Jim Rosica, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaOctober 2, 2016

Screen-Shot-2016-10-02-at-11.42.46-AM.png

Gov. Rick Scott continued to warn state residents that Hurricane Matthew, though not currently targeting Florida, is “a very dangerous storm and life threatening.” The storm, which has been fluctuating between a Category 4 and Category 5 hurricane, on Sunday morning was tracking westerly at 5 mph with sustained winds of 140 mph. The National […]

Jim RosicaOctober 1, 2016

Screen-Shot-2016-10-01-at-4.58.57-PM-e1475355616980.png

La Gaceta, Tampa’s trilingual weekly newspaper, has endorsed incumbent Shawn Harrison in the state House District 63 race. Harrison, a one-term Republican, faces Democrat Lisa Montelione in the November general election. The area, which includes New Tampa, has been a swing district. An editorial in the newspaper — publishing articles in English, Spanish and Italian — said that “normally, […]

Jim RosicaOctober 1, 2016

Yet another batch of mosquitoes in Miami Beach tested positive for the Zika virus. The results were in the same location “where five other samples had previously tested positive,” the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced Saturday. The latest positive sample of Aedes aeqypti mosquitoes was from a trap located on West 49th Street in Miami […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 30, 2016

Updated 11 p.m. : Gov. Rick Scott, in an executive order, suspended Greer from the Florida E911 Board “effective immediately.” Stan Greer, AT&T’s Tallahassee-based area manager for regulatory affairs, was charged Friday with three counts of computer pornography, Leon County court records show. Greer, 54, also sits on the Florida E911 Board, which oversees statewide emergency […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 30, 2016

State Sen. Jack Latvala, his chamber’s next budget chief, Friday said he might file legislation for next year to put municipal utilities under the supervision of the state’s Public Service Commission. “I think you’re going to see a bill dealing with the municipalities that are currently not supervised by anybody above them, in terms of […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 30, 2016

State Sen. Jack Latvala told reporters Friday he would again support money in the state budget for business incentives and state worker pay raises. “If we’re going to have economic development, and jobs are still the No. 1 thing on people’s minds, then we need to fund it,” he said after a medical marijuana press […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 30, 2016

The forces against this year’s medical marijuana initiative lined up a one-two punch Friday against the proposed state constitutional amendment. Former state Supreme Court Justice Ken Bell provided the legal jab, saying marijuana doesn’t belong in the state’s chief governing document. He addressed reporters at a press conference in Tallahassee. “You create a fundamental right that […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 29, 2016

Sounding like a candidate for higher office, Florida Gov. Rick Scott Thursday rapped Congress for dithering before finally OK’ing $1.1 billion to fight the Zika virus. “We repeatedly called for months to get something done,” the Naples Republican said on a conference call. “This is all about pregnant women and making sure they have healthy babies.” The Zika virus […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 29, 2016

Screen-Shot-2016-02-05-at-9.04.31-AM-1024x1024.png

The Florida Supreme Court has received the first handful of applications for Chief Justice Jorge Labarga’s three selections for the Constitution Revision Commission. According to spokesman Craig Waters, the first four are: Jason Johnson, a Panama City attorney and Florida National Guardsman. Joseph M. Matthews, a Coral Gables attorney and business litigator. Tyler Winik, deputy clerk […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 29, 2016

With less than a week before a trial over their blackjack games begins, the Seminole Tribe of Florida has removed James E. Billie as tribal chairman. Billie was ousted Wednesday in a 4-0 vote of the tribe’s governing council, Law 360 reported, citing “various issues with policies and procedures of the chairman’s office.” Gary Bitner, spokesman for […]

Jim Rosica
Aerial photo courtesy Jesse Biter.

Hurricane Matthew still may threaten Sunshine State

La Gaceta endorses Shawn Harrison for HD 63

Still more Miami-Dade mosquitoes test positive for Zika

Stan Greer, gubernatorial appointee to board overseeing 911 system, arrested for soliciting online sex with 14 year-old

Jack Latvala says bill may put PSC over local utilities

Jack Latvala backs business incentives, raises for state workers

‘Reefer Madness’ returns to Tallahassee

Zika funding ‘all about pregnant women,’ Rick Scott says

Applications trickle in to Jorge Labarga for Constitution Revision Commission

James E. Billie ousted as head of state’s Seminole Tribe