Tallahassee Reports has learned that the recent jury verdict in favor of fired City of Tallahassee firefighter, Mark DeCarlo, included $700,000 for “mental anguish.” The total judgement awarded was $850,000. See our previous report here. Tallahassee Reports has obtained a copy of the verdict form. The entire form can be viewed here. The image below (click […]
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the United States economy added 172,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate fell to 4.9%. But for Florida and Leon County, the numbers went the other way. At the state level, full time jobs decreased by 23,000 while the unemployment rate ticked up to 5.1% in January, […]
The City’s Independent Ethics Board has been considering adopting an ethics pledge for Board members since November of last year. However, it appears the Board members cannot get comfortable with the language. In addition, during the meeting, City Attorney Lew Shelley, representing the City Commission, spoke to the Board and urged them not to adopt […]
The recent article by Tallahassee Democrat writer Byron Dobson, “Race: An issue too wide to get our arms around”, helped me understand why we live in one of the most racially segregated cities in America and why it may never change. Mr. Dobson’s article was based on his coverage of a recent Village Square event entitled “Created […]
If you live in the Northeast part of town, past Interstate 10 (I-10), you are in a part of town that is responsible for a large share of City property taxes and City electric rates. In other words, you are a major financial supporter of City services. However, if you live in this part of […]
Six years after the City Commission voted to end deferred compensation – the practice of augmenting Commissioner salaries with $20,000 – one former City Commissioner continues to receive financial benefits every month due to the program, even though she retired after the program was voted down. This is how. The City of Tallahassee’s Charter says […]
Julie Montanaro of WCTV is reporting that a verdict has been reached in a Tallahassee whistleblower trial involving a City of Tallahassee firefighter. WCTV reports that former firefighter Mark DeCarlo, who claimed he was fired for blowing the whistle on leaky hoses and unsafe equipment, was awarded nearly $850,000 dollars in lost wages and benefits late […]
Since the Great Recession, Florida Department of Education data shows that K-12 Leon County teacher salaries have lost ground to average salaries state-wide. However, during the same period, Leon County was able to retain teachers at a higher rate when compared to state of Florida trends. The graph below shows the annual comparison of the […]
The Market District, located in North Tallahassee off of Thomasville Road, is home to well over 150 businesses, most of which are locally owned. Over the next two months, at least three new businesses will be opening their doors with some excited new options. On Market Street, the new location for Island Wings and Vertigo […]
Over the last year, multiple sources have contacted Tallahassee Reports about the potential bias of Tallahassee Democrat reporter Jeff Burlew’s reporting on the Leon County School Board and Superintendent Jackie Pons. Previoulsy, the complaints have been about the number of stories, 40-50, dedicated to the coverage of the investigations into the awarding of construction contracts […]