Staff Reports
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Progress seems to be emerging on budget negotiations after weeks of uncertainty, though lawmakers won’t convene for budget conferences until at least next week.
A deal on tax relief, while getting closer, remains unfinished.
Republican Sen. Ed Hooper, the upper chamber’s budget chief, told Florida Politics Monday morning that the Senate had received an offer from the House on Friday; he expected to send another back to them sometime Monday.
Hooper said the House offer notably did not include a recurring sales tax reduction, which has been a sticking point in the House. The House budget originally contemplated cutting the sales tax by three-quarters of a percentage point, a number later revised down to a quarter of a percentage point.
Hooper didn’t elaborate on tax relief in the House offer, but said “business rent was a big part.” Reducing or eliminating the business rent tax has been a priority of House Speaker Daniel Perez, and Hooper had previously hinted that negotiations were beginning to move in that direction.
Asked to confirm Hooper’s information, Republican Rep. Lawrence McClure, who is leading budget negotiations in the House, said his chamber remained focused on reducing recurring spending. He did not specifically confirm the omission of a sales tax reduction or the inclusion of a business rent tax reduction. However, he hinted that the House is willing to meet the Senate on the issue while still sticking to its goal of reducing recurring spending.
“We think the cleanest way to do it is via a sales tax cut, but what we’re after is reducing the recurring spending. It’s out of control. If the Senate is uncomfortable with the sales tax, no problem,” he said.
Read more on Florida Politics.
Evening Reads
—“Mike Waltz fell into an age-old trap in political history” via Joshua Zeitz of POLITICO
—“The ugly truth about Donald Trump’s big, beautiful bill” via Andrew Prokop of Vox
—”The talented Mr. Vance” via George Packer of The Atlantic
—”The U.S. under Trump: Alone in its climate denial” via David Gelles of The New York Times
—”Confessions of a Never-Trump Florida Man” via John Heilemann of Puck News
—”We made Luigi Mangione’s 3D-printed gun — and fired it” via Andy Greenberg of WIRED
—”Susie Wiles, Trump’s Chief of Staff, slams controversial Northeast Florida land deal” via Nate Monroe of The Tributary
—”Ad urges opposition to ‘massacre’ of Florida black bears” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics
—”‘Boater capital of the world’: Gov. Ron DeSantis signs Boater Freedom Act” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics
Quote of the Day
“With all due respect, we haven’t moved one ounce off of our sincerity to reduce recurring spending. Additionally, we have not gone back on our word one time to the Florida Senate.”
— House Budget Chief Lawrence McClure, as budget squabbles continue.
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.
Order a Captain Cool for Sen. Jay Trumbull, whose bill boosting boater freedom has been signed into law.
Humane World for Animals gets a round of Teddy Bears for leading the fight against a proposed recreational bear hunt in Florida.
Slot machine odds are never good, but they’re better than the odds that an illegal gambling operation will fly under the state’s radar. Help the Florida Gaming Control Commission celebrate a string of busts with a round of Bad Bets.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Rays face St. Pete native Colton Gordon to open series.
The Tampa Bay Rays open a three-game home series against the Houston Astros tonight at Steinbrenner Field (7:05 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Network Sun).
The Rays (21-25) enter the series six games behind the American League East-leading New York Yankees and a game behind the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. The difference in the Rays’ season has been the team’s play in their temporary home.
Tampa Bay has lost 17 of 28 games played at home while winning 10 of 18 on the road. The Rays are coming off a six-game road trip in Toronto and Miami, during which they went 3-3.
Right-hander Ryan Pepiot (2-5, 3.93 ERA) is scheduled to start for Tampa Bay. He pitched well in his last start, striking out seven and allowing three runs in six innings in a 3-1 loss to the Blue Jays. He has been reliable this season for the Rays, pitching at least five innings in all but one start.
Houston will counter with St. Petersburg native Colton Gordon (0-0, 6.23). The rookie left-hander will make his second appearance of the season. Gordon played college baseball at Hillsborough Community College and UCF. He grew up playing baseball at Fossil Park in St. Petersburg, about five miles from Tropicana Field.
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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.
