Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressJuly 17, 2015

Florida’s unemployment is dropping slightly. The June unemployment rate was 5.5 percent, compared with 5.7 percent the month before. The state added 7,000 jobs last month, according to figures released Friday by the Department of Economic Opportunity. The state’s jobless rate remains higher than the national rate of 5.3 percent. There are about 529,000 unemployed […]

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 […]

Guest AuthorJune 11, 2015

NOTE: This was written by Jesse Panuccio in response to a column that appeared earlier on ContextFlorida.com and SaintPetersBlog.com and written by Dale Brill, “Hint to presidential candidates wooing Florida — it’s still the economy.” Florida’s economy has witnessed a remarkable turnaround after being one of the hardest hit states during the Great Recession. The […]

Ryan RayApril 15, 2015

a-conversation-with-florida-senate-president-don-gaetz-1c8bb35c-1024x1024.jpeg

A lengthy debate over a lobbying ethics reform bill ended with with former Senate President Don Gaetz moving to TP his own bill. The proposal — Gaetz’s SB 1372 — would tighten many restrictions on lobbying in Florida. Most notably, it would hold Gov. Rick Scott‘s brainchild — Enterprise Florida Inc., housed within another Scott innovation in […]

Bill PrescottApril 8, 2015

Jesse Panuccio is now a step closer to remaining executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. With a 5-1 vote Wednesday, the Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Committee cleared Panuccio’s nomination. Sen. Jack Latvala offered no comment when asked why he would not recommend Panuccio to remain as Florida’s economic developer in […]

James CallMarch 28, 2015

Job creation in Florida has slowed but continues. The unemployment rate for February fell one-tenth of one percent to 5.6, a drop of 0.6 percent compared to a year ago and down 2.3 percent– down from Feb. 2013, the Department of Economic Opportunity reported Friday. The U.S. unemployment rate is 5.5 percent. Employers added 19,700 […]

James CallMarch 27, 2015

The personal identifying information of more than 200,000 Floridians who had applied for public benefits may have been stolen and sold, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. A joint federal-state investigation has resulted in the arrest of a Cora Eutsay, who used her position at CareerSource South Florida in Opa-Locka to access […]

James CallMarch 24, 2015

Rep. Matt Gaetz proclaimed in February that “no tax is safe” and Tuesday he released a $690 million tax-cutting plan that moves the House budget plan further away from the Senate’s version. Gaetz wants to enact two tax cuts, create four tax credits, implement 10 sales tax exemptions and schedule a back-to-school tax holiday. The Senate will […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 18, 2015

A national news publication is reporting that a federal agency is making it tougher for governors including Rick Scott of Florida to deny man-made climate change. Early this month, the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting said the Florida Department of Environmental Protection under Scott had an unwritten policy against employees discussing climate change and sea […]

Staff ReportsMarch 16, 2015

House and Senate panels will take up legislation on Monday that would create “Dental Care Access Accounts” and provide up to $100k over five years to attract dentists to work in areas that lack access to dental care. The bills — HB 657 and SB 606 — allow dentists who work at public health programs […]

Tag: Department of Economic Opportunity

Florida’s unemployment rate drops slightly in June

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

Jesse Panuccio: Florida’s economic turnaround story was not written by chance

Lobbying ethics bill stumbles in Senate Rules

Jesse Panuccio one step closer to staying DEO chief

State unemployment rate drops slightly in February

ACCESS Florida data breached; woman charged with selling client info

The day that was in Florida politics — March 24

Florida, other states must respond to climate change for federal funds, report says

Lawmakers consider giving dentists up to $100K to work in underserved areas