Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiApril 3, 2017

Friendship on the installment plan. Golf carts at the county line. A date with Joe Camel? You’d better be 21. A “bully” on a commission. A gag rule for the public. And incentives for the donor class. These are just a few of the concepts and bills the Jacksonville City Council mulls in committees this week. […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 10, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council starts off 2017 with an agenda light on controversial legislation, which presumably gives the body more time for HRO-related public comment. That said, the agenda Tuesday evening in Council Chambers is highlighted by notable board nominees and local bills to be pushed in Tallahassee. **** One interesting moment that likely will […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 18, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry doesn’t make every JEA Board meeting. But he made the one after Hurricane Matthew on Tuesday. Curry’s attendance, once FloridaPolitics.com reported it last week, has been a matter of some speculation, especially since JEA CEO Paul McElroy said last week he was out of town during Hurricane Matthew, as JEA imposed an unreachable […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 8, 2016

Last fall, there was an unusual amount of reporting about the JEA, Jacksonville’s utility provider. Much of it had to do with Mayor Lenny Curry‘s decision to change the composition of the JEA Board in accordance with his vision. He got those moves made weeks ahead of the annual JEA bond rating trip to New York […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 22, 2016

For those paying attention to the proceedings in Council’s JEA Agreement Committee, there wasn’t much drama to Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announcing the JEA Agreement Tuesday. Indeed, much of the drama occurred before Curry took office. And the principal drama for his administration, arguably, were the moves to refashion the JEA Board in accordance with his […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 15, 2016

January saw a slight closing of the fundraising gap between Janet Adkins and her major opponent in the race for Nassau County School Superintendent, Kathy Burns. Adkins raised no January money, though December saw her getting money from JEA Board Chair Tom Petway, former Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp, and the PAC of Jason Fischer, a current State House candidate from Jacksonville. […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 4, 2016

One of the more surprisingly compelling political stories in Jacksonville in the second half of 2015: the chaos at the local utility, JEA. You saw the mayor, Lenny Curry, sending emails to top staff members asking “what the hell is going on” with the board of directors. You saw board members blasting media for covering its […]

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 22, 2016

JEA, Jacksonville’s community utility, has been in the news this year for reasons that have less to do with its performance than other issues. Still, the utility has a story to tell about customer service. J.D. Power reports that JEA has the highest business customer satisfaction in the South with midsize utilities. JEA achieved the […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 10, 2016

If December’s fundraising haul is any indication, the Lenny Curry affiliated PAC Build Something That Lasts is living up to its name. The numbers are staggering for Northeast Florida: $289,000 in November, with $100,000 of that from Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, who has to be feeling good about the $90 million stadium renovation plan Curry’s team shepherded […]

Tag: Tom Petway

Friends with benefits: Committee week for Jacksonville City Council

Jacksonville City Council to push local bills, notable board nominees Tuesday

Hurricane Matthew blowback and reax dominate JEA Board meeting

JEA’s AAA bond rating validates Lenny Curry’s vision

Jax Mayor Lenny Curry frames JEA agreement as vindication of 2015 board moves

Janet Adkins maintains money lead in Nassau County school sup. race

After bad press and board flux, JEA on path to stability again

JEA Agreement inches closer to resolution

JEA touts business satisfaction kudos from J.D. Power

Lenny Curry PAC wows with $289K December; Shahid Khan goes $100K deep