Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJanuary 8, 2018

A three-year fight over non-partisan elections in Orange County may be headed for the Florida Supreme Court — with the prospect of affecting county elections throughout the state. Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs announced Monday she wants the state’s high court to consider whether Orange County — and other charter counties like it — can […]

Scott PowersOctober 3, 2017

Help for Puerto Rico and for Puerto Ricans evacuating to Florida is going to be best provided by the rapidly-rising group of private groups, churches, and companies and government coordination will have to be done by the state, leaving little direct power for Orange County and other counties, Mayor Teresa Jacobs said Tuesday. Jacobs and […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2017

Osceola County Expressway Authority plans to run a new highway through an Orange County nature park drew strong fire Tuesday at the Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting, but Mayor Teresa Jacobs and the commissioners were uncertain they could do anything about it. Several dozen people came to the meeting to appeal to Jacobs and […]

Scott PowersJanuary 4, 2017

Wednesday is the day that Orange County’s voters figured they had turned their sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, clerk of courts, supervisor of elections and comptroller into non-partisan, term-limited county officials – but it’s not happening. And it is unclear if it will ever happen. Late Tuesday Judge Bob Leblanc of Florida’s 9th Circuit Court […]

Scott PowersNovember 29, 2016

A $5 million plan to add mid-block crosswalks and other improvements to pedestrian and bicycle safety in the major roads serving the University of Central Florida was unanimously approved Tuesday by the Orange County Board of Commissioners. The plan aims at making sidewalks, bike paths and crosswalks more appealing and safer for the 50,000 UCF […]

Scott PowersJune 16, 2016

President Barack Obama arrived in Orlando Thursday afternoon to pay his respects and offer any comfort he might to survivors and families of those killed in Sunday’s Pulse nightclub massacre. The president arrived at 12:45 p.m. and headed out by motorcade to Orlando’s Amway Center arena, and then to Orlando Regional Medical Center, for private […]

Scott PowersJune 9, 2016

Orange County voters will try again and try again to do something many officials thought it had already done once, convert the sheriff, tax collector, comptroller and three other offices to nonpartisan elected officials. The Orange County Charter Review Commission voted Thursday to put not one but two new proposed charter amendments on the November […]

Scott PowersMay 27, 2016

Thursday’s ruling by a 9th Judicial Circuit judge that Orange County constitutional officers must run in partisan elections creates a tight timetable for what happens in the Aug. 30 primary. Late Friday morning there still was no decision from the Orange County Mayor’s Office on whether the county will appeal the ruling by Judge Keith White, […]

Scott PowersApril 21, 2016

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs may be looking for a way out of the corner she’s painted into involving the multi-faceted controversy over the county’s robust tourist tax. The mayor is calling a joint meeting of the Orange County Board of Commissioners and the Orange County Tourist Development Council with the prospect she’ll be seeking a path […]

Scott PowersApril 19, 2016

The NFL is talking to Orlando officials about bringing the Pro Bowl All-Star Game to Orlando’s Florida Citrus Bowl as early as next year, but the deal could hinge on tourism tax money. And that money is currently being hotly debated because Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and tourism leaders are butting heads about whether […]

Tag: Mayor Teresa Jacobs
Image via Palatka Main Street.

Orange County appealing to Supreme Court in battle over non-partisan or partisan elections

Teresa Jacobs: Orange County’s role limited for Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans

Planned Osceola Parkway extension through park draws fire in Orange meeting

Orange County’s charter amendments falling silently; despite election, no changes in county offices

Orange County Commission approves UCF pedestrian plan

Barack Obama meeting with Pulse families in Orlando

Orange County voters get to try and try again to make elections non-partisan

Orange County partisan election ruling forces tight timetable

Teresa Jacobs looking to reopen tourism tax discussions at special meeting

Pro Bowl may come to Orlando, but NFL wants tourist tax money