Elevator pitch

Phil AmmannMay 26, 2017

The sun rises, as we are told, every day in downtown Jacksonville. But for the City Council class of 2011, slated for term-limits in 2019, those sunrises are beginning to fade. Chosen Tuesday, the Council officers — who first took office in 2015 — show that the balance of power has shifted, the baton has […]

Phil AmmannMay 26, 2017

Florida TaxWatch, the nonpartisan government watchdog organization, served up its annual list of “Budget Turkeys,” naming almost $178 million in line-item projects part of the $82.4 billion budget passed May 8 by the Florida House and Senate. For the Tampa Bay region, Florida TaxWatch targeted more than $33 million in local projects as individual line […]

Phil AmmannMay 26, 2017

Thanksgiving is six months away, but Friday is “turkey” day for Gov. Rick Scott. Florida TaxWatch, the nonpartisan government watchdog group, released its annual “Budget Turkey List,” of almost $178 million in line-item projects that are part of the $82.4 billion budget passed May 8 by the Florida House and Senate. Budget Turkeys are individual […]

Phil AmmannMay 26, 2017

Political hacking wasn’t limited to just the Democratic National Committee in 2016; Florida was also part of the act. Last year, a Republican political operative and part-time blogger from Florida asked for and received an extensive list of stolen data from Guccifer 2.0, the infamous hacker known for leaking documents from the DNC computer network. […]

Phil AmmannMay 22, 2017

State Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen is offering her Southwest Florida constituents a list achievements of the 2017 Legislative Session, which ended May 8. During the last two weeks of Session, the Fort Myers Republican said in an email that lawmakers spent a majority of time on House floor debating the state’s “Tax Package” and the upcoming […]

Phil AmmannMay 18, 2017

The ongoing Corrine Brown drama pushed our legislative roundup back a week — but given the drama that ensued this week regarding what the Duval Delegation accomplished, that’s just as well. Boils down to this: the legislators think they brought home the bacon, and some in City Hall believe that they brought home crumbs. As […]

Phil AmmannMay 17, 2017

Now that the 2017 Legislative Session is in the history books (for the most part), Florida lawmakers are beginning to take stock. And Palm Harbor Republican Chris Sprowls is no different. Sprowls offers his own post-Session review, in an email to supporters highlighting some of his major legislative actions in the House over the past […]

Phil AmmannMay 17, 2017

Senate Democrats are ready to work with Gov. Rick Scott should he veto the massive education reform bill pushed by House leaders in the final days of the 2017 Session. Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald reports that Senate Minority Leader Oscar Braynon is prepared to help prevent an override of Scott’s veto, under […]

Phil AmmannMay 16, 2017

On Monday, Gov. Rick Scott announced seven appointments and reappointments to a variety of state boards. Florida Real Estate Commission Scott began by naming Randy Schwartz to the Florida Real Estate Commission, a seven-member board that administers and enforces real estate license law. Schwartz, 67, of Winter Springs, is a private practice attorney. He fills […]

Phil AmmannMay 12, 2017

Florida retailers believe moms will get a lot of love this year, as consumers are set to spend record numbers for Mother’s Day in 2017. According to the Florida Retail Federation (FRF), consumers will spend more than ever on gifts for Mother’s Day this year, reaching $23.6 billion. The state’s leading retailer trade association expect […]

Phil Ammann
Tropical Plant expo in Fort Lauderdale. Image Via FNGLA.

Jacksonville Bold for 5.26.17 — Sunrise, sunsets

Tampa Bay region marked for $33M in Florida TaxWatch ‘turkeys’

Rick Scott gets $178M serving of Florida TaxWatch ‘budget turkeys’

Florida GOP operative, blogger teamed up with Guccifer 2.0 for hacking dump

Heather Fitzenhagen highlights Session wins for Southwest Florida

Jacksonville Bold — 5.19.17 — It was a very good year?

Chris Sprowls looks back on successful 2017 Session

Senate Democrats could help block budget veto override – with caveats

Rick Scott announces seven state board appointments

Florida retailers expect record breaking Mother’s Day in 2017