Perspectives is home to opinion writing that adds context and unique viewpoints on local issues. These columns are separate from our newsroom reporting but contribute to the civic conversation in Jacksonville. We welcome ideas and submissions from community members who want to share their voices. Want to submit your own column on a matter of public interest? Email pitches to jessica@jaxtoday.org.
Featured image for “OPINION | Children are the future of representative government”
The Duval County Supervisor of Elections Office l Steven Ponson, Jacksonville Today
July 5, 2026

OPINION | Children are the future of representative government

Opinion columnist A.G. Gancarski argues that Gov. Ron DeSantis should not have vetoed a bill that would have allowed teens…

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Jacksonville’s 4 disasters (and recoveries)   ”
The Church of Immaculate Conception after the Great Fire of 1901
June 24, 2026

THE JAXSON | Jacksonville’s 4 disasters (and recoveries)   

This is the story of Jacksonville’s recovery from four major disasters. In James Weldon Johnson’s lifetime, Jacksonville suffered three major…

Featured image for “OPINION | What is the Jacksonville City Council presidency for, really?”
Jacksonville City Council President-designate Kevin Carrico, left, and Vice President-designate Nick Howland celebrate after their elections in 2025. | Mike Mendenhall, Jacksonville Today
June 21, 2026

OPINION | What is the Jacksonville City Council presidency for, really?

Cleanup will be required after the Kevin Carrico era, opinion columnist A.G. Gancarski writes of the Jacksonville City Council presidency.…

Featured image for “OPINION | No local taxation, no local representation”
June 7, 2026

OPINION | No local taxation, no local representation

Local government isn’t perfect. But starving the beast will only erode home rule, opinion columnist A.G. Gancarski argues.…

Featured image for “THE FOOD SECTION | Public incentives for Downtown Jax restaurants, bars pick up ”
Dorothy's Downtown was one a growing number of recent restaurant recipients of public incentives under the Downtown Investment Authority's Retail Improvement Program. Dorothy's received $167,380 (48% of its total development cost) in 2024. | Hanna Raskin
May 31, 2026

THE FOOD SECTION | Public incentives for Downtown Jax restaurants, bars pick up 

A dedicated “retail enhancement” fund is increasingly propping up restaurants that choose to open in Downtown Jacksonville.…

Featured image for “OPINION | The art of the viral moment: Angie Nixon’s lesson for the political establishment”
State Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Fla., speaks through a megaphone on the House floor as the House votes on redistricting during a special session of the Florida Legislature on April 29, 2026. / AP Photo/Mike Stewart
May 24, 2026

OPINION | The art of the viral moment: Angie Nixon’s lesson for the political establishment

If you’re looking for structural critique from a legislator, Angie Nixon provides it. But will she go in on her…

Featured image for “OPINION | The ‘race-neutral’ myth and Jacksonville City Council redistricting”
The current City Council district map | City of Jacksonville
May 10, 2026

OPINION | The ‘race-neutral’ myth and Jacksonville City Council redistricting

A “race-neutral” redistricting could chop up districts intended to allow Black candidates to be elected.…

Featured image for “REVIEW | Black Pearl: A ‘disappointing’ take on Italian-Japanese fusion”
Black Pearl's website describes its cuisine as "From Italy & France, by way of Japan." | Hanna Raskin
April 28, 2026

REVIEW | Black Pearl: A ‘disappointing’ take on Italian-Japanese fusion

“Typically, the hallmarks of itameshi are sophisticated cooking techniques, esteem for seasonality and an emphasis on umami-rich ingredients,” writes reviewer…

Featured image for “OPINION | What does the Florida House get out of the special session?”
Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, delivers his speech during opening day ceremonies on January 13, 2026. | Florida House/Sarah Gray
April 26, 2026

OPINION | What does the Florida House get out of the special session?

After two years of adversarial positioning, does Florida House Speaker Perez simply fold? Or does the House push back against…

Featured image for “OPINION | The case for elected JEA and JTA boards”
JEA is considering raising rates again because of a budget shortfall. | Jacksonville Today file photo
April 12, 2026

OPINION | The case for elected JEA and JTA boards

The public deserves a say in how its assets are run, but JEA’s and JTA’s boards are currently appointed.…

Featured image for “REVIEW | PopUp Bagels”
March 31, 2026

REVIEW | PopUp Bagels

PopUp Bagels’ most significant contribution to bagel culture is that it’s poised to reshape the nation’s relationship with cream cheese.…

Featured image for “OPINION | Do special elections signal good year for Jacksonville Dems?”
Florida state Rep.-elect Emily Gregory, a Democrat, won a special election on March 24, 2026, flipping the House district that is home to President Donald Trump's Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago (seen here in 2022). | AP Photo
March 29, 2026

OPINION | Do special elections signal good year for Jacksonville Dems?

Last week saw a couple of surprise results in special elections downstate. Democrats believe that taking these seats suggests that…

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Ranking the 6 Skyway alternatives, from best to worst”
Skyway tracks, seen from ground level | Ennis Davis
March 18, 2026

THE JAXSON | Ranking the 6 Skyway alternatives, from best to worst

As Jacksonville revisits the future of its Skyway, this moment presents a broader opportunity to consider how the Skyway fits…

Featured image for “OPINION | Taxation contradiction: Making sense of muddled money messaging”
Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks on May 1, 2025, in Miramar. | Rebecca Blackwell, AP file
March 14, 2026

OPINION | Taxation contradiction: Making sense of muddled money messaging

When it comes to local taxation, Republican policy makers want to convince voters that it’s day and night at the…

Featured image for “THE FOOD SECTION | Forget New York vs. Detroit. Jax enters its global pizza era”
Ya Habibi on the Southside is one of Jacksonville's global pizza kings, but what you want there is a calzone, Hanna Raskin writes. | Hanna Raskin
March 2, 2026

THE FOOD SECTION | Forget New York vs. Detroit. Jax enters its global pizza era

In Jacksonville, there are excellent examples of the global pizza canon.…

Featured image for “OPINION | Shot in the dark: The end of vaccine politics in Florida”
Sen. Clay Yarborough (seen here as a member of the Florida House of Representatives), is sponsoring a "medical freedom" bill in 2026. | Florida House
March 1, 2026

OPINION | Shot in the dark: The end of vaccine politics in Florida

The rise and fall of “medical freedom” is almost complete, as anti-vaccine fervor is falling out of favor in Tallahassee.…

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Defending Black History Month”
A group of early 20th century segregation era Black business leaders on the steps of Old Stanton High School in LaVilla. | University of North Florida
February 25, 2026

THE JAXSON | Defending Black History Month

Black History Month predates contemporary political terminology and was conceived during the Jim Crow era as a scholarly initiative, not…

Featured image for “OPINION | 2027: The ‘lawfare’ Jacksonville mayor’s race?”
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier commends Jacksonville's City Council for passing an immigration enforcement bill. Uthmeier spoke Thursday, March 27, 2025, in St. Johns County. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
February 15, 2026

OPINION | 2027: The ‘lawfare’ Jacksonville mayor’s race?

The controversy over Mayor Donna Deegan’s Hispanic outreach coordinator could last through next year’s Jacksonville mayor’s race.…

Featured image for “OPINION | The politics of last call: Should Downtown bars serve ’til 3?”
Downtown bars like Decca Live could serve for an extra hour under a proposal. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
February 1, 2026

OPINION | The politics of last call: Should Downtown bars serve ’til 3?

Should Downtown bars be allowed to serve alcohol for an extra hour?…

Featured image for “THE FOOD SECTION | Jacksonville cheesesteak tour: Which of the 4 comes out on top?”
A cheesesteak at D&LP Subs in Jacksonville Beach | Hanna Raskin
January 25, 2026

THE FOOD SECTION | Jacksonville cheesesteak tour: Which of the 4 comes out on top?

In Jacksonville, online chatter about which area cheesesteak outshines the rest has snowballed since Big Al’s Cheesesteaks opened in Arlington…

Featured image for “OPINION | Will unopposed Jacksonville Democrats face competition in House races?”
Audrey Gibson, seen here as a Jacksonville mayoral candidate in 2023, is running unopposed for Rep. Angie Nixon's seat. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
January 19, 2026

OPINION | Will unopposed Jacksonville Democrats face competition in House races?

Two Jacksonville Democrats appear, as of now, to have an uncomplicated path to winning election to the Florida House. But…

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | How Jacksonville’s underground arts scene survives”
A live concert at Jack Rabbits Live | Ruston Kelly
January 14, 2026

THE JAXSON | How Jacksonville’s underground arts scene survives

The underground arts and culture scene beneath Jacksonville’s surface is a creature built for survival.…

Featured image for “OPINION | Urban Meyer has no business in the Florida university system”
Then-Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer on Dec. 5, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif. | AP Photo, Kyusung Gong, File
January 4, 2026

OPINION | Urban Meyer has no business in the Florida university system

Urban Meyer, the most universally reviled figure in Jacksonville Jaguars history is nominated as a trustee of New College.…

Featured image for “OPINION | Where should the new Duval County Jail go?”
The Duval County jail
December 21, 2025

OPINION | Where should the new Duval County Jail go?

An equity question lingers over putting a new Duval County Jail in historically disadvantaged areas. But can the jail still be…