Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiApril 1, 2015

Tuesday, we wrote about a situation that aggrieved certain residents of Jacksonville’s urban core, in which “love locks” put on a fence on Jacksonville’s Northbank by individuals to demonstrate romantic or other types of love were removed by a city worker because the area supervisor considered them to be blight. Late Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Alvin […]

Mitch PerryApril 1, 2015

The St. Petersburg City Council won’t be voting on that newly revised agreement that Mayor Rick Kriseman worked out with the Tampa Bay Rays last week that seemed to resolve the main conflict in why the Council didn’t approve the deal last December: the redevelopment rights to Tropicana Field. The new deal the mayor negotiated […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 1, 2015

Although Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office candidate Ken Jefferson did not speak at the rally that we covered Monday across the street from the Cleveland Arms apartment complex (a rally protesting the police-involved shooting of 22-year-old Devanta Jones), he did speak to residents that day. His office issued a statement Tuesday that addressed this incident, and Sheriff John Rutherford‘s […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 1, 2015

Doctors and insurers battled over balance billing in the Florida Legislature on Tuesday. While the House Appropriations Committee advanced a bill, CS/HB 681 by Rep. Carlos Trujillo that would prevent insured patients from being balanced bill by providers for emergency care and place into statutes reimbursement options the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee took a pass […]

Florence SnyderMarch 31, 2015

A half century after an unsolved murder, who did the crime is less important that what the crime did to those left behind. The October 22, 1966 murders of Robert and Helen Sims and their 12 year old daughter Joy changed Tallahassee, overnight, from a place where everyone trusted everyone to a place where the […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 31, 2015

An overhaul of state group health insurance benefits moved one step closer to the floor on Tuesday with House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran declaring that he would spend his last breath as a legislator altering the health care program. Before passing the measure, HB 7097, the committee tagged on an amendment that bill sponsor Rep. […]

James CallMarch 31, 2015

This day at the state Capitol lawmakers continue to clear their desks of items before getting down to serious budget work. They dealt with the contentious issues of marijuana, abortion and fracking before having to deal with the $4.2 billion of really contentious differences in the spending plans they are developing. • • • Sen. Garrett […]

Phil AmmannMarch 31, 2015

In his newest editorial cartoon, Bill Day takes on the state’s “Keystone Cops,” otherwise known as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. FDLE, in a rare moment of self-reflection, acknowledged it “could have better evaluated” the “threat” from Boca Raton-based blogger Daniel Tilson. Tilson’s transgression? Using a Beatles lyric in a recent Context Florida post […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 31, 2015

Fabien Levy, communications manager for Mayor Alvin Brown’s re-election campaign the past couple of months, has left the campaign in the past 24 to 48 hours, according to two knowledgeable sources. It was a “amicable” parting, the sources said, as the campaign calibrates its message heading into the May 19 runoff election. The source stressed […]

Mitch PerryMarch 31, 2015

A Florida House Committee on Tuesday passed a bill (HB 451) that would replenish a tax incentives program to woo Hollywood film, television and digital productions to Florida, but it wasn’t easy. Orlando Republican Mike Miller is sponsoring the bill in the House, while Nancy Detert from Venice is carrying it once again in the Senate. For the past […]

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Alvin Brown’s office clarifies position on “love locks”

Mitch Perry Report for 4.1.15 — TBT slams city council members over Rays impasse

Ken Jefferson and Alvin Brown address Cleveland Arms “tragedy”

House OKs, Senate delays balance billing ban for emergency care

Florence Snyder: The murders that changed Tallahassee forever

Richard Corcoran swears he’ll “crack the status quo” — even if it takes his last breath

The day that was in Florida politics — March 31

Bill Day’s latest: Daniel Tilson and the FDLE Keystone Cops

Fabien Levy leaves Alvin Brown campaign

Film tax incentives package gets through House panel