Joe Henderson, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Joe HendersonMay 4, 2017

In a crowded grand movie theater in the middle of downtown Tampa on Wednesday night, the people who produced the Tampa Tribune finally got a proper send-off. It was one year to the day that the newspaper where I and hundreds more worked was bought and closed by our rival, the Tampa Bay Times. They […]

Joe HendersonMay 3, 2017

While it’s clear what Gov. Rick Scott hopes to accomplish with his barnstorming tour of the state over the next few days, it almost certainly won’t make any difference. He calls it the “Fighting For Florida’s Future” tour because he wants to fully fund Enterprise Florida so it can continue providing $85 million in taxpayer […]

Joe HendersonMay 1, 2017

Increasing the state’s homestead exemption by $25,000, which is a priority for House Speaker Richard Corcoran and his merry band of tax-slayers, would no doubt be popular with voters. If the measure gets past the legislative hoops and on the 2018 ballot as a constitutional amendment, I imagine it would easily break the 60 percent […]

Joe HendersonApril 27, 2017

Assuming Gov. Rick Scott signs the bill repealing the state’s so-called “booze wall,” I suspect it won’t take long before we all wonder what the fuss was about. The euphemistic wall is one of those Prohibition-era creations that mandated hard liquor can’t be sold in regular grocery stores. That might have made sense 82 years […]

Joe HendersonApril 24, 2017

Frank Artiles’ forced resignation last Friday from the state Senate provides the first real test for Democrats to show they have finally learned they can’t keep offering up the same ol’, same ol’ and expect to win enough seats in the Legislature to make a difference. No one articulated that better than Dwight Bullard, the […]

Joe HendersonApril 24, 2017

It’s a good thing the Florida House of Representatives wasn’t in session when Columbus wanted to sail the ocean blue. Lawmakers would have passed a bill prohibiting the trip because science hadn’t yet proven that the earth was round. Oh, there were those crackpots who said it was, but the representatives of the day would […]

Joe HendersonApril 20, 2017

The damage wrought by state Sen. Frank Artiles’ racist rant has ripples that extend far beyond the seats of power in Tallahassee. All it took to confirm that was to type his “Senator Frank Artiles” into Google. Within seconds, a collection of stories popped up that confirms how much impact the bile from his bigoted […]

Joe HendersonApril 19, 2017

If you’re keeping score (and I know you are), Tuesday was a bad day for the Florida Senate. That august body served up a double serving from the “This Is Why People Hate Politicians” buffet. There was the eye-popping, ear-insulting, are-you-kidding-me story that Sen. Frank Artiles employed the vilest racial insult to describe a pair […]

Joe HendersonApril 17, 2017

There were all kinds of messages being sent to Gov. Rick Scott late last week at the Florida House of Representatives. The one from Democrat Bill Nelson, a three-term U.S. senator, can be summed up in two words: game on. Republican House Speaker Richard Corcoran had his own two-word message for the governor. I think […]

Joe HendersonApril 13, 2017

If you are struggling with student loan debt and thought you might get a break, think again. This week, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos quietly issued a decree reversing actions by President Obama to ease the burden of people struggling to pay off those loans. It focused on the servicing companies that collect loan payments for […]

Joe Henderson

Joe Henderson: ‘Stop the Presses’ was fond farewell to a grand ol’ dame named Mama Trib

Joe Henderson: While Rick Scott goes on tour to plead his case, Richard Corcoran keeps piling up wins

Joe Henderson: Homestead exemption increase would be great politics, lousy governing

Joe Henderson: Tearing down ‘booze wall’ is right choice for consumers

Joe Henderson: In wake of Frank Artiles’ departure, Democrats have chance to offer something new

Joe Henderson: House just made life a lot more difficult for public school boards, teachers

Joe Henderson: What damage could follow as Frank Artiles’ rant reverberates around the globe?

Joe Henderson: There’s only one ethical course for Senate to take. Ethics? Oh, wait …

Joe Henderson: Richard Corcoran’s invite to Bill Nelson a stick in Rick Scott’s eye, maybe more

Joe Henderson: Betsy DeVos sends clear signal that student loan borrowers won’t get a break