Tallahassee Reports has learned that since January of this year two assistant city managers, who were promoted under newly appointed City Manager Rick Fernandez, have recently received substantial pay raises. Cynthia Barber, who was being paid $125,084 in January, is now making $174,999.99 as an assistant city manger. That is a $49,916 increase, which equals […]
By Karen Murphy TALLAHASSEE – Candidates for Leon County School Superintendent pulled no punches Tuesday during the Network of Entrepreneurs and Business Advocates (NEBA) candidate forum. Candidates Rocky Hanna, Woody Hildebrandt, Patricia Ann Sunday, and Forrest Van Camp squared off against incumbent superintendent Jackie Pons at the Capital City Country Club with Tallahassee Reports editor […]
In a forum for candidates running for Superintendent of Leon County Schools, held by the Network of Entrepreneurs and Business Advocates (NEBA), former Leon High School principal Rocky Hanna finished first in the straw poll. Hanna was followed by Superintendent Jackie Pons and former Leon County school board member Forrest Van Camp. Over 120 people […]
The Leon County Board of County Commissioners held a workshop on June 14, 2016 and County staff presented the fiscal year 2017 proposed budget. The staff reported that “the preliminary FY 2017 budget totals $246,254,510 which reflects a 3.2 percent increase from FY 2016. As a point of comparison, the recently passed State of Florida […]
Budget Hawks, one of the groups working to overturn the 13% property tax increase adopted by the CIty of Tallahassee last year, issued a press release urging city commissioners to grant a request from the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce to eliminate the city business tax. Commercial real estate developer and founding Budget Hawk Russell Price […]
At Wednesday’s City Commission meeting, Commissioner Nancy Miller, who previously voted with Commissioner Curtis Richardson and Mayor Andrew Gillum to extend bar hours from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m., made a motion asking the Commission to reconsider that vote. The motion to reconsider the vote passed 4-1. Commissioner Curtis Richardson was the lone vote against […]
In a convoluted decision that is sure to keep the controversy surrounding the pension payments of former City Commissioner Debbie Lightsey alive, the City’s Independent Ethics Board dismissed a complaint filed by local businessman Erwin Jackson, but called for further investigation. The Ethics Officer, Julie Meadows-Keefe, recommended the compliant be dismissed “without investigation because it […]
On Monday night, the City of Tallahassee officially presented the FY2017 budget during a workshop at Walker-Ford Community Center. At the same time, ten miles away, three citizen driven budget groups held a meeting of their own in City Commission Chambers and presented the “Citizens’ Budget.” TR spent time at both meetings. Citizens’ Workshop in […]
A review of the FY2017 budget proposal by the City of Tallahassee reveals more revenue for the General Fund through an increase in property values, sales taxes and fees. The total new revenue collected in the General Fund is approximately $5.5 million. The budget also calls for approximately $7-9 million in new spending. Local media […]
By Karen Murphy Tallahassee City Commission Seat 1 candidate Dr. Bruce Strouble Jr. recently addressed one of the hottest local issues of the political season, violent crime, saying it should be treated as a “public health issue.” He called for revitalization of poverty-stricken neighborhoods as a tactic for reducing crime in this city which holds […]