Peter Schorsch
Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Mitch Perry and Jim Rosica.
Call it “The War of the Digital Video Content.” (Actually, don’t.)
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s political committee put out a digital ad this week slamming Democrats for voting against the GOP tax plan that made it through Congress in December.
The Senate Leadership Fund ad touts the bill as the “biggest tax overhaul in generations” that will produce “bigger paychecks for middle class families” before blasting D’s who thumbs-down’ed the legislation.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is the only Democrat with a speaking line in the YouTube version of the web ad, though Florida’s own Bill Nelson can be seen as one of seven Democrats with the line, “It’s time they lose their jobs.”
The vid also has pull quotes from a handful of major companies that said they planned to pass at least part of their tax savings on to workers.
Senate Leadership Fund CEO Stephen Law said Nelson “made a huge mistake siding with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi to obstruct middle class tax cuts. We will take it to Democrats over and over this year on tax reform and are confident it will be a winning issue for Republicans in November.”
Nelson is one five Democratic senators running for re-election in a state carried by President Donald Trump in 2018, and he still might face term-limited GOP Gov. Rick Scott – and his money – to win a fourth term.
Click on the image below to watch the video.
“American Bridge spotlighting Scott’s offshore drilling flip-flop” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics – American Bridge is launching a digital ad buy on Facebook and YouTube to spotlight what it describes as Scott‘s inconsistent position on offshore drilling. The buy, which will target coastal Florida communities, runs through the week. “Rick Scott does whatever is best for his wealthy cronies and big corporations, and that’s why he’s spent his entire political career fighting to expand oil drilling off Florida’s coast. Rick Scott’s latest lie is nothing more than a shameless attempt to whitewash history to further his personal political ambition,” said American Bridge spokesperson Joshua Karp in a press release Wednesday. American Bridge notes that Scott “absolutely opposed” an Obama-era moratorium against offshore oil exploration in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, and that Scott did not present any real opposition to offshore drilling until very recently.
Click on the image below to watch the video:
“Still fuming, Bill Nelson blasts Donald Trump oil drilling reversal as ‘shameless political stunt‘ ” via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times — The Democrat said he fears (Tuesday’s) announcement by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke … could “discourage Floridians from commenting on the proposal that was published just this Monday, the one that opened up Florida’s entire coastline to drilling.” … “Floridians should beware, and they should make their objections known, because if we don’t, then the administration will try to say they never heard objections,” Nelson said from the Senate floor. Nelson … said he sent Zinke a letter Wednesday raising numerous questions, including just what exactly is off the table.
“After Interior drops Florida from offshore drilling plan, other states say ‘me too’” via Ledyard King of USA TODAY — The ‘us-too’ chorus included officials from California, Delaware, New York, Oregon, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington who are eager to make their case to Zinke much like Gov. Scott was able to in a face-to-face meeting with the secretary in Tallahassee. Zinke announced last week he was proposing to open up 90 percent of the Outer Continental Shelf off the U.S. coast — including Florida — to oil and gas exploration in the largest single expansion of offshore drilling activity ever proposed. But he moved quickly on Florida, following pushback from some state officials, including Scott, a Trump confidante and likely Senate candidate this year, who said he would oppose drilling off Florida’s coasts where tourism and coastal military installations are important to the state’s economy. That spurred a pitch from Democratic California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who tweeted that his state also was “unique” and relied heavily on beach tourism.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
— @ByDarrylFears: In an interview just now w/ @washingtonpost, @SecretaryZinke said he plans to meet with every governor whose state would be affected by the drilling proposal. “This is going to be a long process. at least a year.”
— @RepTedYoho: America’s farmers and rural communities deserve access to broadband that is fast & reliable. Thank you @POTUS for signing 2 executive orders that will bring rural America up to speed.
— @ChadPergram: On (Darrell) Issa retirement, Retiring GOP FL (Illeana) Ros-Lehtinen says retiring GOPers from battleground districts “have seen the future and it ain’t pretty.” Says it is “rough sailing”
***Today’s SUNBURN is brought to you by Spectrum Reach, the marketing platform of choice, connecting you to your target audience on TV, digital and mobile. With access to our powerful data and insights, solutions for every screen, and the best programming content on the top 50+ networks, we’ll help you reach the right customers for your business. SpectrumReach.com #NeverStopReaching***
— CAPITOL INSIGHT —
“House Speaker says he saw misconduct by legislators” via Gary Fineout of The Associated Press – Richard Corcoran said he has personally confronted former state legislators who sexually harassed others, but he won’t name names. One of the fiercest critics of lawmakers accused of sexual misconduct, Corcoran said none of those legislators are in office in now and that the incidents occurred before he became speaker. “I did report, I did talk to the legislators involved and it was resolved,” Corcoran said, adding later that “to the extent that there was a violation, that violation needed to be addressed, and it was addressed. And the behavior was curbed.” The bad behavior, Corcoran said, occurred throughout his political career, including when he worked as chief of staff in 2008 for then-House Speaker Marco Rubio, now a U.S. Senator. Corcoran said this week he did not report any of these incidents to authorities. Corcoran said he could not give an exact number of how many legislators he witnessed engaging in misconduct, but added that there were probably “less than 10.”
Higher-ed package heads to Senate floor — Senators will consider a proposal (SB 4) Thursday that would expand Bright Futures scholarships and need-based aid. The plan is one of Senate President Joe Negron’s priorities and is expected to pass through the chamber quickly. The Senate GOP released a video on Wednesday ahead of the vote. Click on the image below to watch it.
“Tourism interests object as House moves on bed tax bill” via Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel – Rep. Randy Fine is sponsoring HB 585, which would give local tourism development councils the option of spending money on roads, sewers or environmental cleanup projects that benefit tourist attractions. He filed the measure after his county’s tourism board refused to spend money on cleaning up the Indian River Lagoon, even as it spent $14.5 million on other projects, including $5 million for soccer fields. The bill won the approval of the House Tourism and Gaming Control committee on an 8-4 vote, with two metro Orlando lawmakers, Republican Mike Miller and Democrat Amy Mercado among those voting against it. Tourism industry groups oppose the measure, contending it would give local governments a loophole to spend tourist development taxes, a surcharge on hotels known as bed taxes, on expensive infrastructure projects only partially related to tourism.
“After high-profile data breaches, legislators want to toss credit report freeze fees” via Ana Ceballos of Florida Politics — In the wake of recent high-profile data breaches compromising the information of thousands of Floridians, legislators and cabinet members on Wednesday advocated for two bills that would eliminate credit report freeze fees for consumers. Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam are backing two measures proposed in the Legislature, which they say would toss a “fundamentally unfair burden” to victims of identity theft. Sen. Jeff Brandes, a Pinellas County Republican, is leading the fight to put an end to these fees in the Senate. While his bill awaits committee referrals, the companion House bill sponsored by state Rep. Shawn Harrison was advanced on Wednesday.
“No-fault insurance repeal gets Senate backing” via the News Service of Florida — An effort to eliminate the state’s “no-fault” auto insurance system got rolling Wednesday in the Senate, amid concerns the change would not significantly lower rates. Also, questions continue over the fate of the Senate proposal (SB 150) because of medical coverage requirements that are not included in a similar measure (HB 19), which is teed up for a vote by the full House. The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Wednesday voted 10-1 to support the bill … It would repeal the no-fault law, which requires motorists to carry $10,000 in personal injury protection. The proposal must still go before two more committees before reaching the Senate floor.
Tom Lee files Senate bill to restore civil rights for ex-felons — While a grassroots campaign is working on restoring voting rights to over 1.6 million felons, legislation that would accomplish a similar goal had been introduced in the Legislature. Now, GOP Sen. Tom Lee has filed companion legislation that would make it easier for felons to get their rights restored. SB 1654 would allow local circuit judges to restore the rights of felons after they’ve completed prison sentences and probation. It’s a companion to a House bill filed last month by Jacksonville Beach Rep. Cord Byrd (HB 903), also a Republican. A similar measure is before the Florida Constitution Revision Commission by former state Sens. Chris Smith and Arthenia Joyner, both Democrats.
“Florida could grant legal immunity for reporting overdoses” via Ana Ceballos of Florida Politics — A Senate panel Tuesday advanced a bill that would grant people immunity for carrying small amounts of drugs if they seek medical help for an overdose. The proposal applies to individuals who are found in possession of any drug, including fentanyl and illicit opioids, if they ask for medical assistance in “good faith” when they believe a user is experiencing an overdose. “It’s really trying to make sure that if somebody is in the midst of seeing somebody struggling of an overdose, they shouldn’t have to be worried about the state charging them,” said Sen. Brandes, the Pinellas County Republican sponsoring the measure.
“Legislators discuss change in law that punishes injured immigrant workers” via Maria Perez of the Naples Daily News — A Florida lawmaker said he will file a measure in the Session to require employers and insurers to pay workers’ compensation benefits to undocumented workers injured on the job who now can be denied coverage … some Florida businesses profit from the labor of unauthorized immigrants after accepting false IDs without verifying the documents. But they or their insurers report the workers after they’re injured on the job under a state law that makes it a felony to obtain a job or benefits with false identification. While some businesses or their insurers avoided paying for injury claims, their workers got arrested, faced jail and deportation, and had to pay for medical care for their injuries. Employers and their insurers report these workers under a workers’ compensation fraud statute … a 2003 Florida law is punishing immigrants who are legitimately injured if they use Social Security numbers not assigned to them or use fake identification to obtain employment or workers’ compensation benefits. “It´s just not fair to the injured workers,” said Rep. Sean Shaw, a Tampa Democrat and member of the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee.
“And … action! Annette Taddeo fights for film incentives” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — Calling it a “shot of adrenaline,” South Florida Sen. Annette Taddeo on Wednesday stumped for her bill to bring TV and film incentives back to the Sunshine State. Her measure (SB 1606) would create the “Florida Motion Picture Capital Corporation” to “encourage the use of this state as a site for scripted productions by providing financing to such productions,” the bill says … But, despite support from Republican Joe Gruters of Sarasota and Democrat David Silvers of West Palm Beach in the House, Republican leadership there has opposed incentive programs. House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a Land O’ Lakes Republican, in particular, has derided other business incentives as “corporate welfare.”
“AFP mailer: End public financing of private stadiums” via Florida Politics — Americans for Prosperity-Florida — the pro-free market, government spending watchdog — is sending out direct mail to urge support for ending “corporate welfare” for billionaire sports-team owners. Legislation pending in the 2018 Session would “eliminate taxpayer handouts to build stadiums on public lands, and end a program that gives professional sports teams subsidies to expand their stadiums,” the group said in a Wednesday release. “The first bill, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Avila and Sen. Tom Lee, would repeal the Florida Sports Development Fund and ban Florida sports teams from receiving taxpayer money to renovate stadiums on public land,” it said. “The second proposal, also sponsored by Avila, would prohibit sports franchises from developing facilities on public lands without meeting strict fair-market value requirements.”
Here is the mailer:
“King of … ads? Bill would OK beer promotion in theme parks” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — A key Senate panel said “beer me” on Wednesday, as it cleared legislation to allow ads for brewskis in Florida theme parks. The bill (SB 822) won over the Regulated Industries Committee by a vote of 7-2. Republican Sens. Greg Steube of Sarasota and Dorothy Hukill of Port Orange voted ‘no.’ The measure had been contentious last year; critics said it would allow theme parks to “extort” advertising dollars from beer companies, and ultimately favor Big Beer manufacturers who can pay to put up the biggest and most ads. Eric Criss, president of the Beer Industry of Florida, … got at the heart of the issue: “Theme parks sell a lot of beer.”
Senators pick up six measures by Jack Latvala — Now that Sen. Latvala has resigned and can no longer champion the bills he introduced in the Senate for the 2018 Legislative Session, six senators have picked up some of his bills. Those measures include granting certain benefits to firefighters upon being diagnosed with cancer; prohibiting a franchisor from terminating or not renewing a franchise under certain circumstances, and major overhauling of beach renourishment funding in South Florida.
CPC commends House for taking up ‘assignment of benefits’ bill — The House is getting some praise from the Consumer Protection Coalition for getting HB 7015 prepped for a floor vote in the early days of the 2018 Session. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jay Trumbull, aims to curb Assignment of Benefits litigation by changing the way attorneys fees are paid and impose new reporting requirements for parties looking to file a lawsuit over AOB claims. CPC, a coalition of insurance, contractor and real estate businesses, said the House is “sending a clear message early in the legislative session that …. AOB abuse is hurting consumers and must be addressed immediately.” CPC also called on the Senate to “follow the House’s lead and do what is right for Florida’s consumers” by taking up the House’s bill or moving forward with its own version, SB 62 by Sen. Dorothy Hukill. That bill has not yet been heard in committee.
News Service of Florida shortens email blasts – In a note to subscribers, the Tallahassee-based news provider Wednesday said it was adding a “read more” button, instead of sending entire stories or briefs packages. That old method “long posed a content security issue,” as some subscribers were regularly forwarding “stories and briefs packages to people who do not subscribe.” The News Service “depends on subscription revenues to maintain our reporting team and continue to deliver the amount and quality of coverage our subscribers require. So in redesigning our computer system, we looked for a better way to protect our material.” The service further said, “We understand this has been an adjustment for subscribers, and we continue to look at possible revisions in the format.”
***Don’t clutter the Florida Constitution with things that don’t belong there! Trial lawyers want more flexibility to sue nursing homes and drive up the costs of long-term care for our state’s seniors. State and federal laws already ensure residents’ rights, and hundreds of thousands of hardworking professionals dedicate their lives to serving those in their care. Urge the Constitution Revision Commission to vote NO on misleading Proposal 88 here.***
Governors Club Thursday buffet menu – Starting at 7:30 a.m., the Breakfast Club will offer scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, Bradley’s country sausage links, fresh-cut seasonal fruit, biscuits, warm grits, coffee and assorted juice. Lunch buffet menu includes mixed green salad with assorted dressings, pineapple raisin coleslaw, ham and green pea salad, crawfish bisque, teriyaki tri-tip, Hawaiian chicken, orange mango shrimp, steamed jasmine rice, Asian stir-fry vegetables, sweet plantains and finishing with pineapple upside-down cake for dessert.
— FLORIDA REALTORS UNVEIL SESSION PRIORITIES —
The state’s largest professional trade association, Florida Realtors, wants to secure more opportunities for vacation rentals, affordable housing, and business growth, while also resolving issues impacting property insurance.
Each Legislative Session, the association acts as a strong advocate for homeownership initiatives and private property rights.
This Session is no different. In detail, here’s what Florida Realtors will be tackling in the Legislature:
Reforming assignment of benefits (AOB): According to Florida Realtors, a “growing number of contractors, such as water remediation companies and roofers, have been inflating the cost of repairs.” If contested, the contractors file a lawsuit — a cost that eventually shifts to policyholders. Tim Weiysheyer, vice chair of public policy at Florida Realtors, said, “Realtors are going to make it clear that drastic reform of the Assignment of Benefits process is needed to cut down on the abuse that drives up insurance premiums for property owners.”
Reducing business rent tax: Last year, the Legislature lowered the sales tax on rent to 5.8 percent. But there is more work to be done. Florida Realtors believes that further reductions can only lead to “providing businesses with the capital needed to expand, hire, improve benefits, and raise salaries.”
More vacation rentals: “We are urging the Legislature to step in and prevent property rights from being undermined,” said Florida Realtors President-Elect Eric Sain. The ability for homeowners to use vacation rental websites — like Airbnb — should be protected by property rights.
More affordable housing: According to Florida Realtors, “To encourage people to move to Florida, build lives here and contribute to the economy, the state housing trust funds need to be directed to as many programs as possible to help people buy homes.”
— NOTES FROM CAMPAIGN TRAIL —
Mark Levin endorses Ron DeSantis for Florida Governor — The conservative radio host said during an interview on “The Mark Levin Show” … “I’ve gotten to know Ron DeSantis. He’s a very decent man, a very principled man, a family man with a beautiful family, trying to do the right thing. He’s a very atypical politician.” DeSantis responded: “Florida’s future is important for the people who are there and the people who may move there, but it’s also important nationally … We want to have big states that can implement limited government policies and show successes … and I’m committed to making sure we remain a state rooted in conservative reform.” The full interview is available on YouTube.
“Andrew Gillum wants to face DeSantis in Governor’s race” via Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — “DeSantis is the kind of matchup we are looking for this November: a right-wing ultraconservative, member of Congress, backed publicly by Donald Trump and his billionaire friends,” chief strategist Scott Arceneaux wrote to campaign manager Brendan McPhillips and communications director Geoff Burgan. A DeSantis-Gillum matchup would be ideal because DeSantis would “energize our base, even beyond Trump,” the memo reads. Brad Herold, a DeSantis campaign spokesman, said, “If Andrew Gillum thinks that an Iraq veteran and top conservative like Ron DeSantis is a weaker candidate than a career politician like Adam Putnam, he may actually be a worse candidate than he is a mayor.”
Assignment editors — Gillum and others with the Campaign to Defend Local Solutions will hold a news conference to discuss the “war” on local communities. “Speaker (Richard) Corcoran has made stripping home rule from cities a priority,” according to a release. That’s at 10:30 a.m. outside the House chamber on the fourth floor of The Capitol.
Ruth’s List endorses Gwen Graham — Following women-propelled Democratic victories in Virginia and Alabama, Graham is beginning 2018 with a heavy hitting endorsement from the progressive women’s organization Ruth’s List. “Ruth’s List is proud to join Floridians across the state in supporting Gwen Graham, a strong progressive leader, for Governor of Florida. After 20 years of Republican Rule and with Donald Trump in the White House, our state needs a governor who will stand up to the special interests for Florida families now more than ever,” said Gloria Romero Roses, Chair of Ruth’s List. “Gwen is a problem solver who has a proven record of fighting for a woman’s right to choose, voting rights and our environment. As governor, she will build an economy that works for every Floridian, fight to restore our promise to public schools and protect our clean land and water.” Ruth’s List has helped female candidates win in more than 64 races and has raised more than $4 million. Florida’s primary and general electorate is compromised of about 60 percent female voters and is expected to exceed that number in 2018.
Assignment editors — Graham joins the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office for a “work day” in which Graham will, among other things, ride along with a narcotics officer. She’ll hold a media availability with Sheriff Mike Chitwood at 12:30 p.m., S. Saboda Training Center, 3901 Tiger Bay Road, Daytona Beach.
Assignment editors – Orlando-area entrepreneur and Democratic candidate for Governor Chris King kicks off a weeklong South Florida “Affordable Living Tour” at 2 p.m. with a tour of the Haitian Cultural Center, 212 NE. 59th Terracein Miami. At 3 p.m., King will host a Little Haiti Small Business Roundtable Discussion, 13695 W. Dixie Hwy. in Miami. Then, at 6 p.m., the candidate will attend a Rise up Speech and Q&A session at 3010 De Soto Blvd. in Coral Gables.
“Philip Levine: Check to Marco Rubio ‘tiny’ compared with long, deep Democratic support” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — There’s that Sept. 30, 2009, check to the U.S. Senate campaign of former Florida House Speaker Rubio … It’s the $2,400 contribution to a Republican who then was seen as the darling of Florida’s Tea Party movement, an upstart whose explosive popularity on the right chased Charlie Crist from the Grand Old Party and made Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek a third-place finisher in 2010. Privately, some Democrats have been whispering wonder about whether Levine’s erstwhile support of Rubio in 2009 reflected at all on his commitment to the Florida Democratic Party. “Nope. Not at all. Zero,” Levine insisted in Orlando when asked about whether that contribution meant he harbored an interest in Rubio or for what he stands. “I have written millions of dollars to the Democratic Party, and that was just one small, tiny donation,” Levine said. “Friends of mine called me up and asked me for it, and I said ‘yes.’”
“Noted for opposition to Airbnb, Levine holds Jax event at Airbnb house” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — “[Miami Beach] doesn’t want what [you’re] selling!!!!” Per the Miami Herald in 2017, this was then Miami Beach Mayor Levine‘s reaction to Airbnb wanting to do business in the city. In that context, it was ironic that Levine’s event in Jacksonville Wednesday was at a home used at least part-time for Airbnb. The event host told us she and her husband split her time between Jacksonville and another city, and the home in the Riverside area is available for short-term rentals when they were out of town. Christian Ulvert, a spokesman for Levine, characterized the former mayor’s strident anti-Airbnb position in 2017 as being due to the company being “not the right thing for Miami Beach.” “He loves Airbnb,” Ulvert said, but Levine also “believes in local control.”
“It looks like John Morgan is backing Jeremy Ring for Chief Financial Officer” via Florida Politics — Morgan gave the punny nod via Twitter, quoting an earlier tweet from Ring saying that the pair had a “great meeting yesterday”: “My hat is in his Ring. The @Yahoo guy made it big in the real world and would bring real-world experience as CFO. We don’t need more professional politicians. #LessIsMore.”
Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward endorses Alex Andrade in HD 2 — “Alex Andrade’s commitment to his community coupled with his conservative principles makes him the right candidate to continue our region’s strong legacy of leadership in Tallahassee. Alex has a servant’s heart and is a trusted leader. He will bring a civil, common-sense approach to solving the challenges our state faces,” Hayward said. As a member of the Pensacola Young Professionals, Big Brothers Big Sister of Northwest Florida, and the Escambia Santa Rosa Bar Association Board Member, Andrade is heavily involved in civic and professional organizations throughout HD 2. A graduate of the University of Florida and inductee in the University of Florida Hall of Fame, he works as a lawyer for Moore, Hill & Westmoreland, P.A. and was appointed by Governor Scott to the 1st Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission.
“Bill Galvano committee tops $300,000 in December” via the News Service of Florida – … while a committee headed by incoming House Speaker Jose Oliva collected $190,000 … Galvano’s committee, known as Innovate Florida, brought in $304,550 in December and had about $790,000 in cash on hand as of the end of the month. Contributions included $50,000 from Florida Chamber of Commerce PACs, $25,000 from TECO Energy, Inc., and $25,000 from Florida Power & Light Co., the committee’s report shows. Oliva’s committee, known as Conservative Principles for Florida, had about $802,000 on hand after the $190,000 haul in December. Contributions during the month included $75,000 from the health insurer Florida Blue, $25,000 from Publix Supermarkets, Inc., and $25,000 from Florida Power & Light, the committee’s report shows.
“Democrat Jason Haeseler enters House District 21 field” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Haeseler, a registered professional engineer, is an associate director of utilities at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He is an Army veteran who served for seven years in multiple units in the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, and is a graduate of the University of Florida, with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He enters a contest with Republican incumbent state Rep. Chuck Clemons of Newberry. Democrat Joe Gordan Additon of Ocala also has entered the fray. The district encompasses western Alachua County, and Gilchrist and Dixie counties.
“Democrats file to run in James Grant, Bill Hager House districts” via the News Service of Florida — Tampa Democrat Heather Kenyon Stahl opened an account to try to unseat Grant in House District 64, which includes parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties … Grant and three other candidates also have opened accounts for the race. Meanwhile, Boca Raton Democrat Tina Scott Polsky became the fifth candidate to open an account to try to replace Hager in Palm Beach County’s House District 89.
Democrat Alex Heeren announces his bid for House District 66 — The seat is currently held by Representative Larry Ahern, who is term-limited. Heeren is a Technology Integration Coordinator with Pinellas County Schools, helping teachers incorporate technology into their classrooms. He previously taught at Meadowlawn Middle School in St. Petersburg, as well as ran the Girls Who Code after school program. He still coaches the middle school’s volleyball team. Heeren is also an Eagle Scout and has lived in Pinellas County his entire life.
“Attack ads heating up Sarasota state House race” via Zac Anderson of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune – The race for a state House seat covering much of northern Sarasota County is starting to heat up, with allies of Republican James Buchanan unleashing several attacks against Democrat Margaret Good. The hardball tactics are a sign that that the race is competitive. A television ad that began airing last week attacks Good’s record as an attorney and her alleged views on immigration. The television ad says that “Good defended allegations of fraud, negligence, Ponzi schemes and financial mismanagement” and adds that she “sides with liberals in making Sarasota a sanctuary city for illegal aliens” and “even tried to stop a Sarasota school teacher for getting her rightfully earned bonus.” Good campaign manager Kevin Lata called the television ad “30 seconds of lies… funded by special interest groups and insiders who want to continue business as usual in Tallahassee.”
“Democrat Javier Fernandez reports solid start in HD 114 money race” via Florida Politics — Fernandez launched his bid for the open Miami-based HD 114 seat by raising more than $78,000 in the first month of his campaign. In addition to this notable start, Fernandez, a 42-year-old attorney and former Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Miami, also qualified by petition for the special election to succeed Daisy Baez, who stepped down in November. For inclusion on the ballot, Fernandez collected 126 individual donations, as well as qualifying by petition ahead of the first campaign reporting period. He reported raising $78,510 in December.
— STATEWIDE —
“Florida Chamber Foundation predicts growth for Florida” via Lobby Tools — The Florida Chamber Foundation expects Florida to become a $1 trillion economy by the end of 2018 and will create 180,000 jobs across Florida in 2018 — once again outpacing the U.S. economy in job growth. “If Florida were a stock, it would be considered a strong buy. But, while Florida’s economic outlook for 2018 is positive, it’s not without risks, some of which can be mitigated and some of which are larger than Florida,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “Florida’s leaders should remain focused on positioning Florida as a leader in global job creation, innovation and economic opportunity. We must continue to signal that Florida is open for business and ready for economic development investments.”
“2018 Best Jobs: Florida doesn’t have many (Tampa Bay has fewer)” via Malena Carollo of the Tampa Bay Times — In the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings for “Best Jobs of 2018,” Florida’s metropolitan areas failed to crack the top 50 hubs for jobs that offer good salaries, future opportunities and work-life balance. The report ranked 206 regions — and the Tampa Bay area clocked in at No. 117. The metro areas were ordered based on their concentration of “best” jobs. Naples was the highest-ranking Florida region at No. 55 … “Health care jobs are prominent on our list year after year and are predicted to continue growing rapidly within the job market by 2026,” said U.S. News & World Report careers reporter Rebecca Koenig in a prepared statement. According to the list, the No. 1 best occupation was software developer. Dentists claimed the No. 2 spot, followed by physician assistants, nurse practitioners and orthodontists.
“All in — or out? Gambling revenue puzzles state economists” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — A roundtable of state economists Tuesday decided to take a pass on adopting a forecast for Indian gambling dollars that flow to the state. The Seminole Tribe of Florida pays over $200 million a year into state coffers as part of a deal that guarantees it exclusivity to offer certain games, especially blackjack. And even though the Tribe and the state settled their lawsuit over blackjack, the Revenue Estimating Conference this August added a telling footnote to their projections, basically telling lawmakers who build the yearly state budget: Don’t count on this money. They called it “nonrecurring” because it “cannot be anticipated with sufficient certainty.”
Panel moves forward on filling open PSC seat — The Public Service Commission Nominating Council has set Jan. 18 for picking the “most qualified” applicants to fill a vacancy on the board, and Jan. 25 as the date for interviews, voting and final selection. Gov. Scott had picked former Rep. Ritch Workman to replace Ronald Brisé on the panel, which regulates investor-owned utilities in the state. But Workman, a Melbourne Republican, bowed out after a sexual misconduct allegation. Initial applicants include Rich Glorioso, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel who served in the House 2004-12, and Baldwyn English, who had been Brisé’s chief adviser for the last seven years. The full-time position, based in Tallahassee, pays $132,036 a year. Scott’s pick must get Senate approval. The deadline to apply is this Friday, Jan. 12.
State appeals judge’s greyhound drug-testing ruling — The Department of Business and Professional Regulation filed a notice of appeal in the 1st District Court of Appeal this week, records show. Administrative Law Judge Lawrence P. Stevenson ruled last month that state regulators’ method of testing racing dogs for drugs was “invalid.” Specifically, he found that drug-testing provisions from 2010 had not been appropriately adopted as official agency rules under the state’s rule-making procedure. There are now two competing bills in the 2018 Legislative Session: One is an outright ban on using steroids on dogs, and another expressly allows it as birth control. Now, the practice is OK’d in regulations but not in statute.
“Florida wants to remove virus-excreting wild monkeys” via Jason Dearen of The Associated Press — Wildlife managers in Florida say they want to remove roaming monkeys from the state in light of a new study published that finds some of the animals are excreting a virus that can be dangerous to humans. Scientists studying a growing population of rhesus macaques in Silver Springs State Park say that rather than just carrying herpes B, which is common in the species, some of the monkeys have the virus in their saliva and other bodily fluids, posing a potential risk of spreading the disease. Human cases of the virus have been rare, with about 50 documented worldwide, and there have been no known transmissions of it to people from wild rhesus macaques in Florida or elsewhere. However, the researchers say the issue has not been thoroughly studied. The findings, published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, prompted the researchers from the universities of Florida and Washington to warn Florida’s wildlife agency that the infected monkeys should be considered a public health concern. State wildlife officials say they are taking the problem seriously.
“Analysis: St. Petersburg ranked among ‘worst places to die’” via Andrew McPherson and Ravi B. Parikh of The Washington Post — Using data from the Dartmouth Atlas — a source of information and analytics that organizes Medicare data by a variety of indicators linked to medical resource use — we recently ranked geographic areas based on markers of end-of-life care quality, including deaths in the hospital and number of physicians seen in the last year of life. But we can also rank areas based on how they treat us at an important moment of life: When it’s coming to an end. Race and other demographics in a given area certainly matter. One systematic review of more than 20 studies showed that African-American and Hispanic individuals utilize advance-care planning and hospice far less than whites. More research is needed to explore these differences and to close these gaps and demand high-quality, personalized care for people of all races. But race and demographics don’t provide all the answers. For instance, Sarasota and St. Petersburg, are only 45 miles apart and have similar ethnic demographics. Yet we found that they score quite differently on several key quality metrics at the end of life. A study ranked nearly 300 regions of the country based on seven factors, such as hospice use and the number of deaths in the hospital. Worst places to die: Las Vegas; Miami; Stockton, California; East Long Island; Honolulu; Newark; McAllen, Texas; Bronx; Manhattan and St. Petersburg, Florida.
— KUDOS TO FPL —
FPL wins kudos for closing coal plant, expanding solar
St. Johns River Power Park, the largest operating coal power plant in Florida, has been shut down, co-owners Florida Power & Light and JEA announced. The utilities said the historic Jacksonville plant was aging and no longer economical as one of the highest-cost facilities among both utilities’ generating systems.
JEA said the dismantling of the St. Johns coal plant has already begun, and the plant’s towers will be imploded later this year.
At nearly the same time, FPL lit up four new solar power plants — some of the largest ever built — on the first day of the new year: Horizon Solar Energy Center, which straddles Alachua and Putnam counties; Coral Farms Solar Energy Center, Putnam County; Indian River Solar Energy Center, Indian River County; Wildflower Solar Energy Center, DeSoto County.
The ambitious moves earned kudos from leading environmental groups.
— “FPL has a forward-looking strategy of making smart, innovative, long-term investments, including solar, to reduce emissions while providing affordable, clean energy for its customers,” said Julie Wraithmell, Audubon Florida’s interim executive director.
— “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is critical to addressing climate change,” said Greg Knecht, deputy executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Florida. “Anytime we can replace less-efficient sources of energy with cleaner fuels or solar, it’s a benefit for people and nature. Investments such as FPL’s in clean-energy technologies are key to Florida’s future health and prosperity.”
FPL, which invested about $900 million building the plants, will also have four similar solar facilities completed by March 1: Barefoot Bay Solar Energy Center, Brevard County; Blue Cypress Solar Energy Center, Indian River County; Hammock Solar Energy Center, Hendry County; Loggerhead Solar Energy Center, St. Lucie County.
— OPINIONS —
“Mona Mangat: Marco Rubio, you failed Florida kids once. Here’s your chance to make amends.” via Florida Politics – Children, families and parents … are caught in the crosshairs of the Republican tax and budget overhaul that will shift trillions in tax breaks to the rich and corporations while forcing health care cuts and higher taxes on working families. At the same time, the health care of millions of children hangs in the balance as their families wait to see if Congress will provide long-term stability to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) … Rubio recently tried to claim the title of children’s champion, making headlines when he demanded improvements to the tax bill’s Children’s Tax Credit (CTC) in exchange for his vote. But that was grandstanding with little substance. But now Rubio has an opportunity to stand up for many of the same kids the CTC leaves behind by becoming a vocal champion for CHIP and demanding that the same senators who pressured him into voting for the tax package provide families with certainty and ensure their kids will have the health care coverage they need. Without CHIP reauthorization, 215,000 kids in Florida will be kicked off the insurance rolls. Failing to champion the reauthorization of CHIP is morally reprehensible, and Florida won’t forgive Rubio if he fails families again.
“Herschel Vinyard: CRC should reject Proposal 23” via Florida Politics – The sanctity of Florida’s Constitution is violated when we seek to fill it with “feel good” amendments that are often vague, duplicative, and trigger unintended consequences. As a former Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, I had the privilege of working with the sponsor of CRC Proposal 23 to identify restoration projects designed to reduce harmful algal blooms and freshwater discharges in Martin County. She was a terrific partner and her efforts to improve Florida’s environment are genuine and appreciated. However, this proposed amendment to allow an individual to disregard our environmental laws and place environmental decision making in Florida’s courts (which were named last month as the No. 1 “judicial hellhole” in the country) is not the answer. Current law already allows affected citizens to be involved in development permits and to take legal action to stop any person or company from “violating any laws, rules, or regulations for the protection of the air, water, and other natural resources of the state.” A constitutional amendment creating another right to sue is not the purpose of a constitution and would add to the litany of vague and duplicative amendments in our constitution. Restoration, not litigation, should be our rallying cry.
“Heather Fitzenhagen: Level the playing field for Florida franchise operators” via Florida Politics — To operate a franchise business, owners devote hundreds of thousands of dollars on the franchise agreement, equipment and supplies, employees, advertising, and so much more. Right now, Florida provides few legal safeguards for the small-business men and businesswomen who choose to invest their hard-earned personal resources in a franchise business opportunity. I hope to change that. The Small Business Parity Act is designed to help achieve a more level playing field for those who invest their personal time, money, and energy to build local businesses. Currently, a corporation can terminate its franchise agreement — and effectively drive the operator out of business — with the snap of a finger. They don’t even need to have a valid cause. That is grossly unfair and imposes a tremendous burden on a well-intended entrepreneur. My legislation would help these franchise owners protect their growing businesses, providing a more even balance in the franchise relationship. It would stop a corporation from refusing to renew a franchise agreement unless the operator fails to substantially comply with the franchise agreement; it allows operators to sell or transfer their franchise to a qualified person; and it permits Florida franchise operators the right to pursue legal disputes with their franchisor in a Florida court and under Florida law.
— MOVEMENTS —
“Interviews set for open Tallahassee judgeship” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — A panel that vets applicants for judgeships have set interviews to fill a vacancy on the 2nd Judicial Circuit in north Florida. The circuit’s Judicial Nominating Commission will meet at 9 a.m. on Jan. 16, at the Leon County Courthouse Annex in Tallahassee. Commissioners will interview 12 applicants for the opening, created by the retirement of Circuit Judge Charles Francis. Francis, first appointed to the bench in 1999, will step down from judicial office on March 31. The JNC will recommend 3-6 names to Gov. Scott, who makes the final selection.
Personnel note: Greg Giordano named to PSC Nominating Council — Giordano, the assistant tax collector in Pasco County under Tax Collector Mike Fasano, is House Speaker Corcoran’s appointment to the nominating panel. Giordano has long been an aide to Fasano, a former state representative and senator, and Fasano and Corcoran are old friends and political allies. The Public Service Commission Nominating Council reviews applicants for openings on the PSC, then recommends finalists to the governor. The commission regulates investor-owned utilities. “I have seen firsthand the importance of having qualified individuals making decisions on rate cases, quality of service and other issues that pertain to utilities,” Giordano said in a statement. “The need to have consumer-oriented commissioners on the panel is important now more than ever.” He will serve a four-year term ending in 2022.
— ALOE —
“Diet Coke gets new look and flavors amid sinking sales” via The Associated Press — Coca-Cola Co. says it is adding a slimmer 12-ounce Diet Coke can, refreshing the logo and offering the 35-year-old drink in four new flavors, including mango and ginger lime. The Atlanta-based company says the taste of the plain Diet Coke will stay the same … Diet Coke sales have fallen as more people switch to other low-calorie drinks, such as flavored fizzy water. The company says Diet Coke’s new look and flavors were aimed to appeal to millennials.
“Florida man amasses world’s largest collection of vintage Walt Disney memorabilia” via News Channel 8 – Magee is known as “America’s Toy Scout” and one of his most prominent collections includes hundreds of Disney park prop memorabilia, worth around $2 million. It is the largest, private original Disney World and Disneyland park prop collection in the world. … Magee owns several items that were actually inside Disneyland in California on opening day in 1955. His collections also includes the seat parts from some of the most iconic rides of all time, the Peter Pan pirate ship and the original Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride vehicle.
What Jeff Brandes is reading — “Self-driving cars in a city like no other” via Oliver Cameron of Voyage — Voyage is bringing self-driving cars to a retirement community (and city) like no other: The Villages, Florida … we’re excited to announce that Voyage has started testing its self-driving fleet within the community. Beginning in early 2018, we’ll start rolling out a door-to-door self-driving taxi service to residents. The Villages, Florida is Voyage’s second deployment of self-driving cars in the past six months, following our successful launch at The Villages, San Jose. We’re also excited to share that we’ve completed a Series A to help fuel this expansion — bringing our 2017 fundraising total to more than $20M. We’re bringing a door-to-door self-driving taxi service to the 750 miles of road at The Villages. When fully operational, all 125,000 residents will have the ability to summon a self-driving car to their doorstep using the Voyage mobile app, then travel anywhere within the bounds of the community fully autonomously. In the autonomous vehicle field, this level of driverless technology is called “Level 4 automation.”
Happy birthday belatedly to one of the smartest (and certainly best-dressed men) in The Process, Albert Balido of Anfield Consulting.
