Mitch PerryGreetings from the Motel 6 off the Apalachee Parkway in Tallahassee, where things are getting increasingly hot in the Capitol.
Literally. Wednesday’s temperatures are supposed to hover near 90 degrees, that’s not a record, but temps here — like in the Tampa Bay area —are consistently running about 7 or 8 degrees warmer than usual for early spring.
It’s also getting hot among the state Senate, House and Gov. Rick Scott regarding what else — Medicaid expansion.
Tuesday a Senate committee blew off confirming the governor’s new choice for surgeon general because John Armstrong refused to answer a series of questions about Medicaid expansion.
The Senate is standing strong, even though the House simply won’t entertain the hybrid proposal from Jacksonville Sen. Aaron Bean that would allow the state to draw down federal funding to get health care coverage for about 800,000 Floridians.
On the local CBS affiliate in Tallahassee that coalition of businesses trying to get the Legislature to pass a Medicaid expansion plan, A Healthy Florida Works, is running ads in heavy rotation telling Floridians to thank Senate President Andy Gardiner for his support for a plan.
In other news …
While we were en route to the capital city, Eric Lynn officially announced his candidacy for the CD 13 seat in Pinellas County currently occupied by David Jolly.
• • •
Another 30-something Democrat is running for higher office. That would be South Florida U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, who traveled to Tampa Tuesday to receive the imprimatur from Mayor Bob Buckhorn. The mayor said the two share the same centrist political ideology that both say is the only way that Democrats can win statewide in the Sunshine State.
• • •
And speaking of the mayor, will he lead the way for Hillsborough County to put a referendum on the ballot next year for transit (i.e. light-rail)? No one knows at this point, while the public outreach that the county is conducting shows disparate thoughts on where public investments on transit should go.
