An unpopular plan to give Jacksonville City Council members garage parking inside City Hall has been merged with a popular plan to let residents park free – one block over -- when they come to City Hall.

“To me, that takes care of any issues from the public that we’re getting something they’re not,” Council President Stephen Joost said during the first of two committee discussions this week on the bill (2012-215).

But the bill’s final outcome isn’t clear, having been voted down by one panel and approved by another as it was sent to the full council for a vote next week.An unpopular plan to give Jacksonville City Council members garage parking inside City Hall has been merged with a popular plan to let residents park free – one block over -- when they come to City Hall.

“To me, that takes care of any issues from the public that we’re getting something they’re not,” Council President Stephen Joost said during the first of two committee discussions this week on the bill (2012-215).

But the bill’s final outcome isn’t clear, having been voted down by one panel and approved by another as it was sent to the full council for a vote next week".

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/steve-patterson/2012-05...#

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From the Tampa Bay Times:

Winner of the week: Alvin Brown. The mayor of Jacksonville last week vetoed his City Council's plan to spend $750,000 on new furniture for a new county courthouse. The old furniture is fine, said the mayor, who is expected to be overridden by the council. Still, it sounds like Brown is the one with his finger on public sentiment in these tough times.

Though Mitt Romney's experience with beer ended at one, he will be making a Thursday campaign stop at Jacksonville's River City Brewing Company.   Romney is in town for a fundraiser at Epping Forest Yacht Club. It is part of a money swing Romney is making through Florida.  The River City stop may seem out of character. Romney, a Mormon, told People Magazine in November that he's not much for the suds.  "Never had drinks or tobacco. It's a religious thing," he said. "I tasted a beer and tried a cigarette once, as a wayward teenager, and never did it again."  The Jacksonville event starts at 2 p.m..

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-dixon/2012-05-15/m...

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