Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieNovember 19, 2014

OK, 2015 actually could be the “year of water” in the Florida Legislature. Certain Capitol pundits earlier this year predicted that water would be a top issue during the 2014 session. But they were wrong because there wasn’t support in both chambers for dealing with the issue. The Senate passed a springs bill that would […]

Bruce RitchieNovember 17, 2014

Pipes vs. parks. Could that become the focus of debate over Amendment 1, the conservation lands amendment approved by 75 percent of voters on Nov. 4? Amendment 1 would dedicate more than $10 billion over 20 years toward state purchases that could involve more than just state parks and forests. That’s probably what most people […]

Bruce RitchieNovember 16, 2014

Pipes vs. parks. Could that become the focus of debate over Amendment 1, the conservation lands amendment approved by 75 percent of voters on Nov. 4? Amendment 1 would dedicate more than $10 billion over 20 years toward state purchases that could involve more than just state parks and forests. That’s probably what most people […]

Peter SchorschNovember 5, 2014

Tuesday’s slate of elections in Florida certainly provided a list of winners and losers and I’m not just talking about the candidates. Here is my list of the real winners and losers. Let me know if I missed anyone. Winners Rick Scottworld’s brain trust and communications shop, Curt Anderson, Melissa Sellers, Justin Johnson, Tim Saler, Matt Moon, […]

Peter SchorschNovember 5, 2014

Tuesday’s slate of elections in Florida certainly provided a list of winners and losers and I’m not just talking about the candidates. Here is my list of the real winners and losers. Let me know if I missed anyone. Winners Rick Scottworld’s brain trust and communications shop, Curt Anderson, Melissa Sellers, Justin Johnson, Tim Saler, Matt Moon, […]

Bruce RitchieNovember 5, 2014

A vast majority of Floridians wants to preserve the state’s landscape no matter who they voted for in political races. That should be the takeaway for all state officials after the general election on Tuesday when you analyze the results. Sure, voters re-elected Rick Scott, the Republican incumbent governor, over Democrat Charlie Crist, a former […]

Guest AuthorOctober 15, 2014

The Florida Chamber of Commerce is one of the few entities publicly opposing Amendment 1 on the November ballot. Yet at the end of September, the Florida Chamber Political Institute’s polling data showed that Amendment 1 has very strong support: 75 percent in favor and 14 percent opposed. Amendment 1, if approved by the voters […]

Guest AuthorOctober 13, 2014

Where’s a good ol’ fashioned voter fraud when you need one? Let’s let the tourists vote in Florida. Especially this November on Amendment 1, which would pony up big chunks of already collected tax dollars to buy, manage, improve and preserve Florida land. It only seems fair that tourists should get to help decide how […]

Guest AuthorOctober 7, 2014

The Tampa Bay Times is recommending a “no” vote for a constitutional amendment before voters in November. The proposal put forward by conservationists would allocate one-third of the documentary stamp tax required of real estate transactions to be applied to acquisition of conservation lands. In 2016, the newspaper notes, more than $600 million could be allocated to this important […]

Bruce RitchieSeptember 23, 2014

When Gov. Rick Scott last year announced Florida was suing Georgia in the U.S. Supreme Court over water use, he selected a scenic view along Apalachicola Bay that had been purchased with state and local dollars. The Apalachicola Riverfront Park encourages tourism by providing a place where busy seafood festivals are held and where visitors […]

Tag: Amendment 1
Image via AP.

Bruce Ritchie: Water will become a top issue in 2015 with the help of Amendment 1

Did voters envision sewage plants when they voted for Amendment 1?

Bruce Ritchie: Did voters envision sewage plants when they voted for Amendment 1?

The ultimate list of Florida election 2014 Winners & Losers

The ultimate list of Florida election 2014 Winners & Losers

Bruce Ritchie: Passage of Amendment 1 should send message to state leaders

Barbara Joy Cooley: Amendment 1’s fate depends on voter turnout

Linda Cunningham: Tourists love our environment so let them vote on Amendment 1

Alan Farago: GOP forcing Floridians to use Amendment 1 to conserve vital lands

Bruce Ritchie: Gov. Scott is circumventing funding formula for conservation