Staff Reports
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Despite a bill to expand Schools of Hope dying in the regularly scheduled Session, budgets in overtime repeatedly mention the program.
A day after Senate appropriators agreed to direct $6 million toward funding privately run charter schools in direct competition with struggling traditional schools, both chambers unrolled budget provisions that could structure funding long term.
The latest PreK-12 Education Appropriations proviso includes language setting aside funding for Schools of Hope, then allowing the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) to submit budget amendments requesting the release of the dollars. Those would be available to eligible recipients who submit detailed disbursement data, including dollar amounts and a description of how the money will be used.
The provision requires a detailed spending plan that identifies existing or new Schools of Hope. Applications for the coming year could be submitted no later than Aug. 1 this year.
The Senate agreed to the language first proposed by the House.
Meanwhile, a new House offer for the PreK-12 Appropriations conforming bill includes new language about Schools of Hope as well. The lower chamber calls for a transfer of funds from the Schools of Hope Revolving Loan Program to the Schools of Hope Program.
The Revolving Loan Program has sent out some $98.9 million in payments to Hope operators, according to FDOE reporting. That most recently included sending about $10.5 million to KIPP Miami’s 79th Street location and more than $2.3 million to the RCMA Mulberry Community Academy in Polk County.
State lawmakers first approved Schools of Hope in 2017, when a law allowed the establishment of charter schools to compete with traditional schools that were failing. However, the latest House language also seeks to redefine failure.
Read more on Florida Politics.
Evening Reads
—“How viral images are shaping views of L.A.’s immigration showdown” via Drew Harwell, Tatum Hunter and Naomi Nix of The Washington Post
—”The White House marching orders that sparked the L.A. migrant crackdown” via Elizabeth Findell, Ruth Simon, Michelle Hackman and Tarini Parti of The Wall Street Journal
—“Donald Trump ‘wants to demonstrate absolute power’: Maggie Haberman on covering a tumultuous second term” via Natalie Korach of Vanity Fair
—”Trump’s gross misuse of the National Guard” via Juliette Kayyem of The Atlantic
—”How a little-known law became Trump’s weapon of choice against immigration” via Nicole Narea of Vox
—”Budget conference: Lawmakers agree to rescind $400M from controversial reservoir project” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics
—”Ron DeSantis orders Orlando Sentinel to stop investigating his scandal. That’s not happening.” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel
—”Top Florida officials approve buying 340 acres from luxury golf developer” via Max Chesnes and Emily L. Mahoney of the Tampa Bay Times
—”Florida Senate District 16 redistricting trial kicks off in federal court in Tampa” via Mitch Perry of the Florida Phoenix
—”Budget conference: No funding for FSU Election Law Center” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
—“Budget conference: People convicted of weed crimes could lose medical cards” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
Quote of the Day
“We will make an example of you, you can guarantee it.”
— Gov. Ron DeSantis, on would-be anti-ICE rioters.
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.
Pour a Reboot for the Science Center of Pinellas County, which will receive another $800,000 to help reactivate the facility after it closed in 2014.
Raise a Bay of Pigs to the Legislature for agreeing to put another $1 million toward the multimillion-dollar museum and library expansion in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood.
Weeks after passing a bill authorizing an Election Law Center at Florida State University, the Legislature opted to serve it Zeroes on the funding front.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Marlins, Pirates continue series in Pittsburgh
The Miami Marlins continue a three-game series in Pittsburgh against the Pirates tonight (6:40 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Network Florida).
Miami opened the series yesterday with a 10-3 loss to the Pirates. Pittsburgh scored four runs in the third inning and added four more in the sixth to take control of the game. Pittsburgh outhit the Marlins 15-7 in the game.
The matchup between a pair of teams in the cellar of their respective divisions offers a chance for either team to generate some momentum. The Pirates have won four straight after beating Miami on Monday.
Both teams have struggled to score runs, but Miami’s bigger issue has been limiting opposing bats. The Marlins have surrendered 350 runs this season. Only the Colorado Rockies have allowed more runs in the National League.
Miami is scheduled to send 2022 Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara to the mound tonight against Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller. Alcantara is 2-7 with a 7.89 earned run average. In his last start, he took the loss despite limiting the Rockies to two runs on four hits over six innings.
This is the second series of the season between the Marlins and Pirates. Miami took two of three to open the season in South Florida. The series is scheduled to conclude tomorrow afternoon.
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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.
