Bill Rufty, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bill RuftyFebruary 13, 2016

Hopes that the Florida Legislature would give the city of Winter Haven enough money to buy the unused Nora Mayo Hall from the state are gone for this year. The reason is a lack of support from Gov. Rick Scott, members of the Polk County Legislative Delegation said. Although the purchase won’t happen this year […]

Bill RuftyFebruary 6, 2016

JJ Corbett is a hero of World War II, but more importantly he’s a hero of the human spirit. He took on a mission kept so secret that only in the past decade or two has it been made public. And he was injured on that mission. But Corbett, now 92, from Bartow, was never […]

Bill RuftyJanuary 30, 2016

Darren Soto was the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to be elected to the Florida Senate. The Orlando Democrat, a commercial and civil rights attorney, is now working to become the first in the U.S. Congress from Florida by winning the 9th Congressional District But he has an array of competing Democrats with more […]

Bill RuftyJanuary 24, 2016

The president of the Florida Federation of Republican Women said that the League of Women Voters, whose proposed congressional and state Senate redistricting maps were adopted by the courts after it and other groups sued, is liberal in its policies and its membership is largely from Democrats. Dena DeCamp of Lakeland said the Florida Federation […]

Bill RuftyJanuary 20, 2016

The Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee passed a bill Tuesday by Sen. Kelli Stargel, a Lakeland Republican, protecting creditors from being sued or fined for continued harassing debt collection calls if the person owing the debt or their attorney fails to provide certain notice at a specific location. The vote was 7 to 3 in […]

Bill RuftyJanuary 19, 2016

A hearing late Tuesday afternoon before the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee could mark a Session-long fight over Florida’s consumer protection laws that relate to bill collectors harassing people, and to hospitals finding themselves caught in a scam and paying a high penalty for a purposefully mismailed complaint. A bill by Sen. Kelli Stargel, a […]

Bill RuftyJanuary 12, 2016

The state of Florida is sitting on a building it cannot sell, but won’t give it to a local municipality which says it needs it. In his final year in the Florida House due to term limits, Winter Haven Republican Rep. John Wood said he and members of the Polk County delegation will be fighting […]

Bill RuftyJanuary 6, 2016

Polk County business leaders and legislators are readying for a possible end run around the Florida Department of Transportation’s decision to postpone and perhaps even stop support for the Central Polk Parkway toll road … maybe a half-end run. Rep. John Wood, a Winter Haven Republican who has chaired the Central Polk Parkway Working Group […]

Bill RuftyJanuary 5, 2016

After the announcement Tuesday of the new numbered districts following a court-ordered redistricting because the Florida Senate couldn’t or wouldn’t do its job, Polk County still will have three state Senate Districts. But it could have at least two new senators after the 2016 elections. The districts won’t be in the same positions in the […]

Bill RuftyDecember 23, 2015

The holiday season is a time of giving, and Boynton Beach Republican Mark Freeman has promised to gift his campaign for Florida’s 18th Congressional District $1 million of his own money. Originally planning a run for the 22nd Congressional District, Freeman, an orthopedic surgeon, has entered a very crowded race for Congress to replace Congressman […]

Bill Rufty
Image via AP.

State: No to Nora Mayo Hall … for now

A hero in war and life

Darren Soto running in interwoven race for 9th Congressional District

Florida Republican group strives to be “conservative alternative” to League of Women Voters

Bill protecting creditors from lawsuits advances

Threats to consumers? Or threats to hospitals?

John Wood says state needs to let go of Nora Mayo Hall

Maybe Polk County will build a toll road, anyway

In Polk County, new state Senate districts – and new intrigues

‘Tis the Season for giving … to one’s own campaign