• The Downtown Development Authority postponed releasing the results of a downtown housing market study. Managing Director Al Battle was to present the results to the board Wednesday, but he deferred. “We want to get the right message out about downtown housing,” he said. “And the right message has to include the right information.”
• Downtown Vision, Inc. executive director Terry Lorince said DVI could look to expand its presence beyond its current borders (from Church Street to the Southbank and from Market Street to Broad Street) to help market residential developments on downtown’s fringes. DVI’s current contract is up for renewal in two years.
• Thomas R. Brice, who has been an associate for five years, has been elected a partner at McGuireWoods LLP.
• Local Democratic Party chair Clyde Collins has been appointed to serve on the Central Committee of the Florida Democratic Party.
• New concierge service at The Plaza: Concierge International had been awarded the job. The tower — originally Berkman Plaza — had parted ways with Jacksonville Concierge Service.
• City Council vice president Elaine Brown returned to her political roots Wednesday when she appeared before the DDA board. Brown was a board member when the Downtown Master Plan was developed and said the experience “inspired me to get into politics.”
• City and County officials say a proposal by State Rep. Don Davis to change the way tax rates are advertised would complicate the process and confuse taxpayers. However, Sheila Anderson of Commercial Property Services, who handles property tax appeals across the State, including Duval County, said Davis’ proposal would probably be a winner with voters. “Government might not like it,” she said. “But taxpayers most certainly would.”
• Lobbyists for Florida counties swung into action immediately after Gov. Jeb Bush released his proposed budget, which included the Article 5 revision projected to cost counties about $87 million next year. The Florida Association of Counties said it would be imperative to have Duval County’s support to defeat the proposal. According to a letter from the FAC, Duval will spend $4.8 million next year just to for detention and predisposition of juvenile defendants.
• Looking for the next real estate hot spot? The Auchter Company’s David Auchter says he thinks Commodore Point between the Hart and Mathews bridges is going to be Jacksonville’s “next great frontier.”
• The Amsterdam Sky Cafe has hired The McCormick Agency to head its public relations efforts.
• We confused some titles in a recent City Note about Susan Demato at the Cultural Council. Demato is a Community Services manager.
• Couple of changes in the T-U business section. Reporter Earl Daniels has left the paper, and Gregory Richards has replaced Christopher Calnan on the airport beat.