Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJanuary 19, 2018

Florida’s and Orange County’s economies are projected to grow and wages and salaries are likely to start finally climbing, but now the growing pains will start emerging more as well with tighter labor pools and housing shortages. That was one of the primary messages of Sean Snaith, director of the University of Central Florida Institute […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 19, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott was in Ponte Vedra Friday as the PGA Tour unveiled plans for a new global headquarters — and 300 jobs to go with that build out. Yet one of the topics we broached with the Governor in the gaggle had to do with a potentially bigger future job announcement … if Amazon locates […]

Lloyd DunkelbergerJanuary 18, 2018

After playing the key role in reducing and revamping Florida’s economic development program last year, House Speaker Richard Corcoran said Thursday he has no interest in developing a state incentive plan to bring Amazon’s new headquarters to Florida. Florida suddenly became a contender for the giant online retailer’s second headquarters — dubbed HQ2 by Amazon […]

Scott PowersJanuary 18, 2018

Amazon has announced the shortlist of finalists to host its second headquarters and Miami made the list, while bids from Orlando, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville were scrapped. The internet retail behemoth announced Thursday that it had narrowed a list from 238 proposals to 20 for what will be the company’s second headquarters, a contest that […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 14, 2017

Like many cities, Jacksonville is making a pitch for Amazon’s HQ2. The value add locally per a video from Burdette Ketchum: land on the old Shipyards site downtown. The video, which was first reported by Jenna Bourne of Action News Jax, begins with sprightly acoustic guitars leading into a backing track reminiscent of the Postal Service circa 2003. […]

Mitch PerryDecember 14, 2017

It’s time to deal with privacy in the age of Alexa, Sen. Jeff Brandes says. The St. Petersburg Republican has filed legislation (SB 1256) to protect the expectation of privacy in the use of cell phones and other microphone-enabled household devices. The surge in sales of “smart speakers” like Amazon’s Echo, with its “Alexa” cloud-based voice service, […]

Scott PowersSeptember 28, 2017

Enterprise Florida President Pete Antonacci said Thursday that pursuit of a new east coast headquarters planned by Amazon is his organization’s top priority right now, as the state’s economic development corporation coordinates bids from at least four different Sunshine State cities and encourages them to emphasize tax giveaway incentives. Speaking to the Florida Chamber of […]

Associated PressSeptember 11, 2017

Maya Kogul was in California when Hurricane Irma began twirling toward Florida. She knew stores would run out of key supplies before she got back to her downtown Miami home earlier this week, so she placed an order for three cases of water through a Nestle water delivery company. She waited and waited, but the order didn’t […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 1, 2017

The year 2017 is gradually turning out to be perfect for investors. According to the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, the broader market is up by 9 percent, and no sign of slowing down just yet. With the year approaching its last quarter, several stocks would have made your portfolio impressive. The following companies have […]

Associated PressAugust 16, 2017

President Donald Trump is renewing his attacks on e-commerce giant Amazon, and he says the company is “doing great damage to tax paying retailers.” Trump tweets that “towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt – many jobs being lost!” The president has often criticized the company and CEO Jeff Bezos, who also […]

Tag: amazon
Mike Johnson. Image via AP.

Growth, growing pains, projected for Central Florida economy

Incentives for Amazon? Richard Corcoran, Rick Scott see it differently

House Speaker rejects state aid for Miami’s Amazon bid

Amazon 2nd HQ shortlist includes Miami, but not Orlando, Tampa Bay or Jax

‘Amazon-centric’: Jacksonville pitch for Amazon HQ2 includes 200 acres downtown

Jeff Brandes wants privacy protection for Echo, Google Home

Pete Antonacci: Amazon proposals to be as ‘incentive-bearing’ as possible

Floridians say online retailers let them down ahead of Hurricane Irma

American companies continue to turn those who invest into millionaires

Donald Trump renews Twitter criticism of Amazon