Peter Schorsch
Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel McAuliffe, Jim Rosica, and Drew Wilson.
There’s been a lot of talk about whether Gov. Rick Scott will topple U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in the fall. Ditto for the race to replace him in the Governor’s Mansion. Lost in the shuffle, perhaps, are the dozens of down-ballot races only a small amount of voter outreach and an even smaller amount of public polling has taken place.
But a new series of polls for state House races in the Orlando and Miami metros could change that conversation tout suite. Those surveys, commissioned by the Florida Democratic Party’s state House campaign arm, show the party is well positioned to flip four Republican-held seats, two of them open and two of them held by GOP lawmakers running for re-election.
The most shocking of the bunch was the measure for HD 30, which straddles the border of Orange and Seminole counties and is currently held by Altamonte Springs Republican Rep. Bob Cortes. If the election were today and voters had to choose, they’d ditch the incumbent and vote in Orlando Democrat Brendan Ramirez by 7 points.
More than a third of voters are undecided in that poll, but the 36-29 margin comes despite Ramirez facing two Democratic primary challengers and having spent only $5,250 getting his message out to the voters.
The same situation is playing out down in South Florida, where voters in three GOP-held districts said they preferred a Democratic candidate over an unnamed Republican.
In HD 93, a rare Republican oasis in deep-blue Broward County, Emma Collum holds a 2-point lead over Chip LaMarca; Democratic candidate Cindy Polo leads Republican Frank Mingo outright, 32-29 percent; and in HD 120 voters are leaning toward third-term Republican Rep. Holly Raschein but said if they had to pick today, they’d elect Democratic nominee Steve Friedman despite him not actively campaigning in the district.
If those polls hold, Floridians could be sending a lot more than a new Governor to Tallahassee.
First in #Sunburn — “Progressive group sending backup to state Senate battlegrounds” via Florida Politics — Progressive advocacy group For Our Future Florida announced it would pitch in on the efforts to flip the state Senate, starting with the seats held by Republican Sens. Keith Perry and Dana Young. … Perry’s Gainesville-based SD 8 and Young’s Tampa-based SD 18 are top targets for the Florida Democratic Party in 2018. … “All Florida has to show for Keith Perry and Dana Young’s time in Tallahassee is millions funneled out of our public schools leaving our state one of the worst for K-12 education in the country and nearly one million low-income residents blocked from accessing health care through Medicaid,” said For Our Future spox Blake Williams. “Working Floridians deserve representatives like Kayser Enneking and Janet Cruz who will look out for their best interests, advocate for the middle class, and fight for affordable health care.” … the group said its state Senate campaign program would focus on persuasion and mobilization and would include a vote-by-mail program layered into the field campaign.
— SITUATIONAL AWARENESS —
—@MattGaetz: Every person covering, supporting, working 4 and donating 2 @adamputnam knows that the race against @RonDeSantisFL is over. 20 points down w 20 days to go. Time to acknowledge reality, stop the false negative ads, and unite the party behind Ron!
—@Scott_Maxwell: I think a fate worse than hell would be to be reincarnated as a DSCC or NRSC “spokesperson.” To have to crank out that kind of dribble and pablum every day would be a fate worse than even Dante could’ve imagined.
—@Fineout: In question about @ScottforFlorida and GOP allies continually saying the 75-year-old @SenBillNelson is out of touch or confused Nelson lays down challenge to Scott: “Anytime he wants to have a contest about push-ups or pull-ups, then we’ll see who’s not up to it.”
—@MarcACaputo: If you’re concerned with Trump calling the media “the enemy of the people,” you should be outraged at the assault on the press in FL’s 2nd largest (& most Democratic) county where the school board wants a judge to punish a newspaper for writing the truth about district failures
—@CarlosGSmith: This afternoon, I am calling DIRECTLY on @JeffGreeneFL to donate $25M to @FlaDems w/out preconditions. When u came outta nowhere to run for Senate in 2010, u promised millions in FDP support, got ur ass handed to u & disappeared for 8 yrs. 2018 is the same bribe, different year.
—@SchmitzMedia: Greene, who’s spent thousands running attacks on Gwen Graham, says he “can’t say anything bad” about the other candidates.
—@MichaelKruse: At 1,740, the @splcenter‘s list of public Confederate memorials is 237 entries LONGER than it was in 2016, it says here in @USATODAY.
— LATEST TURNOUT FIGURES —
— DAYS UNTIL —
School begins in the first 19 Florida districts — 2; Start of the U.S. Open — 19; Primary Election Day — 20; College Football opening weekend — 22; Labor Day — 26; Gubernatorial candidates must choose a running mate — 29; NFL regular season starts — 29; First general election mail ballots go out — 45; Future of Florida Forum — 49; FSU vs. UM football game — 59; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida U.S. Senate debate — 76; ‘Before You Vote’ Florida Governor debate — 77; General Election Day — 90; 2019 Legislature Organization Session meetings — 104; Black Friday — 107; Florida Chamber Insurance Summit — 111; ‘Hamilton’ comes to the Straz Center — 188; 2019 Legislative Session starts — 209; 2020 General Election — 818.
— TOP STORY —
Entering the final three weeks before the Aug. 28 primary election, Republican gubernatorial candidates Ron DeSantis and Adam Putnam will tangle Wednesday night in a televised debate in Jacksonville. DeSantis, a Northeast Florida congressman, and Putnam, the state agriculture commissioner, also debated in late June at the Republican Party of Florida’s “Sunshine Summit” in Kissimmee. Wednesday’s debate will be held at 8 p.m. at Jacksonville University’s Terry Concert Hall. It will be broadcast by WJXT Channel 4 in Jacksonville and will be shown on a network of stations across the state.
Tweet, tweet:
Just learned that the second and final GOP primary debate will not air in the Tampa Bay market.
So the only opportunity for Republicans in one of the state's largest media markets to hear from the two candidates came on June 28 in a debate that barely touched on Florida issues.
— Steve Contorno (@scontorno) August 7, 2018
— NELSON VS. SCOTT —
“Rick Scott invested in firms that did business with Venezuelan regime” via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times — “Any organization that does business with the Maduro regime cannot do business with the state of Florida,” Scott said in Miami last summer. But Scott and his wife Ann held substantial investments as recently as last year in three firms that have done business in Venezuela: Goldman Sachs, Invesco and BlackRock. That’s according to the 125-page financial disclosure statement Scott filed on July 27 as a U.S. Senate candidate. It’s the most complete accounting of Scott’s finances since he last opened his blind trust in 2014, and includes Ann Scott’s investments, which are not required to be disclosed under Florida ethics laws. According to the July 27 statement, the Scotts received stock dividends or capital gains income of between about $345,000 and about $1.8 million in the past year from their investments in the three Wall Street firms.
“Bill Nelson ad: Florida’s algae crisis is made by Scott” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — The new 30-second video, “Algae,” begins with images of putrid, green waters, dead fish and animals, and declares: “Florida’s algae bloom crisis is a man-made problem, made by this man Rick Scott.” Scott’s campaign declared that it is ridiculous for Nelson to try to blame Scott “for an issue that’s been neglected by the same federal government Nelson has been a part of for decades.” Nelson’s new video includes quotes from opinion pieces published in the Miami Herald and the Orlando Sentinel, and from Florida Conservation Voters, all explicitly blaming the two-term governor for the crisis that has erupted again this summer with massive amounts of polluted water released from Lake Okeechobee feeding devastating algae blooms on Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts. “This problem has a name: Gov. Rick Scott,” the Herald’s editorial is quoted. “He’s rolled back every common-sense safeguard in the books,” quoting Florida Conservation Voters.
To view the new ad, click on the image below:
“Scott ad accuses Bill Nelson of cutting Medicare when he voted for Obamacare” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — The 30-second spot, “Unfair,” will be playing on television and in digital internet advertising. It charges Nelson with supporting Medicare cuts and helping put Medicare in financial straits because he voted yes on the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, in 2009. The commercial doesn’t actually mention the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare, only citing the bill number and vote number. The commercial contends the vote led to a cut of $716 billion from Medicare. It is an allegation that Republicans have been charging, and Democrats refuting, since the Affordable Care Act was first approved in December 2009, though the exact number of the alleged cuts has varied. By 2012 Republicans were consistently citing $716 billion. That year PolitiFact sought to check the claim and rated it “Mostly False.”
To view the ad, click on the image below:
“Nelson: Scott is ‘silly’ about debate refusal claims” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — Democratic U.S. Sen. Nelson said Scott’s claims that Nelson refuses to debate him are “silly.” Nelson spoke with reporters in Tallahassee on Tuesday, before a ceremony at the Tallahassee Veterans Affairs Health Care Center to name the facility after Marine Corps Sgt. Ernest “Boots” Thomas. “Obviously, it’s to my advantage to debate him,” the incumbent senator said of Scott, his GOP challenger and the state’s term-limited governor. “I’m going to wait until after the primary. What he’ll do is, he’ll (suggest) a bunch of debates, and then he’ll start backing out on them.”
Assignment editors — Nelson and Congresswoman Kathy Castor will join the Florida Education Association and American Federation of Teachers for a significant campaign announcement, noon, Hillsborough Teachers Union Hall, 3102 N. Habana Ave., Tampa.
— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL —
“Ron DeSantis gets money from previous Adam Putnam political donors” via Ana Ceballos of the Naples Daily — The shift in political contributions started July 26, just three days after Donald Trump announced he would rally with DeSantis in Tampa. So far, DeSantis has seen more than $54,000 from first-time donors that once supported and gave money to Agriculture Commissioner Putnam, a candidate who is backed by most of the state’s biggest GOP donors. This is also the latest sign that the three-term congressman, with the help of Trump, is cementing himself as the front-runner in the primary race. The four most recent polls analyzed by RealClear Politics show Putnam is trailing DeSantis by an average of 11 points, with about 25 percent of GOP voters undecided.
“Jeff Greene plows more money into gubernatorial bid” via the News Service of Florida — Greene loaned $4.5 million to his campaign between July 21 and July 27, bringing the total to $18.1 million. He had received $1,355 in contributions and had spent nearly $17.83 million as of July 27. Much of the spending has gone to advertising-related costs.
“Gwen Graham separates from the pack according to new Associated Industries poll” via Florida Politics — Associated Industries of Florida’s numbers show Graham started the month with a 35 percent support — the highest mark in any poll to-date and a massive increase from the 24 percent share she held back in mid-July. Former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine and Palm Beach billionaire Greene don’t take second-place, either. That honor goes to “not sure,” which polled at 23 percent. Graham’s increased lead seems to be coming from those heretofore undecided voters, who made up 31 percent of primary voters just three weeks ago. As their share shrunk 8 points, Graham’s support increased 11. Those other three points appear to have come from Levine, whose support dropped by two points as he rejoined the scrum at the bottom of the race. Levine, Greene, and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum are bunched up in the low teens, according to AIF, which did not measure support for Central Florida businessman Chris King, who often shows up in single digits in most polls.
“Greene, Graham escalate fight over mall project” via George Bennett of the Palm Beach Post — Greene and Graham have released dueling TV ads and campaign statements over a massive mall project planned for a 175-acre Miami-Dade parcel that includes land owned by a company founded and controlled by Graham’s family. Greene and another Democratic candidate, Winter Park businessman King, brought up the American Dream Mall during a televised debate in Palm Beach Gardens last week, noting that environmentalists oppose the project because it’s relatively close to the Everglades. Greene followed up with a 30-second TV ad that began airing over the weekend, criticizing “Graham’s mall” and concluding with the words “How can Florida trust her?” on the screen. Graham responded with an ad of her own today that shows her canoeing with her father, former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham. “A billionaire opponent is attacking me personally — even falsely attacking my dad, Bob Graham. It’s disappointing,” Graham says in the ad. The ad notes that the Everglades Trust endorsed Graham.
“Graham ad decries ‘billionaire opponent’ attacking her and her father” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Graham is responding to an attack ad from Greene by launching a new television commercial touting her environmental record and decrying “false negative advertising.” Her 30-second spot, “Trust,” features footage of Graham and her father kayaking together. It also touts endorsements from “respected environmentalists.” The ad is a rebuttal to one Greene launched last week after the statewide Democratic debate. That ad sought to paint Graham and her family’s business, the Graham Companies, as threats to the environment, particularly to the Everglades, because the company is providing some of the land needed for the new mega-mall being developed in Miami. Greene’s commercial notes that environmental groups have roundly opposed the mall for its potential impact on traffic and the Everglades watershed.
To view Graham’s ad, click on the image below:
Assignment editors — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gillum joins attorney Benjamin Crump and the family of Markeis McGlockton for a rally against Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” self-defense law, 11 a.m., Bethel Baptist Church, 224 N Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Tallahassee.
“Sean Shaw sews up more endorsements in Democratic AG primary” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — Among Shaw’s newly announced endorsements are from MoveOn.org; the National Association of Social Workers; the Broward County Democratic Black Caucus; the Broward Teachers Union; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 177; Invisible Broward #Resist Group; and the Professional Firefighters/Paramedics of Palm Beach County, Local 2928 of the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Florida Medical Association endorses Denise Grimsley — The Florida Medical Association PAC (FMA PAC) is endorsing Republican Grimsley in her bid for Agriculture Commissioner. FMA PAC President, Dr. Mike Patete said in a statement: “Denise Grimsley has a proven record as a friend of medicine throughout her tenure in the Florida Legislature. Her career as a nurse certified in trauma, her work in serving as administrator at two hospitals, her deep background in agriculture and fiscal policy make Denise Grimsley the only choice for Commissioner of Agriculture.”
Happening today — Former state Sen. Jeremy Ring, and Democratic candidate for Florida chief financial officer, will appear at a meeting of the Gold Coast Tiger Bay Club, 11:30 a.m., City Fish Market, 7940 Glades Road, Boca Raton.
— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, PART 2 —
“37 Congressional Black Caucus members endorse Al Lawson’s re-election, as Alvin Brown reels” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — “I am honored to have the endorsement of so many of my colleagues in the CBC,” Lawson said. “They understand, as I do, the importance of fighting against some of the unfair policies of this current administration, protecting affordable health care for all Americans, protecting voting rights, ensuring access to a quality public education, and strengthening marginalized communities all across the nation.” Lawson’s endorsements include prominent names, some with connections to Democratic opponent Brown’s political past. One such, CBC chairman Rep. Cedric Richmond is an especially notable endorsement given that Richmond campaigned for Brown in Jacksonville in 2015 when he lost his re-election bid for Mayor.
Jose Oliva, Florida Family Action backing Fred Costello for Congress — Florida Family Action praised Costello’s conservative credentials in its endorsement for Florida’s 6th Congressional District. According to a statement: “An endorsement indicates a vetted and recommended candidate based on 1) conservative voting record, 2) personal interviews or knowledge of the candidate, and/or 3) thorough research showing a conservative background, training, and experience. Endorsement indicates a very high likelihood of confidence that this candidate will govern and vote as a conservative.” Costello also earned the endorsement of Florida House Speaker-designate Oliva, who said: “Fred Costello represents the very best of our party and our ideology. It is my pleasure to endorse him for Congress.”
“Andrew Learned pitches ‘Medicare for all’ in first CD 15 ad” via Florida Politics — The 15-second spot, titled “Human Right,” features the Navy veteran shaking hands with his would-be constituents and throwing shade at U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as he vows to support the aforementioned health care solution championed by independent U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. The short script for the ad: “In Congress, I’ll fight for ‘Medicare for All,’ because health care is a human right,” Learned says. “We need to protect our health care from Republican attacks. I’m Andrew Learned Democrat for Congress — it’s time for a new generation of leadership.”
To view the ad, click on the image below:
“David Shapiro owns stock in three companies he publicly denounced in op-ed” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Shapiro, a Democratic candidate in Florida’s 16th Congressional District, issued some tough talk back in February when he took his Republican opponent to task in an op-ed for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. In that piece, Shapiro criticized incumbent CD 16 Rep. Vern Buchanan and fellow Republicans for their passage of last year’s tax bill. Shapiro called out three companies in particular for their failure to protect workers following the bill’s passage: Walmart, AT&T and Kimberly-Clark. A financial disclosure report filed with the U.S. House of Representatives shows Shapiro bought between $1,001 and $15,000 of stock in each of those three companies. In that article, he blasted all three companies for firing workers following the tax cut, despite promises by Walmart and AT&T to provide bonuses to their employees.
“Carlos Curbelo pitches bipartisanship in CD 26 ad” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Curbelo is out with a new ad and a message of bipartisanship as he tries to hold onto his seat in Florida’s 26th Congressional District. The 15-second ad, titled “Solutions,” is a straightforward spot. It features Curbelo in front of a plain, white background. “We have to work across the aisle to get big things done in Washington, D.C,” he says in the ad. “So I will never apologize for reaching across the aisle and working with all of my colleagues in favor of the solutions that the American people really need.”
To watch the ad, click on the image below:
“Debbie Mucarsel-Powell goes up on TV” via David Smiley of the Miami Herald — Mucarsel-Powell, a Democrat who came to the U.S. from Ecuador as a teenager with her mother and three older sisters, is using the ad to introduce herself to Florida’s 26th district, which stretches from West Dade to Key West. “I came to this country from Ecuador at 14, searching for a better life,” she says in the ad. “With hard work, I found it. So, I’ve always worked to give back. As associate dean at FIU [Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine], I helped those who couldn’t afford health care get it.” Mucarsel-Powell’s campaign said it made a “six-figure ad buy” on cable this month, with plans to continue running ads through the fall.
To watch the ad, click on the image below:
“David Richardson calls to abolish ICE in Spanish-language ad” via Ryan Nicol of Florida Politics — Richardson, a Democrat running for Florida’s 27th Congressional District, is out with a Spanish-language TV ad hitting one of the more controversial topics this campaign season: Abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Richardson calls for the end of the organization in the ad, titled “ICE,” arguing it’s done more harm than good. A statement from the Richardson campaign released along with the ad says ICE is responsible for “abusing detainees, dividing families, and harassing Dreamers.” In the ad, filmed in front of ICE headquarters, Richardson proposes diverting ICE’s funding toward a nationwide Medicare-for-all program. “I’m a courageous progressive, and that means I don’t shy away from an issue I’m passionate about when the Democratic establishment gets nervous,” said Richardson in a statement.
To watch the ad, click on the image below:
— NOTES FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, PART 3 —
Florida Family Action releases ‘Voters’ Tools’ for primary — The Christian conservative association, headed by Orlando attorney John Stemberger, is offering candidate endorsement sheets for state and federal office, a judicial candidate online voter tool, selected county voter guides, a Legislative Scorecard for 2017-18, and a Constitutional Amendment Guide, which will be available after Aug. 29 for the Nov. 6 general election. “So much is at stake for the future of our state, and I hope that you will be a good steward of your power and influence by being faithful to vote,” Stemberger said in an email. The tools are online here.
“Mike Beltran inflated his NRA grade, scoresheet shows” via Florida Politics — Lithia Republican Beltran has been touting an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association in his campaign to succeed exiting Rep. Jake Raburn in House District 57, but a look at the gradebook shows that’s a misrepresentation. Contrary to communications from his campaign, including a mailer that went out to HD 57 voters, the NRA says it rates the 34-year-old attorney as an “AQ” candidate. Per the NRA, an “AQ” rating means the following: “A pro-gun candidate whose rating is based solely on the candidate’s responses to the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire and who does not have a voting record on Second Amendment issues.”
“Kubs Lalchandani has skipped voting in more than a dozen elections” via Florida Politics — Since registering to vote in Miami back in 2006, Lalchandani has skipped out on 15 elections. Many of his no-shows were for special elections, though he also skipped out on the regularly scheduled Democratic primaries for the 2008, 2010 and 2012 election cycles. Though Lalchandani cast a general election ballot in presidential election years, he also failed to turn up during the 2010 general election, which saw Democratic gubernatorial nominee Alex Sink lose to then-candidate Rick Scott by 61,550 votes — only a handful of ballots in each Florida precinct would have turned the tide of that race. It’s unknown whether Lalchandani’s absences at the polls are due to a lack of motivation, or due to him being away at one of his out-of-state properties — per a foreclosure suit, he maintained addresses in Lakewood, Ohio, and New York City until 2011.
“Rob Panepinto’s new Orange County Mayor ad focuses on jobs, housing” via Scott Powers of Florida Politics — The 30-second ad, “Vision,” picks up where his first commercial left off, first providing a human-side for the Winter Park entrepreneur, with shots of him and his family, and then a brief outline of his vision for the county. He quickly moves through his messages: “We must foster a diverse economy with higher-wage jobs,” he says while walking across a factory floor. “Encourage local business growth. Create more affordable housing. And improve public safety in our neighborhoods.” Panepinto is going up against Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings and Orange County Commissioner Pete Clarke in the Aug. 28 mayoral election.
To view the ad, click on the image below:
“A school board campaign gets rough: ‘Let’s meet face to face … big boy!’” via Jeffrey Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — A former Pasco County high school student has received a menacing Facebook message from an account bearing the name of School Board candidate Kenny Mathis. The student had joined former classmates in sharing social media recollections of Mathis’ hot temper while he was a Pasco music teacher, and suggested he had no place on the board. He soon received an apparent physical threat via Facebook Messenger from an account containing Mathis’ name and photo. “Let’s meet face to face!!! Say what you have to say big boy!” the message said. The sender quickly followed up with, “I have that paddle ready,” and commented the two could meet anywhere, any time. “It will be worth it,” the message said. Asked about the messages, Mathis denied writing them. He alleged someone else had done it using a fake Facebook account that mimicked his.
“Facebook political argument ends with Tampa man shot in buttocks” via Patty Ryan of the Tampa Bay Times — Call it extreme unfriending. It happened Monday night in Tampa, leading to the arrest of Brian Sebring on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and carrying a concealed firearm. Alex Stephens was the victim, police said, though he may have had a role in ratcheting up the rhetoric. Sebring told officers Stephens threatened him. “After receiving several explicit messages and threats, the defendant responded to the victim’s home to confront him reference the messages,” a police account said. When Sebring arrived — wearing the Glock in a holster on his waistband — he honked his horn and waited by his truck for Stephens to appear. Stephens came out of the home and charged toward Sebring, police said, and that’s when Sebring fired two shots with the Glock. “The victim ran away and the defendant fled the scene,” police said.
— STATEWIDE —
“Supreme Court to take up greyhound racing ban” via Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida — Justices scheduled arguments in the case on Aug. 29 and set a rapid-fire series of deadlines for the parties to file briefs … The court is moving quickly, at least in part, because ballots for the Nov. 6 general election will start going out in September. The Florida Constitution Revision Commission this spring approved placing the proposed racing ban on the ballot. The measure, one of eight proposed constitutional amendments approved by the commission, would ban commercial greyhound racing in the state after Dec. 31, 2020. But the Florida Greyhound Association, which represents breeders, owners and trainers, filed a lawsuit arguing that the proposal, known as Amendment 13, should be kept off the ballot because it would be misleading to voters. Leon County Circuit Judge Karen Gievers last week agreed with the greyhound association, prompting the state to appeal.
“Scott, Cabinet eye protecting ranch land” via the News Service of Florida — Scott and the Cabinet will be asked next week to spend $5.5 million to help limit future development on nearly 2,500 acres of ranch land in Highlands County. The proposal, which will go to the Cabinet Aug. 14, seeks to add the Sandy Gully property to the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, which through the use of “conservation easements” restricts future development but allows owners to continue using land for such things as agricultural operations. The program, favored by Agriculture Commissioner Putnam, has been used 38 times in the past eight years, accounting for more than 47,000 acres across the state being put into conservation easements. The family-owned Sandy Gully land, originally a dairy operation, transitioned to a cattle operation in 2002.
What CFO Jimmy Patronis is reading — “CFTC chair says the agency is ‘falling behind’ on blockchain” via Lexology — The chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has said that his agency is “falling behind” on blockchain technology and that now is not the time for the agency’s jurisdiction of the cryptocurrency market to be increased. Speaking at a congressional hearing before the House Committee on Agriculture, Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo said that the CFTC was limited in its ability to test emerging technologies and systems … “The best model that I like to point to is in the 1990s when a Democrat White House and a Republican Congress worked together around this new thing called the internet and took a ‘first-do-no-harm’ approach,” he said. “Regulation came slowly and let the technology evolve. I think we need to stay close to it, we need to be careful, but I think we can allow it to develop a little bit before we run in with regulation.”
Happening today — Aides to Gov. Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Commissioner Putnam and state Chief Financial Officer Patronis will meet to discuss issues in advance of an Aug. 14 Cabinet meeting, 9 a.m., Cabinet meeting room, the Capitol.
“State economists lower forecast for tobacco tax revenues, settlement payments” via Florida Politics — During a meeting of the Revenue Estimating Conference, state economists said many smokers are smoking less, and some are switching to “e-cigarettes” for their nicotine fix rather continuing with traditional cigarettes — an important distinction since the liquid used in “vaping” isn’t taxed in Florida. In addition to sales tax, Florida levies a $1.34 excise tax on each pack of cigarettes sold in the state, well below the national average of $1.69 per pack. The January estimate put Florida’s 2017-18 revenues from cigarette taxes at $1.07 billion, reflecting a $13.3 million reduction from the prior forecast. Through July, tobacco tax collections are another $19 million short of forecasts for the year and those present at the REC meeting were all bearish when updating their collections estimates, positing negative growth of between 2 percent and 2.5 percent for coming fiscal years — the conference went with the middle number, 2.25 percent. Though cigarette taxes were down, tax revenues for “other tobacco products” such as smokeless tobacco and cigarillos were.
“Rob Bradley says medical marijuana law will be upheld” via Jim Rosica of Florida Politics — Despite a Tallahassee judge declaring significant parts of the state’s medical marijuana law unconstitutional, the law’s chief architect said he was confident the law would be affirmed. “The trial court ruling injected unnecessary uncertainty into the emerging medical marijuana marketplace,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican. “I’m confident that our appellate courts will uphold (its) constitutionality.” In 2017, lawmakers passed and Gov. Scott signed the measure (SB 8-A) into law to implement the state’s medicinal cannabis constitutional amendment, passed by 71 percent of voters the year before. Bradley was the primary sponsor. In recent months, however, judges have been chipping away at the law.
“FAU cancels graduation ceremony after threatening note is found taped to bathroom mirror” via Tonya Alanez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — A staff member found the small sticky note at about 4:15 p.m. in the Business Building. “It was a threat specific to our graduation tonight,” said Chief of Florida Atlantic University Police Sean Brammer. “It would hurt the investigation if I told you the specifics of the note. We took it seriously and canceled the ceremony.” Florida Atlantic University announced the cancellation via Twitter shortly before 5 p.m. “The Student Union is being evacuated due to what law enforcement considers a credible threat,” the tweet said.
Happening today — The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission start a two-day meeting, 8:30 a.m., BB&T Center, Chairman’s Club, 1 Panther Parkway, Sunrise. It is expected to take up issues such as school hardening.
“Appeals court rules against embattled cab companies” via Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida — The emergence of businesses such as Uber and Lyft has “threatened the viability of traditional taxicab companies worldwide,” a federal appeals court said … But that doesn’t mean cab companies in Miami-Dade County should receive compensation after a 2016 ordinance cleared the way for Uber and Lyft drivers to hit the streets. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a class-action lawsuit filed by cab companies that contended the Miami-Dade ordinance amounted to an unconstitutional taking of property because of its effect on “medallions,” which have long served as a valuable license for cabs to operate. The limited number of medallions traded for about $340,000 by 2014 … The lawsuit against the county, in part, alleged that the cab companies should receive compensation because the ordinance allowing competitors such as Uber and Lyft reduced the value of the medallions. But a federal district judge rejected the arguments, and the panel of the Atlanta-based appeals court agreed.
“Techno-blunder? Lawyers say they can’t view files in their own cases” via Florida Politics — Court-appointed attorneys in Pinellas and Pasco counties are complaining they’re blocked from seeing key documents in the very cases they’re supposed to be defending. The Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel for the 2nd District filed a petition last week asking for online access to documents … The petition says being to read such documents “is necessary in order to see what has been filed in the court file, find contact information for our clients or other parties, know the history of the case, quickly obtain clearer copies of some documents, check for conflicts, and investigate and prepare for hearings when time is of the essence.” The office seeks a court order granting its attorneys the ability to see documents they need to prepare cases, including “medical and mental health records.”
“Jacksonville City Council checks into local vacation rental tax losses” via Ryan Benk of WJCT — Late last month, the council auditor issued a report concluding the city could have collected as much as $366,000 in extra taxes last year if it agreed to a deal offered by Airbnb in 2016. But according to the report, the offer from the so-called “peer-to-peer rental company” didn’t provide a clear way for the city to recoup past tourist development and convention development taxes. It’s also not clear, whether Airbnb would have agreed to city audits. “It is difficult to find a solution for the auditing rights aspect since the city would likely want to retain audit rights, and it is not clear if the … companies would be open to allowing the city’s auditing rights requirements,” the report read. In other words, agreeing to a taxing schedule in the future may mean giving up some regulatory oversight.
“Orlando City Hall will be the first government building in Florida to have ‘all-user’ bathrooms” via WTSP — Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer made the announcement, saying it is part of making Orlando “more inclusive.” It is not considered “gender neutral” because it also hopes to include people with disabilities. The city is working to come up with a representative sign for the door. Dyer says he hopes it will “increase accessibility for transgender people and those with disabilities.” The stalls will be larger to accommodate wheelchairs and will be single stalls with longer doors for privacy. City hall is aiming to have the restrooms finished by the end of the month.
“Cost pegged at $43M to mothball Duke Energy nuke plant” via Michael Moline of Florida Politics — The Public Service Commission essentially closed the books on Duke Energy Florida’s $43 million plan to finish ‘decommissioning’ of its Crystal River 3 nuclear power plant — but only after spending the better part of an hour debating two procedural points. In the end, the commission voted 3-2 to attach to the plan a copy of a settlement agreement between Duke and the Office of Public Counsel and allow Duke to sit out formal nuclear-decommissioning proceedings next year. Duke will still have to participate in “true-up” proceedings, meaning the company must account for the way it spends the money and return any unspent funds to ratepayers.
— PROBLEM SOLVING —
Florida districts tasked with figuring out how to staff police or armed guards at every operating school are running out of time to finish their homework ahead of the upcoming school year.
An Associated Press survey “found all campuses will be covered when they reopen this month, but many districts are having difficulty funding the program and finding enough applicants,” writes AP journalist Terry Spencer.
“Now every school must have armed protection whenever it’s open. In districts that won’t have full staffing in place when classes start, local law enforcement agencies are filling gaps by taking officers off the street or paying overtime.”
In Palm Beach: There aren’t enough applicants to fill the needed amount of school resource officers, so local law enforcement is pitching in.
Common approach: Of the 67 counties, 45 are opting to exclusively use armed law enforcement on campus instead of armed volunteers within the staff or outside safety specialists. “The other 22 districts are supplementing officers with “guardians” — armed civilians or staff. They are vetted, receive 132 hours of training and must attain a higher score on the state firearms test than rookie police officers.”
Worth it?: Spencer notes, “Having an armed guard on campus doesn’t guarantee safety. The deputy at Stoneman Douglas didn’t confront the shooter who killed 17 people. Ten were killed in May at a Texas high school where two school officers exchanged fire with the suspect before he surrendered.”
— D.C. MATTERS —
“Now the Trump administration wants to limit citizenship for legal immigrants” via Julia Ainsley of CBS News — The Trump administration is expected to issue a proposal in coming weeks that would make it harder for legal immigrants to become citizens or get green cards if they have ever used a range of popular public welfare programs, including Obamacare, four sources with knowledge of the plan told NBC News. The move, which would not need congressional approval, is part of White House senior adviser Stephen Miller‘s plan to limit the number of migrants who obtain legal status in the U.S. each year. Details of the rule-making proposal are still being finalized, but based on a recent draft seen last week and described to NBC News, immigrants living legally in the U.S. who have ever used or whose household members have ever used Obamacare, children’s health insurance, food stamps and other benefits could be hindered from obtaining legal status in the U.S.
“New details about Wilbur Ross’ business point to pattern of grifting” via Dan Alexander of Forbes — It is difficult to imagine the possibility that a man like Ross, who Forbes estimates is worth some $700 million, might steal a few million from one of his business partners. Unless you have heard enough stories about Ross. Two former WL Ross colleagues remember the commerce secretary taking handfuls of Sweet’N Low packets from a nearby restaurant, so he didn’t have to go out and buy some for himself. One says workers at his house in the Hamptons used to call the office, claiming Ross had not paid them for their work. Another two people said Ross once pledged $1 million to a charity, then never paid. A commerce official called the tales “petty nonsense,” and added that Ross does not put sweetener in his coffee.
“Marco Rubio to oppose 836 extension into Kendall due to Everglades concerns” via Alex Daugherty of the Miami Herald — Rubio will ask federal agencies to oppose the 836 expressway expansion into West Kendall, a major roadblock for Mayor Carlos Gimenez and the Miami-Dade County Commission after they gave preliminary approval for the 14-mile highway in June. The Republican senator’s alignment with environmentalists, who say the highway would damage the Everglades and cause urban sprawl, could affect the project’s progress due to federal land swaps from the Department of Interior that are needed before construction can begin. “As a lifelong resident of Miami-Dade County, I know the residents of West Kendall need a solution to their traffic woes. But a solution to this problem cannot come at the expense of Everglades restoration,” Rubio said in a statement.
“Rubio’s paid-leave plan shows how conservatives can embrace working-class families” via Samuel Hammond of the National Review — Last week, Rubio introduced the Economic Security for New Parents Act, a paid-parental-leave plan. A companion bill is expected from Missouri Congresswoman Ann Wagner when the House returns to session in September. And while the two bills differ in some subtle ways, they share a key innovation: Both allow those with a newborn infant or newly adopted child to transfer Social Security retirement benefits from the future to the present. In the Rubio bill, parents who take the minimum leave of two months would delay their retirement by about three months … in some ways the most stunning thing about the Rubio-Wagner plan is how it reinforces the social-insurance function of Social Security, marking a clear deviation from previous Republican privatization efforts.
“Democrats hold rally to spotlight health care, which they hope will be a key 2018 issue” via Kirby Wilson of the Tampa Bay Times — Prominent state party officials including U.S. Reps. Charlie Crist and Kathy Castor held a rally in St. Petersburg’s Williams Park to underscore the differences between Republican and Democratic health care policy proposals. “Here in America, health care is a right, it’s not a privilege for the wealthy few,” Castor said before about 200 supporters. “It’s something that everyone deserves.” Despite the strong turnout of local Democrats, the star of the event was a Congressman from out of town. Rep. Joe Kennedy III gave a rousing speech to the crowd of local progressives about the importance of voting for Democrats in 2018. “Every November, the nation’s eyes turn to Florida,” Kennedy, who’s a member of perhaps the most famous family in the history of American politics, said. “What happens in Florida is so much bigger than just Florida. It means the future of health care for millions of people across this country.”
Assignment editors — Crist visits the Boley Centers’ St. Petersburg office to announce a U.S. Department of Labor grant award of $420,240 for their Homeless Veteran’s Reintegration Program, 10 a.m., Boley Centers, 445 31st St. N., St. Petersburg.
Happening today — Crist will hold a roundtable discussion with veterans and representatives of the cannabis industry to talk about medical-marijuana issues, 11 a.m., Surterra Wellness Center, 10761 Ulmerton Road, Largo.
— OPINIONS —
“Only one other president has ever acted this desperate” via William Ruckelshaus for The Washington Post — Trump is acting with a desperation I’ve seen only once before in Washington: 45 years ago when President Richard Nixon ordered the firing of special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox. Nixon was fixated on ending the Watergate investigation, just as Trump wants to shut down the Robert Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. A lesson for the president from history: It turned out badly for Nixon. In fact, in some ways, Trump is conducting himself more frantically than Nixon, all the while protesting his innocence. Nixon fought to the end because he knew that what was on the tape recordings that the prosecutor wanted would incriminate him. We don’t know what Trump is hiding, if anything. But if he is innocent of any wrongdoing, why not let Mueller do his job and prove it?
“Temperince Morgan: Where land funds are needed most” via the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — On June 15, Judge Charles Dodson issued a ruling regarding Amendment 1, the Water and Land Legacy constitutional amendment. The Nature Conservancy is concerned that this ruling could impact funding for critical conservation efforts like management and restoration of existing state lands, Everglades restoration and other important water-quality improvement projects … we strongly support appropriating funds from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund (LATF) to acquire conservation lands and easements on properties identified through the Florida Forever and Rural and Family Lands Protection programs. Funds must also support land management, restoration and improvements on both existing and newly acquired state-owned conservation lands. We believe the narrow scope of the judge’s recent ruling may preclude the Legislature from spending LATF money on conservation land that the state purchased before 2015, as well as on Everglades restoration and springs protection.
— MOVEMENTS —
New and renewed lobbying registrations:
Brian Ballard, Katherine San Pedro, Ballard Partners: North Broward Hospital District d/b/a Broward Health
Travis Blanton, Johnson & Blanton: Chrysalis Health
Stuart Brown, SKB Consulting Group: The Integrity Group
Mark Kaplan: University of Florida
McCall Johnson: Recurrent Energy
Courtney Larkin: Florida Bankers Association
Drew Preston: Associated Industries of Florida
Lane Stephens, SCG Governmental Affairs: PanCare of Florida
— VACATION SAFELY, AIRBNB SAYS —
A good rule of thumb: Take advice from someone who knows what they’re talking about.
Fitting that Airbnb — a company that’s business is vacation — is offering a few summer safety travel tips ahead of Labor Day, the vacation-rental powerhouse’s busiest weekend.
In releasing the advice, Airbnb acknowledged its partnerships with important state leaders, including Gov. Rick Scott, CFO Jimmy Patronis and the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Part 1: Airbnb reminds its guests to finalize their itineraries and always have a backup plan before leaving, keep communications and transactions exclusive to Airbnb platforms, and always do a safety check at each home.
Part 2: The vacation rental group also suggests travelers always remain alert in public, crowded areas, research weather and traffic warnings, and reach out if anything goes awry.
From FDEM: “Time and again, Airbnb and their hosts have proved an important asset in our state’s emergency response and recovery efforts,” said Wes Maul, head of FDEM. “I’m extremely thankful not only for our continued partnership, but for their dedication to helping Florida’s families.”
— ALOE —
“Florida’s 2018 back-to-school sales tax holiday weekend was a success” via Ly’Nita Carter of WERTV.com — The Florida Retail Federation (FRF) said early indications suggest this year’s back-to-school sales tax holiday weekend was a success. North Florida saw an influx of Georgia residents crossing the border to take advantage of the duty-free items. FRF told Channel 3 News the sales crowds were large, but manageable. Last year saw more than $33 million saved statewide. The average savings was a little more than $50 per person.
“Coral Gables just became the first city in Florida to allow scooters on its streets” via Rob Wile of the Miami Herald — Coral Gables launched a test program with Spin, a San Francisco-based dockless scooter company, to allow the two-wheelers on its city streets. “There’s a lot of traffic around Miami these days,” said City Commissioner Vince Lago, who led the initiative to bring the scooters to the city. “They’re gonna help.” According to Spin, it’s the first time a company has received formal approval to operate shared scooters in the State of Florida. The agreement comes on the heels of the City of Miami’s July decision to temporarily bar all scooter companies until it can hammer out new rules for the vehicles, which are growing in popularity across the country. Coral Gables, too, had issued cease-and-desist letters to multiple scooter companies. But Lago said Spin had been scrupulous about working with the city and foregoing a “rogue” release of its vehicles without formal permission. That cooperation led to the approval.
“Getting your caffeine fix is cheaper at Starbucks and McDonald’s” via David Wexner of QZ.com — McDonald’s coffee is by far the cheapest cup of coffee. But, before you convert to the McCafe, take a look at the varying caffeine levels in each brand. (For reference, the Mayo Clinic advises that individuals should not consume more than 400 milligrams, “roughly the amount of caffeine in four cups of brewed coffee,” in a day … with nearly 130 milligrams of pure performance per dollar, 7-Eleven coffee looks to be the savviest bet for pure caffeine fiends. At just under 125 milligrams of per dollar, Starbucks is the next best bet, with McDonald’s at 121 coming close behind. Dunkin’, which barely cracked 100, came in last.
Happy birthday to my friend, Slater Bayliss, a true gentleman who makes it all look so easy that, sometimes, we forget just how hard he works. Also celebrating today are state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, Bill Coletti, Yolanda Jackson, Motorola’s Jay Malpass, and Pam Olsen.
