Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis announced that the state Division of Consumer Services returned $15 million in stolen money and property to Florida Holocaust survivors during the 2021-22 fiscal year.
The money was returned via the Department of Financial Services’ Holocaust Victims Assistance Program, a program that aids Florida Holocaust survivors seeking to recover proceeds from insurance policies issued to Holocaust victims, restitution for Nazi-confiscated bank accounts, looted art and property.
The program also helps connect Florida Holocaust survivors with resources such as free home health care and emergency financial assistance for medical care, food and utilities.
The state began administering the program a quarter-century ago, but in recent years there has been a substantial uptick in returns. The 2021-22 total about one in six dollars that the program has returned since 1998. And, to date, more than two-thirds of the $88 million reunited with its rightful owners has been delivered since Patronis took office five years ago.
“Florida is proudly home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the country, and as your CFO, I’m honored to support Florida’s Jewish communities. We must do all we can to reunite survivors and their heirs with items that were stolen from them during the atrocities of the holocaust,” he said in a news release.
“My office remains committed to ensuring that these claims are resolved, and every bit of cash and property is recovered and returned to its rightful owner.”
Patronis said that his office stands ready to assist any Florida survivors who need help filing a claim or obtaining services through the program. Survivors may call the Holocaust Victims Assistance Helpline at 1-800-388-4069 or send an email to [email protected].
Evening Reads
—”How the Supreme Court could turbocharge gerrymandering — just in time for 2024” via Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux and Nathaniel Rakich of FiveThirtyEight
—“In Marco Rubio’s Plan, your estate must repay your parental leave benefits if you die early” via Matt Bruenig of People’s Policy Project
—“U.S. Supreme Court screw-up shackles the EPA on climate change” via Craig Pittman of the Florida Phoenix
—“Who will enforce Florida’s 15-week abortion ban? And what if they refuse?” via Dan Sullivan, Natalie Weber and Caroline Petrow-Cohen of the Tampa Bay Times
—“Casey DeSantis talks fentanyl response following Gadsden County overdoses” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics
—“Florida Democrats pick their battles, but can they pull out of election tailspin?” via Steven Lemongello of the Orlando Sentinel
—“Bob Chapek’s Sun Valley challenge: Define his vision for Disney” via Alex Weprin of The Hollywood Reporter
—“Big cities can’t get workers back to the office” via By Lauren Weber, Peter Grant and Liz Hoffman of The Wall Street Journal
—“Why Larry Summers thinks we need massive unemployment to beat inflation” via Jordan Weissmann of Slate
—“Mark Lombardo vows to reform Washington in challenge to Matt Gaetz” via Aimee Sachs of Florida Politics
—“Tax hike for Miami-Dade County schools security, teacher recruitment goes to November ballot” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics
—“James Caan, ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Misery’ star, dies at 82” via Carmel Dagan of Variety
Quote of the Day
“I know this isn’t popular in progressive Twitter circles, but I don’t really believe in political kamikaze missions.”
— Democratic consultant Steve Schale, on why Democrats are not focusing on Cabinet races this cycle.
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