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Guest AuthorJuly 19, 2015

The Florida Supreme Court recently invalidated the state’s congressional districts map, finding it had been drawn with unconstitutional intent to favor the majority party and incumbents. This landmark decision is the first to determine whether newly drawn legislative districts comply with the Fair Districts Amendment as passed by voters in 2010 to remove partisan gerrymandering […]

Associated PressJuly 19, 2015

Daytona Beach is famous for allowing drivers to cruise its sand-packed shoreline, but real estate experts say getting cars off the beach could raise property values. The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports that property values and the volume of real estate deals are on the rise now that Volusia County has moved to eliminate beach driving […]

Phil AmmannJuly 19, 2015

Five years after the Obama administration promised to move swiftly to permanently plug unused oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Mexico, even more shafts are lingering for longer periods with only temporary sealing, an investigation by The Associated Press shows. It is not clear how many incompletely sealed wells may have leaked — […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 19, 2015

A previous version of this post incorrectly reported that Nassau County School Board members did not attend Janet Adkins’ Education Leadership Summit. We regret the error. Members did attend the event, at which School Board member Kathy Burns spoke. On Saturday, reports Nate Monroe of the Florida Times-Union, Fernandina Beach Republican Janet Adkins announced plans to run for […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 17, 2015

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced late Friday the appointment of Kevin Stork as Jacksonville comptroller. Stork returns to a role he held during two Republican administrations between 1999 and 2011, at an annual salary of a little more than $131,000. “Kevin Stork will bring his keen financial acumen back to City Hall and I am excited […]

Mitch PerryJuly 17, 2015

In Oklahoma this week, President Barack Obama announced a new joint effort with local communities, the federal government and the private sector to expand high-speed broadband to over 275,000 low-income households around the nation — with Tampa being one of the 27 cities and on tribal nation participating. The program is called ConnectHome, an extension of Obama’s ConnectEd program, […]

Mitch PerryJuly 17, 2015

Charlie Crist. Darden Rice. Ken Welch. Dwight Dudley. There are some prominent Democrats whose names have been floated as possibilities to run in the 13th Congressional District race next year, now that the district is likely to be much more advantageous for the party after the Florida Legislature redraws the district in advance of next […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 17, 2015

As the Jacksonville media digests and reports on Lenny Curry’s inaugural budget, most of us are struck by how positive the initial reaction to it has been, and so we write positive pieces. WJXT had one such piece: “Police, fire leaders like mayor’s budget proposal.” The story had positive comments from Randy Wyse and Sheriff Mike Williams, and Council […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 17, 2015

Florida Politics has covered the Lenny Curry transition subcommittees as thoroughly as any Jacksonville outlet, and as we review the subcommittee reports (in draft form), a holistic vision is emerging in both the budget early-stage actions by Curry and the organizational structure. The A Safer Jacksonville subcommittee recommended new fire stations and some relocations of fire stations […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 17, 2015

Republican State Sen. Jeff Brandes recently sent a letter to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement asking for an investigation into RedFlex Traffic Systems. Apparently, there’s an issue with fraud? “The admission of bribery by (former RedFlex CEO) Karen Finley illustrates the extent to which these providers will go in order to profit off the backs […]

Uncategorized
Incumbent John Rutherford dominates fundraising, leaving his Primary challenger, Mark Kaye, far behind.

Glenn Burhans Jr.: O civility, where art thou?

Volusia County beach-driving ban ups property values

Share of aging temporarily sealed wells grows

Janet Adkins runs for Nassau County superintendent

Kevin Stork returns as Jax comptroller

Tampa to be part of public-private effort to close digital divide

Eric Lynn says he’s in CD 13 race to stay

Sam Mousa laments “inaccuracies and falsies”

Lenny Curry transition subcommittee reports show holistic vision

Will Times-Union now recant its pro red-light camera stance?