Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschJanuary 18, 2017

Dean Izzo, the Department of Economic Opportunity‘s chief of staff, is leaving the state’s jobs agency for a post at Capital City Consulting, the firm announced Wednesday. Izzo, who also has been chief financial officer and chief information officer for DEO, begins Jan. 30. He had been with the agency since its creation in 2011. “Dean will […]

William PatrickJanuary 11, 2017

Florida’s state economic development efforts are “underperforming,” according to a new legislative report. An undesirable label by any standard, critics and lawmakers already skeptical of providing taxpayer support for private businesses are likely to seize on the bureaucratic euphemism and underlying findings to bolster their anti-incentives position ahead of the March state legislative session. The Office […]

Associated PressDecember 5, 2016

A company Gov. Rick Scott was praising more than a year ago for creating jobs is now delinquent in its property taxes and has never met its hiring goals. The Fort Myers News-Press reported Sunday that Altair Training Solutions was supposed to be a multi-million dollar enterprise with facilities in Hendry and Collier counties where […]

William PatrickDecember 2, 2016

Ten years to create 303 jobs. That straight-forward commitment was a core aspect of an agreement that allowed a California-based biotech nonprofit to secure $350 million in state and Orlando-area taxpayer support. It didn’t happen. Penned in 2006, time has now run out on Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute’s deal with the state. It’s […]

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 […]

Phil AmmannNovember 22, 2016

New House Speaker Richard Corcoran expects funding requests for Florida’s top jobs agency to move through his chamber’s committees, despite his strong personal objections to taxpayer-financed economic incentives. Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida reports Gov. Rick Scott is requesting $85 million in incentives for a broad range of business deals to attract businesses to Florida. […]

Staff ReportsNovember 18, 2016

Florida’s unemployment rate increased slightly, to 4.8 percent, in October, but the state’s job growth rate continued to exceed the national trend, according to statistics released Friday. The joblessness rate was up by 0.1 percent compared to September. Out of a labor force or more than 9.8 million Floridians, 473,000 who sought employment could not […]

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 […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterOctober 21, 2016

Florida’s unemployment rate remained flat in September, marking the fifth straight month the state reported a rate of 4.7 percent. The state added 17,900 private-sector jobs, bringing the total number of jobs created in 2016 to 200,000. According to the governor’s office, the state has created more than 1.2 million jobs since December 2010. “We […]

Staff ReportsOctober 10, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott on Monday activated Florida’s Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program for small businesses hurt by Hurricane Matthew. “While Floridians across the state did all they could to prepare for Hurricane Matthew, this was a massive and devastating storm that caused heavy damage throughout our state,” Scott said in a statement. “I have toured areas throughout […]

Tag: Department of Economic Opportunity

Personnel note: Dean Izzo departs DEO for Capital City Consulting

Florida’s economic development efforts are ‘underperforming’

Company praised by Rick Scott hasn’t lived up to promises

Sanford Burnham doubles down against state efforts to recoup incentive money

State wants money back from research institute

Despite philosophical differences, Richard Corcoran expects House committees to consider incentive requests

Florida’s unemployment rate inches up, reflecting growing work force

Florida DEO demands $77M back from Sanford Burnham

Florida’s unemployment rate 4.7% for fifth straight month

Rick Scott activates Emergency Bridge Loan program