Staff Reports
Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
Florida Politics’ 12th annual list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians continued Tuesday, No. 20 through No. 16 MPPs. Check them out here and stay tuned this week as the countdown approaches the No. 1 reveal on Friday.
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In its latest annual “Budget Turkey Watchdog Report,” Florida TaxWatch has identified 242 questionable spending items totaling $416.1 million in the state’s $115.1 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
As it has in years past, the nonprofit watchdog group is urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to scrutinize the earmarks for possible vetoes.
Florida TaxWatch defines “Budget Turkeys” as appropriations that circumvent normal review procedures, bypass public scrutiny or are added late in the budget process.
“These projects have not undergone the thorough review process that Florida’s taxpayers demand,” Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic Calabro said in a statement.
“(We) strongly encourage Gov. DeSantis to assess each project we flagged — turkey or otherwise — and determine whether its funding is counter to good budgeting practices.”
Lawmakers finalized the state’s next budget Friday in an extended Session and passed it late Monday after a requisite 72-hour cooling-off period.
The 20-page report, which Florida TaxWatch published Tuesday, also highlights another $799.5 million in spending that, while not designated as turkeys, should receive “especially close scrutiny” from the Governor, the group said.
One of the largest categories of concern involves university construction. Florida TaxWatch identified 18 projects totaling $134.3 million that were not prioritized or ranked on the Board of Governors’ Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) list.
That includes $25 million for the University of Florida Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, $14.8 million for the Hicks Honors College academic building at the University of North Florida, $12.5 million for renovations at Florida State University’s Rovetta Business Building, and $10 million for the University of South Florida’s Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing.
Read more on Florida Politics.
Evening Reads
—”Florida’s House Speaker stood up to Ron DeSantis, and shifted the power dynamics” via Patricia Mazzei of The New York Times
—”Donald Trump is deporting way fewer people than Obama did. Why?” via Nicole Narea of Vox
—“Republicans have a HUGE political problem on their hands” via Chris Cillizza of So What
—”Senate GOP’s tax megabill faces trouble on left and right” via Siobhan Hughes, Richard Rubin and Jasmine Li of The Wall Street Journal
—“Ambassador to Canada was almost always an easy lift. Not under Trump.” via Martine Powers and Amanda Coletta of The Washington Post
—“How Ivermectin became right-wing aspirin” via Benjamin Mazer of The Atlantic
—”Threats from ‘people who are quite frankly lunatics’ fuel bill shielding officials’ home addresses” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
—“Is there a place for ‘Never Trump’ Republicans in Florida?” via Mitch Perry of Florida Politics
—“Public adjusters could become harder to find if new Citizens Insurance payout policy spreads” via Ron Hurtibise of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
—“Billions for tourism. Crumbs for locals. Florida legislators kill hope for change” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“Every Speaker kind of has their shtick. Mine was just to come in here with my arms wide open, my eyes wide open. And expect the best.”
— House Speaker Daniel Perez.
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.
After securing a permanent repeal of the commercial rents sales tax, we know what Florida’s business community won’t be ordering: a Rent is Way Too Highball.
There’s only one way to celebrate $250 million for conservation easements in mid-June: A Summer Land!
The Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida is sipping on Vital Signs after lawmakers preserved “vital funding” for the institutions providing complex, lifesaving care to Florida’s most vulnerable.
Breakthrough Insights
Tune In
Panthers can repeat as Stanley Cup champions tonight
The Florida Panthers can successfully defend their Stanley Cup championship with a win at home tonight in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers (8 p.m. ET, TBT).
Florida leads the best-of-seven series three games to two after winning 5-2 in Edmonton on Saturday. Brad Marchand scored twice, and Sam Bennett added his 15th goal of the playoffs as the Panthers won in Canada for the second time in the Finals. The record for playoff goals in a single season is 19.
Florida has been dominant on opposing ice in the postseason, winning 10 of 13 games on the road.
Now, they can claim Lord Stanley’s Cup in front of their home fans as they did last year when they won the title at Amerant Bank Arena in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals.
The Panthers can become the third team in the 21st century to successfully defend the championship, joining their Florida rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won the Cup in 2020 and 2021, and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won it in 2016 and 2017.
If the Oilers win tonight, a decisive Game 7 will be played in Edmonton on Friday.
If the Panthers win the title, it would be the ninth professional major league team sports championship in Miami’s history. The Dolphins won Super Bowls in the 1972 and 1973 seasons, and the Heat won NBA championships in 2006, 2012, and 2013. The Marlins took the World Series in 1997 and 2003.
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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.
