First Coast Connect: Congressional challenger

A Democrat in a heavily Republican district takes on a well-financed incumbent. If it sounds familiar, it’s because she’s lived this before. Democratic candidate Rachel Grage, now challenging District 5 Republican congressman John Rutherford, previously mounted a campaign for the Beaches-area House…

The Morning Report: Jacksonville’s Capital Plan and St. Johns Commissioners Plan To Stay

Jacksonville’s proposed capital improvement plan includes hundreds of millions of dollars for projects including EverBank Stadium renovations and the Museum of Science and History’s new downtown facility. Also, two St. Johns County commissioners facing criminal charges tied to an alleged fake voter…

First Coast Connect: Actuality, not austerity

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan presented her $2.03 billion budget Monday, choosing not to presage the fiscal impacts of a proposed property tax cut, which goes before voters in November. Deegan’s 1.1% ($22.6 million) increase over last year’s budget is modest by most measures, but diametrically op…

The Morning Report: Jacksonville’s Budget Proposal and Florida’s Property Tax Debate

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan is proposing a more than $2 billion budget that includes increased funding for public safety, road projects and septic tank removal, as the City Council begins its review. Plus, a new University of North Florida poll finds support for a proposed constitutional amendm…

First Coast Connect: The 'blast radius' of property tax cuts

Today, former Republican lawmaker Jeff Brandes discusses what he calls “the blast radius nobody is talking about” if a property tax cut is approved by Florida voters. Amendment 3, which appears on the November ballot, would dramatically curtail state property tax revenues, which fund most local gov…

The Morning Report: New City of Jacksonville Budget Proposal and New Carriage Rules in St. Aug.

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan is set to present her proposed city budget, outlining spending priorities for the coming fiscal year and kicking off the annual budget process. Meanwhile, St. Augustine begins implementing new rules for vehicles for hire, including limits on pedicabs and updated welf…

First Coast Connect: Week in Review

Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: ICE agents are involved in three deaths in just one week — including one in St. Augustine. The governor steps up his already record-setting pace of executions, scheduling two on the same da…

The Morning Report: Airport Authority Standoff Update & Local Congressional Candidate Arrest

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority votes on a decision to delay legal action against the city for 30 days while pursuing mediation over a dispute about airport governance. Also today, we report on the arrest of a Jacksonville congressional candidate facing federal charges after allegedly making th…

First Coast Connect: St. Johns Gold Rush

Well, that escalated quickly. Just hours after a new state law took effect offering a fast track to develop Florida’s farmlands, four large-scale developers applied to take advantage of it. Senate Bill 686 allows property owners to develop their land at least as intensely as adjacent properties wit…

The Morning Report: Vigil for Man Hit and Killed Fleeing ICE in St. Johns and Voter Deadline Quickly Approaching

A vigil in St. Johns County honors a man who died while fleeing ICE agents, as organizers call attention to concerns over immigration enforcement. We also explain the upcoming voter registration deadline ahead of Florida's August primary election, including how to register or update your informatio…