Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonJune 11, 2016

The committee backing an amendment adding solar power rules to the state constitution spent more than $6.5 million on ad buys last month as contributions slowed to a trickle. According to the May report, Consumers for Smart Solar forked over more than three-quarters of its war chest to Virginia-based firm National Media Research, Planning and […]

Mitch PerryMay 12, 2016

So, Go Hillsborough is somehow still alive? Though they haven’t set a date yet, apparently there will be another public hearing on putting a sales tax referendum on the ballot this November. On Wednesday, the Hillsborough County Commission voted to support a half-cent sales tax for 15 years, and not the 30-year plan shot down […]

Mitch PerryMay 11, 2016

Consumers for Solar Choice, the group behind the controversial solar power amendment that will go before Florida voters in November, has raised their most campaign contributions to date in April, bringing in $8,521,125 — by far their largest one-month total since kicking off their campaign last July. That $8.5 million came from just 14 different contributors, […]

Julie DelegalApril 17, 2016

Jim Kallinger and Dick Batchelor wrote in Context Florida last week that voters should support “Amendment 1,” which seeks to regulate solar energy in Florida. They disclose at the end of the article that they work for “Consumers for Smart Solar.” But voters may not know that “Consumers for Smart Solar” is a bankrolled front […]

Ryan RayApril 12, 2016

Consumers for Smart Solar kicked-off a new phase of its effort to pass a solar energy amendment to the state constitution at a press conference Tuesday. The campaign was once seen as merely a foil for a rival amendment, pitched by environmental groups like the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. That initiative ran out of gas when it […]

Mitch PerryApril 12, 2016

The New York Yankees are worth at least $3.4 billion, according to Forbes. Depending on what survey you look at, they are either the 2nd or 3rd most valuable sports property in the world (behind only Real Madrid and maybe the Dallas Cowboys). Despite that vast wealth, the ball club and the Tampa Sports Authority are […]

Mitch PerryApril 11, 2016

The controversial solar-power ballot initiative that will go before Florida voters in November reported on Monday that it had spent nearly $268,000 last month, with much of that going to legal fees as it worked to win approval from the Florida Supreme Court. Two weeks ago, the high court ruled 4-3 that the wording of the […]

Mitch PerryApril 5, 2016

The three legislators responsible for a statewide initiative concerning home and industrial solar power system tax breaks announced on Tuesday they’ll be launching a campaign to get the measure passed on the August ballot. “Because we’ve moved to the August primary, we have a really short window in order to really spin up a campaign,” […]

Jim RosicaMarch 31, 2016

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday barely approved a proposed state constitutional amendment on solar power for the 2016 ballot. In a 4-3 decision, the court OK’d the amendment in question, called “Rights of Electricity Consumers Regarding Solar Energy Choice.” It’s backed by Consumers For Smart Solar, supported by the state’s biggest private utilities, including Duke Energy Florida, Florida […]

Jim RosicaMarch 2, 2016

The Tallahassee attorney for Earthjustice, a national environmental law organization, is calling a proposed state constitutional amendment on solar power “a disguised attempt to derail rooftop solar in Florida.” The Florida Supreme Court had scheduled oral arguments for the hotly contested proposal for 11 a.m. March 7 with no more than 30 minutes allowed for each side. Among […]

Consumers for Smart Solar forks over $6.5M in ad buys last month, contributions slow

Mitch Perry Report for 5.12.16 — The proposed tax that will not go away

‘Consumers for Smart Solar’ initiative brings in more than $8.5 million in April

Julie Delegal: Pro-solar consumers beware: Vote no on Amendment 1

“Consumers for Smart Solar” launches new phase of ballot initiative campaign

Mitch Perry Report for 4.12.16 – Will anyone question the NY Yankees/Steinbrenner field $40 million upgrade?

Consumers for Smart Solar spends nearly $268,000 in March

Jeff Brandes, Lori Berman, Ray Rodrigues launching campaign for solar power tax breaks

“Smart Solar” amendment narrowly passes Supreme Court review

Earthjustice strikes back against Smart Solar group