Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsNovember 13, 2017

The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg says it “reported an annual surplus of $627,000 in 2016, continuing its trend of continuous financial improvement,” according to a recent press release. “I applaud the hard work of the Poynter staff to get us to the point where we have begun to reinvest in the Institute,” said Neil Brown, the newly […]

Associated PressJune 30, 2016

Florida legislators passed 279 bills during this year’s session three months ago, and 162 of them take effect on Friday with the start of the state’s fiscal year, affecting school choice, abortion, tax cuts and many more aspects of life in the Sunshine State. Here’s a roundup of some of the measures taking effect: BUDGET: […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 18, 2016

Money for aviation and manufacturing programs at Brevard County public schools. Cash for Hillsborough County Fair and the Hardee County cattlemen’s arena. They might be worthy projects, but they are also just a few of 143 projects on Florida TaxWatch’s annual turkey list. The 2016 list was released Friday, just one day after Gov. Rick […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 18, 2016

The governor may have already signed the budget, but that isn’t stopping Florida TaxWatch from looking for turkeys. Joe Follick, a spokesman for Florida TaxWatch, said the private, nonprofit organization still plans to release a 2016 turkey list. The organization will be in a similar position to 2015, when it issued its report days after […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 17, 2016

The budget is official in Gov. Rick Scott’s hands. The Legislature sent Scott the budget — and four other related bills — on Thursday. The Naples Republican now has until April 1 to act. The Legislature overwhelmingly approved the $82.3 billion spending plan on Friday. The proposed budget includes $20.2 billion for K-12 public school […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 11, 2016

The Florida Legislature overwhelmingly approved the state’s $82.3 billion spending plan, with just one lawmaker voting against it. The Senate passed the fiscal 2016-16 state budget shortly after 5 p.m. Friday with no debate. The House approved the budget 119-1 earlier in the day. State Rep. John Tobia, a Melbourne Beach Republican, was the lone […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 10, 2016

The Florida House rallied behind the Legislature’s proposed budget Thursday, teeing up the $82.3 billion spending plan up for a vote later this week. State lawmakers debated the budget, shrugging off a structured debate format that has been used in recent years. The reason? Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle appeared to support the […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 29, 2016

The joint budget conference on Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development came a bit closer to agreement Monday afternoon, with the third House offer closing out the largest chunk of the $12.8 billion budget segment. With the addition of $3.2 million for a trio of line items, lawmakers now agree on a $10.75 billion budget for the Department of […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 18, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott used a stop in Southwest Florida to whip up support for his $1 billion tax cut proposal and $250 million Enterprise Florida fund. “Three years ago, we cut the sales tax, for only three years, unfortunately, for machinery equipment. We need to make that permanent,” said Scott during a stop at Arthrex […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 29, 2016

The House and Senate released their fiscal 2016-17 budgets on Friday. The House proposed a $79.9 billion spending plan; while the Senate proposal is $80.9 billion. Both spending plans far surpass the $79.3 billion budget proposed by Gov. Rick Scott. The Senate proposal includes money for incentive programs; the House plan does not. The House […]

Tag: 2016-17 budget

Poynter posts surplus despite operating loss last year

Abortion, budget, tax cuts among new Florida laws

Florida TaxWatch: 2016-17 budget includes $104.9 million in turkeys

Gobble, gobble: Florida TaxWatch still planning to release 2016 budget turkey list

Legislature sends $82.3 billion budget to Rick Scott

Legislature approves $82.3 billion budget, adjourns Sine Die

House prepares for vote on state’s $82 billion budget

TED budget conferees wrap up negotiations

Rick Scott tells Southwest Floridians to urge lawmakers to support tax cuts

Capitol reax: The 2016-17 budget, House tax cut package