Peter Schorsch, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschJune 8, 2014

Last week Gov. Rick Scott signed a record-sized state budget for Florida, and it included record-sized wins for the Alzheimer’s community. From research, to hurricane and emergency preparations, to better screening practices, to respite care, the 2014 budget represents the most ambitious and forward-thinking agenda Florida has seen on Alzheimer’s to date. These wins were delivered […]

Peter SchorschJune 5, 2014

Legally speaking, the charge facing former state Rep. Chris Dorworth is no more serious than attaching an invalid license plate to a vehicle. A second-degree misdemeanor for violating Florida’s Sunshine laws is just as wrong, in the court’s eyes, as disorderly intoxication or loitering, or driving with a suspended license. Aiding and abetting an elected official in […]

Peter SchorschJune 2, 2014

Gov. Rick Scott deserves some credit for being one of the loudest critics of the Obama administration’s handling of the scandal at the Veterans Administration. Last week, Scott announced that Florida is suing the VA to grant state health inspectors access to VA hospitals. For more than a month, the Obama administration denied state health inspectors […]

Peter SchorschMay 29, 2014

At this point, there’s probably no denying that Republican incumbent Rick Scott has taken a narrow lead over his likely Democratic challenger, Charlie Crist. According to the most recent poll by SurveyUSA for Tampa Bay’s News Channel 8, Scott leads Crist with 42 percent of voter support, compared to 40 percent for Crist. Nine percent of […]

Peter SchorschMay 26, 2014

“What else could a turkey buy?” If you are talking about a whole one for Thanksgiving, you could get 35 cans of cranberry sauce instead, or maybe even four pies. But if you’re talking Florida’s state budget and the annual Florida TaxWatch Turkey Watch list, them turkeys can buy a lot more. In the just-released […]

Peter SchorschMay 20, 2014

A half-year ago we politely asked the question that was on the lips of every casual observer of government in Central Florida: exactly what in the hell is going on at the OOCEA, an organization with a mission so boring that the width of bike paths should normally define the outer limits of spirited debate. […]

Peter SchorschMay 8, 2014

One of the most closely watched issues of Florida’s 2014 legislative session was how to best streamline the process to allocate tax dollars to professional sports facilities. HB 7095 was passed by the Florida Legislature and allows money to be available annually for Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the North American Soccer League, NASCAR, the […]

Peter SchorschMay 4, 2014

Winner: Will Weatherford With the passage of the immigration tuition bill, Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford is the single biggest winner of the 2014 legislative session. He has completely silenced his detractors by accomplishing something few of the old silverbacks could have pulled off, and it is the capstone on the first phase of a political […]

Peter SchorschMay 1, 2014

Hi, there. My name is FCAT. Yes, I’m the test your kids have been taking in Florida schools for a while now. But before shutting me down, I ask that you hear me out. … I’m 16 years old, but in test years, that means I’m a pretty old guy now. This year it was […]

Peter SchorschApril 17, 2014

Remember those required college courses where you could take the “same” class from any number of different professors? I was in one of those, a lower-level course on American government that had multiple sections. The course was a prerequisite for a number of other classes I wanted to take. My instructor wasn’t easy. He expected […]

Peter Schorsch

Peter Schorsch: Florida’s budget includes forward-thinking agenda on Alzheimer’s

Peter Schorsch: Dorworth guilty of not taking advantage of chances given him

Peter Schorsch: Scott outraged by VA scandal, but unfazed by DCF cover-up

Peter Schorsch: Views on state of the state behind Scott’s narrow lead?

Peter Schorsch: Watchdog groups identifies $120 million in legislative turkeys

Peter Schorsch: What’s happening at the Orlando Expressway Authority?

Peter Schorsch: Legislators avoided whether government should subsidize sports franchise owners

Peter Schorsch: The winners and losers in the 2014 legislative session

Peter Schorsch: A farewell address from the FCAT

Peter Schorsch: Despite grumbling, why educational testing matters