Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryFebruary 16, 2015

On Valentine’s Day, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor used the occasion to advocate that the best present to give a loved one was to make sure they signed up for the Affordable Care Act, since the the deadline for enrollment expired Sunday night. “If you were to ask me what would be the best […]

Associated PressFebruary 16, 2015

The number of tourists flocking to Florida continues to grow to record numbers. Gov. Rick Scott will announce on Monday that more than 97 million visited the state last year according to estimates prepared by Visit Florida. That’s the fourth year in a row that the state has had a record number of tourists come […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 16, 2015

Republican candidates and parties in key primary states are among the first beneficiaries of Jeb Bush’s Right to Rise PAC. The committee launched by the former Florida governor and prospective 2016 Republican presidential candidate announced on Friday it gave nearly $123,000 in contributions. The largest payments were $10,000 each to the Republican Parties of Florida, […]

Kevin MeerschaertFebruary 16, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council is expected to ask voters whether they are willing to pay an additional half-cent sales tax to pay off the city’s pension obligation. Councilman Bill Gulliford introduced a bill that would place the question on the city’s May election ballot. The higher tax rate would last 10 years with the money […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 16, 2015

Democrats with an extra twenty bucks (and change) can support Hillary Clinton’s not-yet-announced presidential run in Tampa next week. Ready for Hillary, the Super PAC backing the nascent campaign of the former First Lady and Secretary of State, is holding a “low dollar” reception on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Mise en Place, 442 West Kennedy […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 16, 2015

Democrats with an extra twenty bucks (and change) can support Hillary Clinton’s not-yet-announced presidential run in Tampa next week. Ready for Hillary, the Super PAC backing the nascent campaign of the former First Lady and Secretary of State, is holding a “low dollar” reception on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Mise en Place, 442 West Kennedy […]

Martin DyckmanFebruary 15, 2015

The premise underlying Florida’s death penalty is that it will be carried out fairly. To borrow a phrase, that is a bright and shining lie. As the first to re-enact capital punishment after the U.S. Supreme Court struck it down in 1972, Florida’s Legislature provided specific criteria for death sentences and required the state Supreme […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 15, 2015

Almost all of the headlines surrounding the annual session of the Florida Legislature will have already been written by the time lawmakers are gaveled into business on March 3. Those headlines will involve calls to expand Medicaid; a budget hole created by the federal government’s refusal to fund the Low Income Pool health care program; […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 15, 2015

Remember the Tom Cruise movie “Minority Report,” about Pre-Cogs predicting crimes before they happened so the PreCrime unit could swoop in and punish people before they did anything wrong? Well, apparently the Tampa Bay Times’ Adam Smith thinks that’s how responsible journalism should work, too. You’ll find in Smith’s latest column precise reporting of a future lapse in Jeb Bush’s decorum when he says “our […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 15, 2015

A rising tide lifts all boats; nowhere is that more apparent than recent changes to South Florida’s political journalism. Case in point; reporter Patricia Mazzei is now a new political writer at the Miami Herald. Mazzei has covered Miami’s political scene since 2007. This weekend, she became the successor to Marc Caputo, who recently departed for […]

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Image via NOAA

Mitch Perry Report for 2.16.15 — Deadline for Obamacare sign-up has expired. Or has it?

Record number of 97 million tourists visited Florida

Jeb Bush PAC starts spending, gives $123K to GOP in early primary states

Sales tax bump for pension payoffs introduced for Jax ballot

Ready for Hillary to hold “low dollar” fundraiser in Tampa Feb. 24

Ready for Hillary to hold "low dollar" fundraiser in Tampa Feb. 24

Martin Dyckman: Capital punishment in Florida is death by judicial whim

Big tobacco, Brecht Heuchan, and one of the most interesting food fights of the 2015 Legislative Session

Adam Smith, Pre-Cog

Patricia Mazzei named political writer at Miami Herald