Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonApril 4, 2016

Granite and marble slab manufacturer Granex plans to move its headquarters to Tampa and add 50 employees in Hillsborough County over the next few years, Gov. Rick Scott announced Monday. “I’m excited Granex chose to move their first location in the United States to Tampa Bay. Since 2010, we have cut taxes over 55 times, […]

Mitch PerryOctober 27, 2015

Although Bernie Sanders declared to Hillary Clinton and the nation two weeks ago that, “The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails!,” the current FBI investigation regarding how many of Mrs. Clinton’s emails were classified will continue to play out. Now, apparently, we have a bit of an email controversy […]

Mitch PerryOctober 8, 2015

Watching the Hillsborough County Commission Wednesday discuss the latest with the Go Hillsborough effort was a fascinating glimpse of where this experience may be heading. The headline was that county commissioners beat back a feeble attempt to stop Sheriff David Gee‘s office from investigating the charges on how consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff received its $1.35 million contract […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 9, 2015

Aiming for a different course after battling two rideshare companies for nearly a year and a half, the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission voted Wednesday to propose new regulations it hopes a local legislator can push through Tallahassee next year. As a “good faith effort” showing it’s trying to work with the industry, the board also […]

Mitch PerryMay 21, 2015

She didn’t even make the initial list of finalists, but now Janet Dougherty will soon become only the third executive director of the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission (EPC). The 53-year-old Hillsborough County native comes with 25 years of experience in local and state environmental policy and business management, and she wasn’t even on the short […]

Mitch PerryMay 20, 2015

Although every member of the Hillsborough County Commission weighed in this morning regarding their concern about the issue of wage theft in the county, the Republican members prescription of how to alleviate the problem drew the wrath of the measure’s proponent, Democrat Kevin Beckner. Beckner said that his colleagues worries about growing the size of government outweighed […]

Mitch PerryMay 11, 2015

Ten days ago, Florida Politics reported that Brian Willis, the Tampa lawyer running for the countywide Hillsborough County District 6 seat next year, had raised $45, 357 in his first month of campaigning. Advisers for Willis said it was the third-best first-month of fundraising for a county commissioner candidate in the past decade, trailing only […]

Mitch PerryMay 7, 2015

As has been mentioned by reporters for months, Republicans thinking about being president have picked up on the income inequality mantle that Democrats like Elizabeth Warren have championed for years. By that, I mean they use the words “economic inequality.” Beyond that, it’s not clear what they are suggesting to overcome it (Marco Rubio has been […]

Mitch PerryMay 6, 2015

The Hillsborough County Commission voted 6-1 on Wednesday to ask the the Florida Commission on Ethics to pursue legal frees from a Plant City winery owner whose ethics complaint against Commissioner Al Higginbotham was deemed to be without merit by that same commission. Joe Keel, owner of Keel and Curley Winery, filed an ethics complaint against […]

Mitch PerryMay 1, 2015

Buoyed in part by a very successful inauguration fundraiser/birthday party at an Ybor City craft brewery this past week, Hillsborough County Commission District 6 candidate Brian Willis touted his first fundraising totals in a press release issued Friday. The 32-year-old Tampa lawyer and transit activist raised $45,537 in April, the first month he has been […]

Tag: Al Higginbotham

Granite manufacturer relocates headquarters to Tampa, brings 50 jobs

Mitch Perry Report for 10.27.15 – Hillsborough County’s email problem

Mitch Perry Report for 10.8.15 – Will Hillsborough commission have votes to put transportation tax on ballot?

Hillsborough County PTC to stop citing Uber, Lyft drivers

Hillsborough County Commission picks Janet Dougherty as next EPC chief

Hillsborough County Commission meeting gets hot discussing wage ordinance issue

Brian Willis posts big fundraising numbers vs. Pat Kemp in District 6 Hillsborough commission race

Mitch Perry Report for 5.7.15 — On economic issues, is Mike Huckabee more in synch with GOP voters?

Hillsborough Commissioners want winery owner to pay Al Higginbotham’s legal fees

Brian Willis touts fundraising prowess in Hillsborough County bid