Peter Schorsch
The state spent a little over $2 million guarding Gov. Rick Scott in 2015-16, records show, an increase over the $1.8 million spent the year before.
Every summer, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement releases a “Transportation and Protective Services” report, detailing the cost of security for the Governor, the First Lady, their family and the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee.
The money comes largely from the state’s “general revenue,” which is taxes and fees.
The total for all of them—counting agents’ and others’ salaries, transportation and miscellaneous expenses—was $2.65 million, up from $2.37 million the year before, the report says. That’s an increase of almost 12 percent.
Broken down by each, First Lady Ann Scott‘s security detail cost a total of almost $388,000; family members cost roughly $11,500 to protect and the mansion and grounds cost about $172,000 to keep safe.
The report also specifies costs to protect visiting officials, many of them governors of other states. Florida doesn’t get reimbursed, FDLE spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger said.
New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie, for example, visited five times for a total cost of just over $6,600 in protective costs.
A detail for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, now the GOP’s vice-presidential nominee, and his wife cost about $2,900. That was for an official visit to Miami and Fort Myers this February.
The biggest single line item—over $4,300—was for an official visit to Miami by U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Kenneth E. Mapp in March, according to the report.
And former President Bill Clinton had his back covered on the state’s tab when he stopped in Jacksonville last November, to the tune of exactly $1,267.43.
Coming up, the usual assortment of tidbits, leftovers and not-ready-for-prime-time moments by Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster, Jim Rosica, and Peter Schorsch.
But first, the “Takeaway 5” — the Top 5 stories from the week that was:
THROWN OUT — A Florida appeals court judge rejected an attempt to end the state’s largest private school voucher program this week. The 1st District Court of Appeals sided with a lower court’s ruling to throw out the lawsuit filed by the Florida Education Association. The organization said the method of funding private-school education was unconstitutional. Union officials said they would decide at a later date whether they would appeal.
BATTLE BEGINS — The battle over workers’ compensation has begun. The National Council on Compensation Insurance has proposed increasing rates by 19.6 percent effective Oct. 1. But a public hearing this week represented the first major battle in the war over increases. Tom Feeney, the CEO of Associated Industries of Florida, denounced recent Supreme Court rulings, which have been blamed for the rate hikes. Trial attorneys are hoping to rally support from business owners by accusing insurers of earning unfair profits. The Office of Insurance Regulation will accept public comment on the rate hike until Aug. 23.
SETTLED — Rick Scott and his administration settled a dispute over abortion legislation to defund Planned Parenthood clinics this week. According to POLITICO Florida, federal Judge Robert Hinkle closed the case of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida v. Celeste Philip after a conference call with attorneys. He also made his June 30 temporary injunction final, stopping efforts to defund clinics. Those provisions were included in a far-reaching abortion bill passed earlier this year.
ZIKA IN MIAMI BEACH — The Zika outbreak is spreading. Gov. Scott announced this week there were five confirmed cases of locally acquired Zika in the Miami Beach area. The Department of Health currently believes active transmissions are occurring in an area between 8th and 28th streets in Miami Beach. Scott asked the CDC to send an additional 5,000 Zika antibody test kits to ensure the state can quickly test people and support personnel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned pregnant women to avoid travel to Miami Beach and the Wynwood neighborhood, where the first local transmissions were detected. There are nearly 600 cases of Zika, including both travel-related and locally transmitted cases, in Florida.
GO VOTE — Early voting locations across the state are now open, giving Florida voters a chance to cast their ballot ahead of the primary. Registered voters in Florida can vote early at designated polling locations or can request a vote-by-mail ballot. Early voting continues through Aug. 27. Florida has a closed primary system, meaning only Democrats and Republicans can vote in their party’s primary. But have no fear, there are still plenty of non-partisan races and local issues on the ballots. The primary is Aug. 30.
Florida is the eighth freest state in the nation.
That’s according to a new report by the Cato Institute, which ranked each state by how their public policies promote freedom in economic, social and personal realms. When it comes to overall rankings, Florida ranks eighth.
However, the report found Florida ranks 36th when it comes to personal freedoms. According to the report, “Florida appears well below average” but may see a boost from the Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage.
Among the policy recommendations listed in the report, researchers suggested the state could enact a medical marijuana law. Researchers also recommended trimming spending on “sanitation and sewerage, public parks, and police and fire protection, which are all significantly higher as a share of income than the national average,” and abolish Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
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There’s a few more historical places in Florida.
Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced six more Florida properties have been added to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places.
“I am pleased to announce the addition of six Florida properties on the National Register of Historic Places,” said Detzner. “These sites represent the variety of historical resources across our state, and include a National Cemetery, a place of worship, a Woman’s Club and three distinctive historic homes.”
The St. Augustine National Cemetery in St. Augustine, the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Palatka, the Davie Woman’s Club meeting hall in Davie, the Alonzo “Jake” Gaither House in Tallahassee, Green Gables in Melbourne, and the Arthur Milam House in Ponte Verde have all been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
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Congratulations, Rep. Matt Hudson.
The Naples Republican was honored by the Florida Association of Managing Entities for his work on behalf of substance abuse and mental health in Florida.
“Through his constant dedication and commitment to truly understanding these complex issues, Representative Matt Hudson has helped shape the future of service and care for the provider network to meet the innumerable demands,” said Natalie Kelly, the organization’s CEO. “By working closely with the Managing Entity leadership, he has set a course for the future with hope and opportunity for individuals coping with behavioral health issues.”
The seven managing entities are local, not-for profit businesses with community boards that manage, administer and ensure accountability of state and federal funds.
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The Florida Sheriffs Association is lending a helping hand to the future of law enforcement.
The statewide organization announced it awarded scholarships to students planning a career in law enforcement, corrections or other criminal justice fields. All of the students are children of Sheriffs’ Office employees across the state.
The 2015 recipients are: Matthew Booth, the son of Master Deputy Mark Booth with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; Janae Dace, the daughter of Yolanda Dace, a payroll clerk at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; Alexander Schoch, son of Robert Schoch, a detention deputy at Polk County Sheriff’s Office; Robert Bullara, son of Robert Bullara, a senior district commander at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; Karis Lilly, daughter of James Lilly, a staff inspector at the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office; Julia Van Fleet, daughter of Brian Van Fleet, a detective at the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office; Heaven Coker, daughter of Sgt Jesse Coker with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office; Hayle Musick, daughter of Elizabeth Musick, a Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office correctional officer; and Daryl Wilson, Jr., son of Latesha Hubbard, a classification counselor at the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
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Two people were appointed and another re-appointed to the Florida Elections Commission, Gov. Rick Scott‘s office announced Monday.
Kymberlee Curry Smith, 35, of Cooper City, is a sole practitioner who received her undergraduate degree from Florida State University and law degree from Boston College. She fills a vacant seat with a term of Aug. 15-Dec. 31, 2016, according to a press release.
J. Alex Kelly, 39, of Tallahassee, is vice president of advocacy at the Foundation for Excellence in Education founded by former Gov. Jeb Bush. He received his undergraduate degree from York College of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from the University of Florida. Kelly fills a vacant seat for a term of Aug. 15, 2016-Dec. 31, 2019.
Barbra Stern, 42, of Fort Lauderdale, is an attorney at the Dwyer Law Group. She got her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and law degree from Nova Southeastern University. Stern was reappointed for a term of Aug. 15, 2016-Dec. 31, 2019.
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State economists are looking to 2017-18.
The Revenue Estimating Conference estimated there is $32.46 billion available for next session, or more than $2 billion appropriated this fiscal year.
Part of that amount is because of a large BP settlement payment from oil damage to the Gulf of Mexico. Forecasters also said the amount of money paid to the state from dog and horse tracks who run card rooms was “higher than anticipated.”
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Calling all constitutional aficionados: Your service is requested.
Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday opened the application process for the Florida Constitution Revision Commission, which meets once every 20 years.
“Appointees will learn firsthand what issues and potential changes are most important to our families in order to best make these impactful decisions,” Scott said in a statement.
As governor, Scott will choose 15 of the 37 commissioners and selects its chairperson.
That means he will indirectly influence the retooling of the state’s chief governing document for an entire generation.
The Florida Constitution allows for a “revision commission” to meet every two decades to “examine the constitution, hold public hearings and … file its proposal, if any, of a revision of this constitution or any part of it.”
“Appointments will be made no later than March 6, 2017,” according to the press release.
To view the appointment application, click here.
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Tip your hat to Judi Whitson.
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam announced Whitson is the 2016 Woman of the Year in Agriculture.
“Her dedication to agricultural education and engaging Florida’s youth is an immeasurable asset to our industry,” said Putnam.
A Florida native, Whitson became the executive director of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau in 1991. In that role, she tacked the challenge of bringing together of of the most agriculturally productive counties in the state. Her efforts resulted in Hillsborough County Farm Bureau becoming one of the leading counties in terms of membership, involvement and overall achievement.
She also developed and wrote the curriculum for Ag-Abilities, a program that teaches ESE students the many facets of agriculture and prepares them for careers in the industry.
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Close the plan to new members.
The state could save $9.8 billion in 26 years if the Legislature closes the Florida Retirement System to new employees. According to the Naples Daily News, the task force found the closing the pension plan to new employees and shifting state workers into a 401(k)-style retirement plan would help lawmakers pay off the $22.3 billion needed to fully fund the pension plan.
Created in 2006, the Task Force on Government Efficiency is made up of 15 lawmakers and business professionals appointed by Gov. Scott and legislative leaders.
The task force meets every four years, and a 2012 report also suggested closing the pension plan to new members.
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A treasure hunt brought in big bucks for Florida’s unclaimed property program.
CFO Jeff Atwater said the annual unclaimed property auction was one of the highest-yielding auctions ever. The state auctioned off nearly 500 lots, which contained more than 70,000 individual items. The lots sold for $1.57 million, the second-highest yielding auction ever.
“It is my goal to return every last dollar of unclaimed property back to its rightful owner,” said Atwater in his weekly newsletter. Even if the account is just a hundred dollars from an old cable company deposit, that’s enough to purchase your child’s back-to-school supplies. Sometimes the account is a work-related savings account you forgot to cash out when you changed jobs, and sometimes, the account is from a loved one’s life insurance policy that you didn’t know existed. Those accounts are wonderful memories for families and reminders of just how important this work is for the people of Florida.”
The unclaimed property auction was held in the Tampa Bay area this year. In 2017, the event will be held in South Florida.
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Relief is here.
Surterra Therapeutics delivered its medical marijuana products to its first child patient in Northwest Florida. Susan Driscoll, the company’s president, said it delivered the products to a family who had advocated for the option since 2014.
“Florida families, like the Sampleys, deserve access to safe, quality and consistent therapeutic cannabis options to manage their children’s symptoms and give their kids a better quality of life,” she said in a statement.
Jonathan Sampley II, or JJ, was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome. His seizures started when he was a few months old, and he can experience hundreds each day.
“People say that we have been waiting since 2014 for access to therapeutic cannabis products, but my family has been waiting almost 10 years for this day,” said Jonathan Sampley, his father.
The family are constituents and friends of Rep. Matt Gaetz, who pushed the 2014 legislation that authorized medical marijuana products.
“This is a great day for Florida families needing cannabis options,” said Gaetz. “This medicine will provide the Sampleys, and countless other Florida families, with the help they have been desperately needing.”
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Celebrate the National Parks with Clyde Butcher.
The iconic Florida photographer has released “Celebrating America’s National Parks, Preserves, Monuments, Recreation Areas,” a book of photography to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the national park service.
The book features 108 full page photographs, including 16 double-page spreads. The book showcases Butcher’s black and white photographs of parks ranging from the mountains of Montana to the Everglades.
“I felt like I needed to do something special,” said Butcher in a video showcasing the book. “I’ve been traveling through it for 50 years and this is a culmination of 50 years of my work.”
The book is available for purchase on Butcher’s website.
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The Florida Home Builders Association thinks Matt Caldwell and Travis Hutson are champions.
Champions of Housing, that is.
The association honored Caldwell and Hutson during the FHBA Southeast Building Conference at the Gaylord Palm Resort in Kissimmee. The organization honored Caldwell because of his leadership on the water bill that passed earlier this year.
“Florida’s sun and waterways are its greatest attraction for homeowners. The water policy bill was an important issue for FHBA,” said Rusty Payton, FHBA CEO and chief lobbyist. “Caldwell was key to ensuring that not only was Florida protected and preserved, but also allowed for science to approve sound-homebuilding. He is FHBA and Florida’s champion.”
Hutson was given a nod for passing building code legislation.
“He worked alongside us; proving to those in our profession that the economic business environment of the building industry is a priority,” said Payton. “He is a true champion.”
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The budget in brief is out.
The Florida Legislature released its annual Fiscal Analysis in Brief. The post-session report summarizes the budget, and focuses on appropriations based on program areas like education and health care.
The report showed 42 percent of the 2016-17 budget went toward health and human services; while 29 percent went to education. Less than 1 percent of the budget went to the judicial branch; while 5.4 percent was set aside for criminal justice and corrections.
According to LobbyTools Legislative IQ, another summary, called the “Final Budget Report,” is expected to be released at the end of the calendar year. That report includes a financial breakdown by agency.
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Jobs, jobs, jobs.
The state’s unemployment rate remained at 4.7 percent in July. The rate is the lowest since November 2007.
“Florida’s economy continues to flourish, adding thousands of jobs each month even while other states lose jobs,” said Cissy Proctor, the executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity said in a statement. “Our strong job openings show that new opportunities are plentiful, and now is a great time to find your dream job.”
According to the Governor’s Office, there were more than 253,146 job openings in July. The private sector industry that gained the most jobs over the month of July were professional and business services, education and health services, and leisure and hospitality.
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Encourage veterans to sign up
That was the message Glenn Sutphin, the executive director of the Florida Department of Veteran Affairs, sent to business groups and policy leaders during the Florida Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Military, Defense & Veterans Opportunities Summit this week.
Sutphin, a National Guardsman who was unanimously appointed to the agency head position earlier this week, said about 35 percent of veterans don’t know they’re entitled to benefits.
“My legislative and Cabinet affairs person hasn’t signed up yet. He retired in 1993. He says he doesn’t need it, he’s OK,” said Sutphin. “It took me 10 years to sign up.”
Sutphin said he signed up because he wanted to make sure his family had access to them in case anything happened to him.
He said his agency is making an effort to reach out to those veterans to make sure they know to sign up.
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One possible career path for veterans? Becoming a teacher.
“We have a huge teacher shortage in the state, massive. And you know another area we have a huge shortage in is male teachers. You know what they call in elementary school? They all have the same name — it’s coach,” said Sen. Jeff Brandes during the Florida Chamber Foundation’s military and defense summit this week. “What can we do to get more veterans involved in the space of education. I would love to hear your thoughts on what the state can do to encourage more veterans in the space of education.”
The state is facing a critical teacher shortage in several areas, including science, math and English.
Among other things, a person who wants to become a teacher in Florida must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited or approved institution and have an educator certificate.
Brandes also said there is a critical need in Florida in the corrections field, an area where he some veterans might be qualified or interested in working in.
“Many of the areas I think we can focus in on are not just profession, they’re callings,” said Brandes, who served in Iraq with the U.S. Army Reserves. “I think we can find an opportunity for veterans at all different levels of the skill level to be involved in education and corrections. There is no shortage of opportunities.”
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Call it a success.
Associated Industries of Florida held its 2016 Building Florida’s Future — A Vision on Transportation, Infrastructure & Economic Development Symposium this week at Port Tampa Bay.
The event gave community leaders, policymakers, and transportation experts a chance to come together to talk about the future of transportation and its impact on economic development. Speakers included Sen. Jack Latvala and Sen. Brandes, while Rep. Jamie Grant moderated a forum on how technology could impact public transit.
“The 2016 ‘Building Florida’s Future’ Symposium was successful in bringing together industry leaders and legislators to hold a discussion on the future of Florida’s industries,” said Tom Feeney, the president and CEO of AIF, in a statement. “Today’s conversations on infrastructure funding, intelligent transportation systems, and intermodal connectivity, to name a few, were instrumental in fostering continued economic success for Florida’s transportation and maritime industries.”
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The last few weeks of summer are upon us and the Florida Highway Patrol has a message for motorists: Drive sober or get pulled over.
Florida Highway Patrol will concentrate its efforts on drunk driving for the next two weeks as part of the national “Drive Sober of Get Pulled Over” campaign. FHP will join local law enforcement officers to remove impaired drivers from the roadways. The campaign runs through Labor Day.
“Drinking and driving is deadly. If you drink, be responsible and designate a sober driver or make arrangements to get to your destination safely,” said Col. Gene S. Spaulding, the director of the FHP. “The choice to drink and drive is a bad decision that could have grave consequences. Be responsible and don’t drink and drive.”
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Here’s this week’s edition of Capitol Directions:
