Staff Reports
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Americans for Prosperity-Florida has been holding roundtables across Florida to push for Congress to renew tax breaks passed in President Donald Trump’s first term. The latest one will happen as Last Call hits your inbox.
The conservative group is hosting a “Protect Prosperity Tax Day Discussion” that began at 5 p.m. with U.S. Rep. Brian Mast slated to attend and help AFP-FL make the case for extending 2017’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions.
The event, which is being held at Duffy’s Sports Grill in North Palm Beach, is scheduled to run through 7 p.m. In addition to Mast, attendees will hear remarks from Concerned Veterans for America Executive Director John Vick and AFP-FL staff and activists.
Earlier this year, AFP-FL announced a $20 million campaign to get Congress on board with a renewal. When the bill passed eight years ago, it was estimated that the average American would pay $1,600 less per year. The main provisions benefitting individual taxpayers were doubling the standard deduction and lowering rates for individual filers.
TCJA also included several provisions slashing taxes on businesses, many of which are permanent, such as cutting 35% to 21% for C-corporation profits. However, the standard deduction and rate schedule changes will expire at the end of the year unless Congress renews them. AFP-FL says that if they are allowed to sunset, the average Florida family would pay an additional $3,505 in federal taxes.
The TCJA renewal campaign, dubbed “Protect Prosperity,” features a “media engagement strategy and lobbying effort” in all 50 states and will see AFP conduct over 1,000 meetings with Congressional offices, hold in-district events and roundtables such as today’s event with Mast and string of similar ones held across North Florida in recent weeks.
Evening Reads
—”The four factions of Donald Trump 2.0” via Nate Silver of the Silver Bulletin
—”The strange link between Trump’s tariffs and incel ideology” via Constance Grady of Vox
—”Trump and Nayib Bukele bond over human rights abuses in Oval Office meeting” via Nikki McCann Ramirez and Ryan Bort of Rolling Stone
—”Inside Trump’s pressure campaign on universities” via Michael C. BenderAlan Blinder and Jonathan Swan of The New York Times
—”The constitutional crisis is here” via Adam Serwer of The Atlantic
—”CDC cruise inspectors laid off as ship arrives in Florida with norovirus outbreak” via Cindy Krischer Goodman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
—“Senate President Ben Albritton releases $2.1B tax relief bill” via Christine Jordan Sexton of the Florida Phoenix
—“Florida Legislature 2025: Whither the Senate?” via Jason Garcia of Seeking Rents
—”Michelle Salzman to offer taxation amendment on hemp as House irons out policy details on caps” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
—”The lunch with Jack Nicklaus that won Rory McIlroy the Masters” via Andrew Beaton of The Wall Street Journal
—“A night in the life of a park ranger amid Florida’s public sleeping ban” via Abigail Hasebroock of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.”
— Accused sex trafficker Andrew Tate, goading DeSantis over a suspect donation to Hope Florida.
Put it on the Tab
Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.
If the gesture were sincere, State Attorney Monique Worrell would owe Attorney General James Uthmeier a thank you for sending backup. However, it’s more likely she’ll be sipping on The Fix Is In in the not-so-distant future.
The spat between Gov. Ron DeSantis and House Speaker Daniel Perez is still going strong, with the Governor saying House Republicans are “stabbing the voters in the back.” Order yourself a Blood Feud and stay tuned for more fireworks.
With Americans expected to spend $23.6 billion on Easter goods or celebrations this year, retailers will have enough money to sample all 45 of these Easter-themed cocktails.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Panthers prepping for playoffs
With two games remaining in the regular season, the Florida Panthers have clinched a playoff spot, but their playoff seed remains doubtful as they host the New York Rangers tonight (7 p.m. ET, Scripps).
Florida (47-29-4) is fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, the lowest they could finish. The Panthers could mathematically finish as high as third. A five-game losing streak that ended earlier this month put the Panthers in a tougher spot. Since snapping the skid, the Panthers have won three straight, including a 3-2 shootout win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
Seeding is particularly important for the opening round. The top four seeds gain home-ice advantage. In the past 17 seasons, only six percent of Cup winners came from lower than the fourth seed.
Last season, the Panthers won the Atlantic Division, then knocked off Tampa Bay, Boston, and the Rangers to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they defeated the Edmonton Oilers to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.
Florida will attempt to sweep the season series from New York. The Panthers beat the Rangers in Madison Square Garden 3-1 in October, then won again in Miami 5-3 on Dec. 30.
The Panthers will conclude the regular season against their instate rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, tomorrow evening.
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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.
