Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiOctober 21, 2016

“Families for Safety and Prosperity,” the state political committee organized to sell the Jacksonville referendum allowing slots at the bestbet location near Regency Mall, had a very good week between Oct. 8 and 14. A million-dollar week, to be exact. The pro-slots committee raised $1 million with two $500,000 checks from Jacksonville Greyhound Racing on Oct. 11 and […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 26, 2016

When it comes to the “Yes for Jacksonville” campaign, designed to authorize an extension of a current half-cent sales tax pending renegotiation of public pension benefits, the best argument arguably has been saved for last. That argument: from the first lady of Jacksonville, Molly Curry, who makes the closing pitch in a mailer targeted to female voters. […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 26, 2016

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With just days left before the Aug. 30 primary, two Northeast Florida candidates for the state House are launching new radio ads. Running in House District 14, Leslie Jean-Bart has an ad featuring the endorsement of incumbent Rep. Mia Jones. Jean-Bart vows to continue Jones’ legacy and fight for a $15 minimum wage, among other claims made in the […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2016

In a Wednesday press release, 4th Congressional District candidate Bill McClure issued a stunning claim: City of Jacksonville employees are removing his campaign signs … and all others that aren’t related to County Referendum 1. County Referendum 1 allows the people of Duval County to vote for or against public pension reform, a precondition for a […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 24, 2016

What if someone called a press conference and Jacksonville City Council “public comment” broke out? That was the scene Wednesday as a half-dozen opponents of County Referendum 1 — the so-called “pension tax” vote, which would extend a current half-cent sales tax past its current sunset date in 2030 and devote it to the $2.85 billion […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 19, 2016

There is nothing quite as interesting and larger than life than a 20th century Jacksonville mayor. And nothing amusing in quite the same way as seeing two of them in a parking lot. Riding to a “Yes for Jacksonville” event at the Eastside’s Mary Singleton Center with Councilman Tommy Hazouri, we noticed a SUV parked provocatively by […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 18, 2016

For the first time perhaps ever, an initiative of former RPOF chair and current Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is being packaged as “progressive.” A “Yes for Jacksonville” mailer bills County Referendum 1, which would extend a current half-cent sales tax devoted to infrastructure from 2030 to as far out as 2060 to deal with the current […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 17, 2016

On Wednesday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry pitched County Referendum 1 — which would authorize a half-cent sales tax extension to address the city’s $2.8 billion unfunded pension liability — to the Southside Business Men’s Club, where one of his most recurrent political opponents is a member. After the March 2015 first election, when the endorsement of […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2016

Those who have waited for opposition to Jacksonville’s proposed “pension tax” are finally seeing it manifest, just in time for early voting. With oppressive humidity in the air and a non-affiliated crackhead milling around the parking lot engaging with the media, the Duval Democrats made their stand against Jacksonville’s County Referendum 1 in a parking […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2016

State Sen. Audrey Gibson voted to authorize Jacksonville to have a ballot referendum to extend the current half-cent tax devoted to infrastructure past its 2030 sunset date to address the unfunded liability. She even co-introduced the bill. But that’s the last vote she’ll cast for the measure. On Monday night, Gibson saw her name on the […]

Tag: Yes for Jacksonville
Mike Johnson. Image via AP.

$1M week of fundraising for Jacksonville slots committee

Molly Curry features on closing argument ‘Yes for Jacksonville’ mailer

House candidates Leslie Jean-Bart, Reggie Fullwood drop last-minute radio ads

Bill McClure claims City of Jacksonville is removing his campaign signs

Jax pension tax opposition limps to campaign finish

Jake Godbold calls on ‘army’ of seniors to support pension-tax referendum

New ‘Yes for Jacksonville’ flyer calls pension-tax referendum ‘progressive solution’

Lenny Curry sells the pension tax to Southside Business Men’s Club

Duval Dems slam ‘sham flyer,’ ‘smoke and mirrors’ pension tax

After flyer flap, Audrey Gibson comes out against Jax pension tax