Florence Snyder, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Florence SnyderApril 17, 2017

Planting pinwheels may “raise awareness” of child abuse, but the hard and labor-intensive work of preventing child abuse goes on in places where skilled professionals collaborate to do more difficult things. One such place is Orange County’s B.A.B.Y. Court. There, Circuit Judge Alicia Latimore offers lollipops to toddlers and tots who have suffered the trauma […]

Florence SnyderApril 12, 2017

When Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi finally got around to talking about Florida’s opioid crisis, the hot air was suffocating. In parts of Florida, opioids have overtaken homicides and DUIs as a cause of very premature and utterly unnecessary death. That is not breaking news to anyone who has been paying even […]

Florence SnyderApril 10, 2017

Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg added his name last week to the list of public officials begging Gov Rick Scott to recognize the opioid epidemic for the public health emergency that it is, or at least have the guts to look them in the eye and tell them why he won’t. America’s opioid […]

Florence SnyderApril 9, 2017

In the 1960s, “morning announcements” at Miami Crestview Elementary School were served up with a side order of morning Scriptures. The daily Bible readings skewed heavily New Testament, and the Jewish kids always dreaded spring, with its Easter ham-handed swipes at “Christ-killers.” It was confusing, unsettling and sometimes downright scary. Somehow, we managed to weather […]

Florence SnyderApril 6, 2017

Boca Raton, the plastic surgery capital of the world and a nice place to be from, is doing something right with its kids. Located in south Palm Beach County, just minutes away from Ground Zero in Florida’s opioid crisis, Boca Raton is America’s City Most Likely to Be Mispronounced by Late Night Comedians and Out […]

Florence SnyderApril 4, 2017

It’s that time of year when claims bills are briefly — very briefly — in the news. Claims bills are the state’s reluctant, belated, grudging way of saying “we’re sorry” for the malfeasance and malpractice that ruined someone’s life. In a functioning system, simple mistakes and honest errors are caught quickly and generally capable of […]

Florence SnyderApril 2, 2017

“Foster care kids are our kids. They are our kids,” said Boca Raton Democratic Sen. Kevin Rader in support of legislation making it easier for youth in state custody to obtain a driver’s license. You hear that line a lot — a lot — from “leadership” at the Department of Children & Families (DCF), and […]

Florence SnyderMarch 29, 2017

As the dust settles on last week’s Trumpcare debacle, President Donald Trump is reaching out to Sen. Chuck Schumer and others who think that America should join the rest of the civilized world in making basic health care a fundamental right. That makes this an excellent time to remind Trump’s good friend, Florida Gov. Rick […]

Florence SnyderMarch 27, 2017

If there’s one thing a $113,000 a year Florida tourism executive urgently needs, it’s a $26,000 raise. Otherwise, says the Brevard County Director Compensation and Job Performance Committee, its Office of Tourism Executive Director Eric Garvey might leave the Space Coast — where the median household income is $48,483 — for greener Florida tourism pastures, […]

Florence SnyderMarch 23, 2017

In a few weeks or months, we will learn the name of the Volusia County woman who, in 1997, had the bad fortune to encounter one Robert Sheridan Haar. Relying upon DNA evidence, police say Haar, 22 at the time, and two of his yet-unidentified predator pals abducted and gang raped her near Mud Lake […]

Florence Snyder
Joel Rudman with wife Sophie. Photo via Rudman.

Florence Snyder: Why children die: B.A.B.Y. Court works, but Florida prefers to pay for things that don’t

Florence Snyder: Florida’s opioid crisis, Part 4 – Showtime at the Kabuki Theater

Dave Aronberg takes a number and gets in line

Florence Snyder: Prayers over the public-address system are a Florida fixture

‘We Dine Together’ is rare good news from Boca Raton

Florence Snyder: Why children die — Part 2; clues in the claims bills

Why children die – Part 1: If everybody’s responsible, nobody’s responsible

Palm Beach County Commissioner has great advice for Rick Scott — Part 2

Florence Snyder: VISIT clueless tourism officials in Brevard County

Rape kits delayed is justice denied, Part 3