March 2017 - Page 43 of 105 - Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersMarch 17, 2017

Orlando’s State Attorney Aramis Ayala‘s decision to not pursue death penalty cases drew blistering criticism from one of Florida’s police union heads who called her a coward and a traitor. John Rivera, president of the Florida Police Benevolent Association, blasted Ayala in a press release saying that her decision outraged law enforcement officers. He called […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 17, 2017

Vice-President Mike Pence and Gov. Rick Scott will be in Jacksonville Saturday afternoon. The subject: health care reform, specifically the House version of legislation, and the President’s economic agenda. The roundtable event will include small businesses, and is invite only. Pence is slated to begin his remarks at 2:15, though invited guests are urged to be there […]

Les NeuhausMarch 17, 2017

The mother of a teen who committed suicide was in her car when she began receiving a trickle of text messages, Then a barrage of texts began streaming in. “Where’s your daughter,” one read. “Please please please check on your daughter,” read another. Gina Alexis, the mother of Naika Venant, the 14-year-old girl who hung […]

Peter SchorschMarch 17, 2017

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster, Mitch Perry, Jim Rosica and the Associated Press’ Mike Schneider. GOVERNOR REASSIGNS CASE AFTER PROSECUTOR REFUSES DEATH PENALTY The unusual and firm stance against capital punishment by State Attorney Aramis Ayala in Orlando surprised and angered many […]

Darryl PaulsonMarch 17, 2017

Universities are touted as bastions of diversity whose prime role is to encourage students to engage in critical thinking, ask tough questions and expose themselves to a diversity of ideas and opinions. If that is the mission of the university, they have dismally failed. Diversity is respected, up to a point, as long as it […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 17, 2017

On Wednesday, Jacksonville General Counsel Jason Gabriel informed the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund that it has no voice in the current pension reform package. And ahead of the PFPF meeting on Friday morning, it appears the trustees have taken his message to heart. After a “break” on the agenda, the trustees have scheduled “review and […]

Drew WilsonMarch 17, 2017

St. Patrick’s Day revelers won’t be the only one’s seeing green this year according to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation. The retail trade group estimates those celebrating the Irish holiday will spend $37.92 a piece this year, with total spending expected to top $5.3 billion — a significant jump from last year’s […]

Peter SchorschMarch 17, 2017

With the Legislative Session in its second week, drama in the City Council and the pension board, as well as a host of other items, there was an embarrassment of riches — a veritable bouillabaisse of news — in Northeast Florida politics. — Stand Your Ground fix clears Senate Sen. Rob Bradley of Fleming Island […]

Staff ReportsMarch 16, 2017

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Another one bites the dust: Chad Poppell has resigned as Secretary of the Department of Management Services, the state’s real estate manager. His resignation will be effective on March 31, Gov. Rick Scott announced on Thursday evening. Poppell has been head of DMS since 2014. “Chad Poppell has done an outstanding job and I want to thank […]

Michael MolineMarch 16, 2017

The House released its bad-case and worst-case scenarios for the next state budget Thursday. Neither is very pretty. Florida faces would pay hospital less to treat poor people. The state would build less affordable housing. There’d be fewer prosecutors and public defenders. Museums, historical preservation, and economic development would be slashed. For example: “The long-range […]

Month: March 2017

Police union head John Rivera calls Aramis Ayala coward

Mike Pence, Rick Scott to talk health care reform in Jacksonville Saturday

Records released by DCF portray different picture of mother in teen’s Facebook Live suicide

Sunburn for 3.17.17 – Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Darryl Paulson: Do universities discriminate in hiring?

Jax PFPF slates ‘review and discussion’ of pension surtax for Friday morning

Retail Federation expects record-breaking St. Patrick’s Day spending in 2017

Jacksonville Bold for 3.17.17 — Bouillabaisse

Chad Poppell quits as head of DMS

House spending reduction targets would spread plenty of pain