Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaOctober 23, 2015

If Florida ever approves medical marijuana for sale in the state, expect to pay tax on it. Medical pot is “tangible personal property” that is “subject to sales and use tax,” a state economics panel has found. “Annual state and local government sales tax revenues could increase by an estimated $67 million after taking into account […]

Ryan RayOctober 8, 2015

John Morgan said Thursday that all donations in 2015 to his United for Care group, which is pushing for a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana, will be personally matched by the millionaire attorney to the tune of nine to one. Morgan said in a prepared statement that his personal convictions will drive him to spare no […]

Jim RosicaOctober 7, 2015

Two Republican state lawmakers on Wednesday said they were filing legislation to allow stronger varieties of pot as medical marijuana in Florida. State Rep. Matt Gaetz of Fort Walton Beach and state Sen. Rob Bradley of Fleming Island announced the bill (HB 307/SB 360) at a morning press conference in the Capitol. Gaetz told reporters he joined other […]

Jim RosicaOctober 2, 2015

Attorney General Pam Bondi made it official on Friday, formally asking the Florida Supreme Court to review a proposed constitutional amendment allowing medical marijuana. Bondi sent a letter to the court, petitioning the justices to check the amendment’s “validity.” It did not include a statement of legal opposition, as her previous letter on last year’s medical marijuana initiative did. […]

Jim RosicaAugust 31, 2015

A proposed constitutional amendment allowing medical pot now has the amount of signatures needed for Supreme Court review, the next step toward getting on the 2016 ballot. Late Monday, the state Division of Elections website showed the amendment had 73,713 valid signatures. Medical marijuana got more than a million signatures overall last time, but an initiative actually needs 683,149 verified […]

Mitch PerryAugust 27, 2015

Along with an effort to legalize medical marijuana that could be on the 2016 ballot in Florida next year, there could also be another constitutional amendment: This one calls for the outright legalization of marijuana in the Sunshine State. Organizers and supporters of the Sensible Florida PAC will hold a news conference in Fort Lauderdale on Friday […]

Jim RosicaAugust 24, 2015

The John Morgan-backed drive to get a proposed constitutional amendment allowing medical pot on the 2016 ballot has competition. Two other ballot initiatives were filed last month, state records show, including one that – surprise – would allow recreational use of pot. The other would reclassify cannabis “as a dietary supplement” and tax its sale […]

Mitch PerryAugust 24, 2015

One of the factors in Donald Trump’s surprise success in the polls (other than it’s August of 2015 and doesn’t mean whole lot) is that the mainstream (i.e. television) media has pretty much handled him with kid gloves. And why not, since he’s ratings (and clickbait) gold? Maybe – just maybe, that tide is beginning […]

Mitch PerryAugust 22, 2015

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Florida Democratic Party consultant and lobbyist Ben Pollara says he “loves Joe Biden,” but that ardor does not translate into him hoping the Vice President opts to take the leap into the 2016 presidential sweepstakes. Along with his pal Brian Franklin, Pollara created a Facebook page called, “Draft Joe Biden for VP for 8 more years” last month. “If […]

Peter SchorschAugust 18, 2015

The second edition of INFLUENCE Magazine should have already arrived in your mailbox. If it has not and you would like to receive a hard copy of this inside view into Florida’s news, politics, and culture, please drop me a line. As you can imagine, I’ve read everything in INFLUENCE several times, backwards and forwards. But, […]

Tag: Ben Pollara
And all the best to newlyweds Melissa Kuipers Blake and Jason Stein.

State panel: Medical pot can be taxed

John Morgan says he’ll match medical pot drive donations 9 to 1

Lawmakers introduce bill for stronger medical pot

Pam Bondi formally asks Supreme Court to review medical pot amendment

Medical marijuana initiative headed to Supreme Court

Effort to legalize pot in Florida goes public Friday

John Morgan’s proposed medical marijuana amendment has competition

Mitch Perry Report for 8.24.15 – Immigration follies

Ben Pollara discusses his “Draft Joe Biden for VP for 8 more years” Facebook page

13 things I really like about the latest issue of INFLUENCE Magazine