Scott Powers, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersApril 19, 2017

Saying that otherwise the incident will be shortly forgotten and no one will be held accountable, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King called Wednesday for Gov. Rick Scott to demand that Sen. Frank Artiles resign over his reported racist and profane comments to black colleges. Artiles was reported, first in the Miami Herald, to have launched […]

Scott PowersApril 18, 2017

In a letter sent today to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, Florida’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson called attention to Florida’s heroin and opioids crisis and sought answers on how Medicaid can do more. In his letter, Nelson declared that the heroin and opioid epidemic is “devastating Florida” and he encouraged Price […]

Scott PowersApril 18, 2017

Lawmakers looking to cut budget and staffing levels of Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala note that she has so many unfilled staff positions that the cuts should not affect performance, yet a statewide look shows her operation is pretty typical of state attorneys offices. Almost all of Florida’s state attorneys – as well as Florida’s public defenders, […]

Scott PowersApril 18, 2017

Taxes that Florida and many local governments collect on phone, cable and other communication services are in steady decline for the same reasons as land-line telephones: people are finding different, better, and cheaper ways to consumer communications. An explosion in popularity of Internet video services such as Netflix and Hulu, combined with other technology and consumer choice advances, […]

Scott PowersApril 17, 2017

Saying that conservationists’ efforts apparently are dead this year to get funding routed for preservation as Amendment 1 voters expected, Democratic state Sen. Linda Stewart said she’s organizing support now for next year. That begins with state Sen. Rob Bradley, the Orange Park Republican who chairs the SenateAppropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and Natural Resources, she […]

Scott PowersApril 17, 2017

An effort to create a new model for water protection in Polk County got an enthusiastic approval Monday from the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee. Committee Substitute for House Bill 573, sponsored by state Rep. Colleen Burton would create a regional authority aiming to coordinate water projects in the critical Green Swamp region in Polk […]

Scott PowersApril 17, 2017

State budget cuts the Florida Legislature is aiming at Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala‘s office could slice up to $1.3 million and 21 staff members yet there is dispute over how much she’ll need that money and staff to prosecute criminal cases in Orange and Osceola counties. Her office currently has 55 open jobs out […]

Scott PowersApril 17, 2017

Three bomb threats in early January left parents being served by the Roth Family Jewish Community Center in Maitland torn between their appreciation for the center and the safety of the children. Should they stay or should the leave? The bomb threats led to no physical harm and the March arrest in Israel of the suspect […]

Scott PowersApril 14, 2017

Airbnb and five of its clients filed suit against the city of Miami Friday over a controversial move the city made last month to ban vacation rental homes in residential districts. At issue is whether and how cities can regulate vacation rental homes, a rapidly increasing part of the lodging industry in which homeowners turn […]

Scott PowersApril 14, 2017

After watching Orlando just miss the cut for federal counter-terrorism grants the past two years, Orlando’s Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings is putting together a bipartisan push to get such money increased to help mid-sized cities. Demings and U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, a Texas Republican whose hometown of San Antonio also got passed over for […]

Scott Powers

Chris King calls on Rick Scott to call for Frank Artiles’ resignation

Bill Nelson presses Tom Price on Florida’s opioid crisis, Medicaid’s ability to fight it

Not just Aramis Ayala: Almost all state attorneys have lots of job openings for prosecutors, support staff

Communications technologies, consumer choices, could end-run taxation

Linda Stewart gathering support for Amendment 1 funding next year

Bill to create ‘Polk Regional Water Cooperative’ gets committee approval

Aramis Ayala’s staff build up raises questions about whether she has enough

Stephanie Murphy tours JCC, pledges help to keep community secure

Showdown in Miami: Airbnb sues over vacation rental home ban

Val Demings pushes for more federal counter-terrorism money