Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 25, 2016

Calling it an opportunity to connect businesses and university leaders, Gov. Rick Scott kicked off his 2016 Degrees to Jobs Summit in Orlando on Wednesday morning. The goal, Scott told a room of about 350 university, college and business leaders, is to “challenge everything we’re doing.” “This is going to be a fun two days,” […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 20, 2016

Florida’s unemployment rate continues to be on the decline, according to April jobs numbers released Friday. Gov. Rick Scott announced the state’s unemployment numbers during a stop in Orlando on Friday morning. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.8 percent in April, down slightly from 4.9 percent one month earlier. “Florida job creators are adding new […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 19, 2016

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Cissy Proctor is here to help. That’s how the recently appointed head of the Department of Economic Opportunity views her job. In the months since she took over the helm, she has traveled the state trying to understand Florida’s needs, talking to business owners, local business organizations and regional workforce agencies along the way. “We’re […]

Jim RosicaApril 1, 2016

The Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) is asking a court to award it more money in a case stemming from a Legislature-created loan program to help companies rebound from the recession. The department asked Circuit Judge Charles Dodson of Tallahassee to amend a final judgment against the Black Business Investment Fund of Central Florida (BBIF) to add prejudgment interest of $201,792 and boost the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 25, 2016

Florida’s unemployment rate is at its lowest point in eight years. The state’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.9 percent in February, down from 5.6 percent a year earlier. That’s significantly down from December 2010, when the state’s unemployment rate was 10.7 percent. February’s jobless rate was down .1 percent from January’s 5 percent. In a […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 29, 2016

The Senate inched closer to the House Transportation and Economic Development budget Monday night with its third proposal, cutting the difference between the two chambers to a couple dozen line items and disagreements on funding sources. The House and Senate came to terms on the Department of Transportation budget earlier Monday, but still had a wide gulf between […]

Ryan RayFebruary 28, 2016

House and Senate budget conferees remain some distance away from reconciling their varying budget proposals, with a nominal $8 million and several line items standing between lawmakers and a unified budget proposal to send to Gov. Rick Scott. The elephant in the room? Neither proposal circulating in the Conference Committee on House Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations/Senate […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 1, 2016

A bill giving the Department of Opportunity more tools in the fight against unemployment benefits fraud unanimously passed the House Economic Development and Tourism Subcommittee on Monday. According to LobbyTools, state Rep. Mike La Rosa, sponsor of HB 1017, said the DEO identified “9,600 claims based on I.D. fraud” in 2013 alone. Those figures led […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 25, 2016

The Florida Senate’s economic development bill took its first step of the 2016 Legislative Session, unanimously clearing the Commerce and Tourism Committee on Monday. The bill’s sponsor, Clearwater Republican Jack Latvala, last week had promised it would contain provisions for film and television production incentives. Florida has been losing out to other states when it comes to film shoots. […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 22, 2016

Three years after announcing Hertz was moving its global headquarters to Southwest Florida, Gov. Rick Scott was back to celebrate the grand opening of the company’s new headquarters. “I ran for governor … five years ago on a jobs platform,” said Scott, a Naples Republican, during an event Friday. “I like anybody that adds jobs, […]

Tag: Department of Economic Opportunity

Rick Scott kicks off 2016 Degrees to Jobs summit

Florida unemployment rate drops to 4.8 percent in April

Jobs Boss: Cissy Proctor talks Florida’s future

DEO wants more money in business-loans case

Florida’s unemployment rate dips .1 percent to 4.9 statewide

Senate, House TED proposals inch closer, bump other items to budget chiefs

House, Senate TED budget writers still unresolved on DEO funding

Bill to help DEO fight unemployment fraud passes House committee

Jack Latvala starts moving economic development bill with film/TV incentives

Rick Scott announces December job numbers at Hertz HQ grand opening