Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiOctober 20, 2017

Nationwide, unemployment claims are down to levels not seen since 1973; a sign of confidence among employers, who aren’t laying off stafaf. However, September saw the cataclysmic Hurricane Irma hit Florida hard. Neighboring Georgia had already reported job loss and increased unemployment due to the storm. So, going into the monthly jobs report from Florida Gov. Rick […]

Staff ReportsOctober 5, 2017

The state’s Department of Economic Opportunity announced it will co-host a series of business roundtables “to highlight programs available to assist individuals, communities and businesses that have been affected by Hurricane Irma.” The first event is today, 1-2 p.m., in Daytona Beach, at Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, 126 E. Orange Ave. Later today, another will be held 4:30-5:30 p.m. […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 31, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott is recommending a $163 million increase in funding for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity in his proposed 2017-18 budget. LobbyTools reports that the boost will bring the DEO budget to nearly $1.27 billion. Scott announced his budget proposal Tuesday morning at a Tallahassee news conference. Scott’s ask includes $85 million in economic incentives […]

Terry RoenNovember 28, 2016

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute claims that it does not owe half of the $155 million it received as an incentive to move to Florida, while the state has not backed down on its demand for a payback. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) still wants the Lake Nona research facility to return […]

Terry RoenNovember 1, 2016

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute has two weeks to return $77.6 million in taxpayer money it received as an incentive to build a Central Florida research center. However, the nonprofit research center has balked at the demand and claims they should not be required to repay the state. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity […]

Michael MolineAugust 19, 2016

Florida’s unemployment rate held steady at 4.7 percent in July, despite the creation of 26,500 new private-sector jobs, state officials announced Friday. Out of a labor force of more than 9.7 million Floridians, 456,000 could not find work. Gov. Rick Scott noted that July marked the 52nd consecutive month that Florida job growth outpaced the […]

Phil AmmannDecember 30, 2015

In the opening weeks of 2016, Florida’s three professional football stadiums and Daytona International Speedway will each vie for taxpayer funds to help pay for upgrades, many already in progress. Ranking the applicants — Jacksonville Jaguars, Daytona International Speedway (DIS), Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins — will be the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, […]

Staff ReportsNovember 12, 2015

The Department of Economic Opportunity today announced Morgan L. McCord will take over as the agency’s new Press Secretary. DEO Executive Director Jesse Panuccio welcomed McCord, a longtime communications pro, to the department in a statement Thursday afternoon. “Morgan’s strong relationships with the media will help DEO share what Florida is doing to promote economic growth and employment opportunities […]

Staff ReportsJune 23, 2015

In the wake of Tuesday morning’s budgetary blood bath that left $431 million in state spending on the Rotunda floor, state senators have had a thing or two to say about Gov. Rick Scott‘s line-item veto spree. So have the governor’s many boosters within state governmental agencies, who worked up prepared statements and sent them out into […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 17, 2015

After overnighting the application packet to Tallahassee, the City of Jacksonville and the NFL Jaguars learned their request for state funds for stadium upgrades is ready to consideration. Out of four petitioners in the running for part of a $7 million state fund, the Jaguars are the last to have its proposal judged complete. The […]

Tag: DEO
Golf ball and golf club in bag on green grass

Irma impact: Florida loses jobs in September, yet unemployment falls

DEO, partners hold hurricane recovery roundtables

Rick Scott spending plan sets DEO budget at nearly $1.3B

State wants money back from research institute

Florida DEO demands $77M back from Sanford Burnham

Florida unemployment rate steady at 4.7 percent

Daytona International Speedway a perfect fit for Florida Sports Development Program

Personnel Note: Morgan McCord named new press secretary at DEO

“It’s working!”: Executive agency veto statement round-up

After delays, Jaguars application for state stadium money deemed complete