Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiOctober 21, 2015

The board moves made by Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry have been controversial and heavily politicized by local Democratic and Republican partisans, as seen in Tuesday’s Rules Committee meeting when Republican Executive Committee members showed up to back the play that Councilman Tommy Hazouri and other Democrats called “unprecedented” and “clearly partisan.” That narrative is out […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 20, 2015

Jacksonville City Council chambers was largely empty Tuesday afternoon, except for those proposed for appointments to Jacksonville boards and commissions, a smattering of reporters, political junkies, and a TV camera. The latter parties were there to document the moves that Mayor Lenny Curry contends are necessary to execute his vision, moves that opponents – most prominently Councilman […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 19, 2015

One of the interesting things about the current permutation of the Jacksonville City Council’s Neighborhood Improvement and Enhancement Committee is how many complaints there are about it from the regulars. Not enough items on the agenda. They don’t do anything anymore. If you scratched the surface, you might hear similar complaints from those on City […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 18, 2015

It’s a measure of, well, something that it took almost a week after Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry interviewed with the Florida Times-Union editorial board for his best quote to come out. Curry dropped science on former mayor and current City Council adversary Tommy Hazouri, by channeling some late-period Jay-Z. “He’s loud as a motorbike but […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 13, 2015

Finally, Jacksonville City Council meetings are lively again. Between reactions to a good chunk of Council being sued for texting a lobbyist during a budget meeting, the removal of a Lenny Curry appointment of Jay Demetree from the consent agenda, and a public comment protest campaign planned in reaction to the replacement of Planning Commission member Joey McKinnon […]

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 12, 2015

On Monday afternoon, the second meeting of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority Skyway Advisory Group convened in the JTA Boardroom, as group members weighed a variety of options regarding what to do with the Skyway as it approaches its 30th year in existence. Options range from tearing it down completely, to decommissioning it and letting it […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 9, 2015

One of the controversies that won’t go away in #jaxpol is the narrative revolving around Jacksonville City Council members Reggie Brown, Katrina Brown, Scott Wilson, Tommy Hazouri, and Reggie Gaffney texting with Jacksonville firefighters union head Randy Wyse during city budget deliberations. Wyse was pushing, as Chris Hong reported in The Florida Times-Union, to ensure […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 7, 2015

[Updated at 7:16 p.m] In Tuesday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee, Councilman Tommy Hazouri voted against Russ Thomas being appointed to the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. This came as a surprise to Thomas, who received a very genial voicemail from Hazouri, pledging what seemed to be unconditional support before the vote. “Hey Russ, […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 6, 2015

Whispers prior to Tuesday’s Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee meeting predicted a council member or two might say something about the wave of board and commission replacement appointments that dominated the agenda. Planning Commission Chairwoman Lisa King, whose replacement by Donald Adkison was on the agenda for the second reading, was in the house. So was […]

Wyman Duggan backs Lenny Curry board plays

Tensions flare as Jax Rules Committee spikes Democratic planning commissioners

Jax NICE Committee, against all odds, passes a bill

Lenny Curry, Jay Z, and the rhetorical future of Jax politics

Planning Commission drama enlivens Jacksonville City Council

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

JTA Skyway Committee seeks to figure out way forward

Jax City Council “Text-ghazi”: much ado about nothing?

A look at Tommy Hazouri’s change of heart on Russ Thomas

Tommy Hazouri: Lenny Curry board moves “emasculate” consolidated government