Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterSeptember 16, 2016

Florida’s unemployment rate remained steady in August, marking the fourth straight month the state reported a rate of 4.7 percent. The state added 22,600 private-sector jobs across the state in August, bringing the total number of jobs created in 2016 to 167,100. The unemployment rate remains at 4.7 percent, one of the lowest rates since […]

Brendan FarringtonSeptember 13, 2016

Florida Supreme Court Justice James Perry announced Monday he is stepping down Dec. 30, which will give Gov. Rick Scott his first opportunity to begin reshaping a court that has frustrated Republicans on issues ranging from political maps to protecting doctors from lawsuits. Perry, 72, is forced to leave the court because he’s reached the […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 6, 2016

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Gov. Rick Scott Tuesday said he activated Florida’s Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program “to support local small businesses impacted by Hurricane Hermine.” The loan program, managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), will “provide short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that experienced physical or economic damage during the storm and recovery efforts,” […]

Jim RosicaJuly 25, 2016

A Tallahassee judge has awarded another judgment in a case over a legislatively created loan program to help companies rebound from the recession. Circuit Judge Terry Lewis on Friday granted the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) the new sum of $1.26 million against the Black Business Investment Fund of Central Florida (BBIF). The department won before, but wanted its final judgment against the investment […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 22, 2016

Florida’s unemployment rate remained unchanged in June, marking the second month in a row where the jobless rate was at 4.7 percent. The rate has steadily been on the decline, and the June unemployment numbers mark the lowest rate since 2007. The rate is below the national unemployment rate of 4.9 percent in June. “Florida […]

Jim RosicaJuly 18, 2016

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Cissy Proctor, who heads the state’s jobs agency, now is taking a role at the Florida House. No, not the Florida House of Representatives, but the actual building that serves as Florida’s “embassy” in Washington, D.C. Proctor, executive director of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity, was named Monday to the board of trustees for Florida House, “the beautifully […]

Jim RosicaJune 21, 2016

A fight over a legislatively created loan program to help companies rebound from the recession will be back in court next month. On July 6, Circuit Judge Terry Lewis is set to hear a request from the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) to award it more money in a case over the program. Lewis sits in Tallahassee. The department wants its final […]

Gary FineoutJune 4, 2016

State officials have given a good review of Florida’s tourism marketing agency and a second outfit that promotes the aerospace industry. Gov. Rick Scott earlier this year called for the reviews of both Visit Florida and Space Florida. Scott ordered the review of Visit Florida after the Orlando Sentinel reported taxpayers paid thousands of dollars […]

Gary FineoutMay 31, 2016

Florida will only get back a small portion of the millions it invested in a failed visual effects film studio whose high-profile bankruptcy was used in the contentious 2014 election between Gov. Rick Scott and Charlie Crist. State and local governments in April reached a settlement in a complicated legal battle that involved filings in […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 26, 2016

The state of Florida has a request for graduates this commencement season: Stay in Florida. The push to keep Florida graduates in the Sunshine State was a constant theme during the 2016 Degrees to Jobs Summit at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando. The two-day summit wrapped up Thursday with a series of […]

Tag: Department of Economic Opportunity

Florida’s unemployment rate holds steady at 4.7 percent

Rick Scott to get first state Supreme Court pick

Rick Scott makes emergency loans available to small businesses impacted by Hermine

DEO wins amended judgment in loan program lawsuit

Florida’s unemployment rate holds at 4.7% in June

Cissy Proctor named to board for the ‘Florida House’

DEO loan program case heads back to court

Review says it’s mostly sunny for state tourism agency, Visit Florida

Florida to get $5 million from failed visual effects studio

Florida leaders hope to keep graduates in Sunshine State