Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 13, 2016

Calling business owners the “backbone of Florida growth over the past five years,” Cissy Proctor helped kick off the annual Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Capitol Days event Wednesday. “A strong economy is good for all of us,” said Proctor, newly appointed executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Proctor told the crowd she […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 5, 2016

A former Department of Economic Opportunity employee and her husband were arrested Thursday and charged with scamming the state out of nearly $190,000 in unemployment compensation funds, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Sharon Echeverri, 26, and Alberto Echeverri, 27, of Orlando were charged with organized scheme to defraud and criminal use of personal identification, […]

Jim RosicaDecember 22, 2015

An appellate court has declined a small business lender’s request to reconsider an opinion against it involving a legislatively created loan program to help companies rebound from the recession. The 1st District Court of Appeal on Monday denied a request from the Black Business Investment Fund of Central Florida for the court to rehear the case or certify it as a […]

Staff ReportsDecember 21, 2015

Two Republican lawmakers are joining the Department of Economic Opportunity in the fight against unemployment-benefits fraud. State Sen. Kelli Stargel of Lakeland and state Rep. Mike La Rosa of St. Cloud on Monday filed legislation (SB 1216/HB 1017) called the “DEO Cybercrime Prevention Act.” “In the past two years, DEO’s state-of-the-art technology has prevented more than 135,000 […]

Jim RosicaDecember 17, 2015

Cissy Proctor, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity‘s chief of staff, will now lead the agency, Gov. Rick Scott announced Thursday. She takes over as the department’s executive director, succeeding Jesse Panuccio, on Jan. 9 — three days before the beginning of the 2016 Legislative Session. FloridaPolitics.com first heard word of Proctor’s likely appointment earlier this […]

Jim RosicaDecember 14, 2015

Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) is asking an appeals court to deny a small business lender’s request to reconsider an opinion against it involving a legislatively created, post-recession loan program. The 1st District Court of Appeal had agreed with a lower court that the Black Business Investment Fund of Central Florida had overcharged lenders in the Economic Gardening Business Loan Pilot […]

Guest AuthorDecember 13, 2015

Last week found Jesse Panuccio resigning as director of the state’s Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). Ya-a-a-wn, says the reader. Z-z-z-z, goes the reader. Pay attention! Pay attention! Here’s why: Newspapers and blogs have pronounced him a “trusted” adviser of Gov. Rick Scott. Upon his appointment as DEO leader in 2011, Scott was fulsome in […]

Phil AmmannDecember 6, 2015

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Four Florida sports teams have come to Tallahassee with the hope of leaving with state money to renovate and improve facilities, a process where the first step is scheduled to begin at month’s end. Each applicant – Daytona International Speedway, the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars – is jostling for a slice […]

Jim RosicaDecember 4, 2015

One of three Senate committee leaders set to review now-outgoing Department of Economic Opportunity chief Jesse Panuccio for confirmation next year didn’t say she was sorry to see him go. “I’ve already said too much about Mr. Panuccio,” state Sen. Nancy Detert, the Venice Republican in charge of the Commerce and Tourism Committee, said Friday. […]

Ryan RayDecember 4, 2015

Jesse Panuccio, veteran of fierce battles with lawmakers over his boss Gov. Rick Scott‘s business incentive programs, is set to leave the Department of Economic Opportunity he has led since 2013. Panuccio tendered his resignation Friday. He said the decision was bittersweet, though he said it was “time for a new chapter in my career and […]

Tag: Department of Economic Opportunity
Image via David Silvers.

Cissy Proctor to Chamber crowd: Florida’s economy “leading the way”

Orlando couple charged with scamming $189K in unemployment funds

Court denies request to reconsider decision in business loan case

Anti-fraud measures filed for 2016 session

Cissy Proctor named new head of Dep’t of Economic Opportunity

DEO asks court to deny rehearing in small-business loan dispute

Chris Timmons: JP done at DEO

Miami Dolphins ask state for stadium funding; short on ROI, long on wishful thinking

Jesse Panuccio’s road to resignation paved with Senate’s hard feelings

Jesse Panuccio out at DEO