alter the process, which involved seven day-long deliberations by the Finance […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 3, 2015

Tuesday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee drew a less robust crowd than the one two weeks ago, both in terms of interested parties and interested media. The highlight: Jacksonville Ethics Commission Chairman Joe Jacquot came to discuss the pending legislation barring texting during Council meetings. Jacquot noted that, during the Ethics Commission […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 28, 2015

On Wednesday morning, the Jacksonville City Council Public Service Grants committee continued its efforts to refine the PSG Committee processes. The process, described as “broken” and “lacking credibility,” was a major sticking point in August and September budget talks. Some divergence among committee members could be observed in the utility of Requests for Proposals, with committee […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 13, 2015

One of the goals of Councilman Tommy Hazouri has been to expand hours and service levels at Urban Core libraries in accordance with Project LEAP, a Library Enhancement Access Program that takes advantage of the library’s role as a “community access center.” Recently filed legislation from fellow At Large Councilman Sam Newby ensures that he will […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 7, 2015

During the budget deliberations of the late summer, concerns were raised about Jacksonville’s Public Service Grants process. Complaints ranged from arbitrary scoring and a less-than-committed group of scorers to a process that had been overtly politicized in the past. To that end, Council President Greg Anderson authorized a committee to look into refining the process […]

Tag: Sam Newby

For Rick Scott, nothing is sweeter than job creation

With no discussion, Jax Rules Committee greenlights Jags stadium improvements

2nd Jax city panel, recreation committee, OKs Jaguars’ amphitheater bill

Jax health and safety committee clashes, then punts, on “prohibited outdoor storage” issue

As police officers look on, Jax City Council punts on its own pay raise

Katrina Brown attempts to build momentum for Jax budget process reform

Ethics Commission chairman talks texting ban with Jax City Council Rules Committee

“Broken” Jax Public Service Grants process fixes discussed in committee

Sam Newby looks to move Jax Journey funds to library “LEAP” program

Jax Public Service Grants committee wrestles with process