Elevator pitch

Phil AmmannFebruary 11, 2016

As April 15 quickly approaches and Americans start to file tax returns, a large number of people will be in for a shock. And it’s not a bigger-than-expected refund. Many will learn their taxes have already been filed – by someone else using their identity. Identity theft and tax fraud are on the rise in 2016, […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 10, 2016

Last of three parts. Unlike Florida’s stagnant civil forfeiture laws, other states have worked to address the problem. New Mexico, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, and Washington, D.C. have joined North Carolina by either banning civil forfeiture or requiring a criminal conviction as a prerequisite for all forfeitures. This is in addition to other states, like California, […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 10, 2016

The House Appropriations Committee Wednesday approved a bill seeking to shift the cost of relocating utility lines for infrastructure improvements from utilities to public entities. In some cases, the costs would be absorbed by the Florida Department of Transportation. According to LobbyTools, HB 461, filed by Pensacola Republican Rep. Clay Ingram, came after an opinion […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 9, 2016

Second of three parts. Civil forfeiture began as something relatively innocuous. Throughout most of U.S. history, civil forfeiture was primarily used to enforce duties and excise taxes. But this all changed during the 1980s, as law enforcement agencies around the nation began to realize that they could supplement their resources by pursuing civil forfeiture instead […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 9, 2016

Jan. 19 marked the start of tax season, a time only looked forward to by big spending politicians, bureaucrats and fraudsters. With Tax Day less than three months away, folks across the country are scrambling to get their financial houses in order as they prepare to file with the IRS. Complicating an already stressful process […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 9, 2016

Taxpayers beware: There is a dangerously naive proposal making the rounds in Tallahassee. Some politicians want to significantly damage Florida’s successful Contraband Forfeiture Act. This is the law that prevents criminals from profiting from their illegal acts. Just like we prohibit killers from profiting by writing books about their crimes, the civil contraband forfeiture law […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 9, 2016

A bill revamping the state’s process of public land acquisition and management passed its first Senate committee Tuesday. LobbyTools reports that SB 1290, filed by Trilby Republican Sen. Wilton Simpson is nearly identical to House equivalent, HB 1075, filed by Lehigh Acres Republican Rep. Matt Caldwell. Orlando Democratic Sen. Darren Soto submitted an amendment to strip language that […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 9, 2016

A Senate committee Tuesday unanimously approved a bill enabling insurance companies to sell standalone sinkhole policies for damages falling short of catastrophic loss, reports LobbyTools. The bill “would allow people to go out on the market and buy sinkhole coverage, standalone, not tied to their homeowner’s insurance,” said Sen. Jack Latvala, sponsor of Senate Bill […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 9, 2016

With falling natural gas prices, Duke Energy Florida announced it will cut monthly residential electricity rates $5.83 for a typical 1,000 kilowatt-hour customer beginning with its April billing cycle. The utility submitted its plan to the Florida Public Service Commission and is expected to be approved, reports LobbyTools. Duke uses natural gas to generate a majority of […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 8, 2016

First of three parts Floridians consider property rights to be sacrosanct. Indeed, our state constitution extends further than most by expressly declaring the rights to “acquire, possess and protect property” as basic and inalienable. Unfortunately, our actions over the last three decades in one specific area have not lived up to this promise. This area […]

Phil Ammann

How seniors can prevent rising online scams, identity theft during 2016 tax season

Justin Pearson: Legislature should pass important reforms to civil forfeiture laws

House committee approves bill shifting costs to move utility lines for infrastructure projects

Justin Pearson: Legislature needs to reform Florida’s civil forfeiture laws

Apryl Marie Fogel: Beware of tax-season scam artists

Grady Judd: Taxpayers have most to lose from attack on Contraband Forfeiture Act

Senate committee passes bill restructuring public land acquisition and management

Senate panel unanimously OKs standalone sinkhole insurance bill

Duke Energy Florida to cut electricity rates for April

Justin Pearson: Civil forfeiture: Florida’s embarrassing failure to protect property rights