Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersApril 13, 2017

Tri-Rail’s controversial, one-source, half-billion, operations contract could go forward under an amended bill pushed Thursday by the Gov. Rick Scott administration and state Sens. George Gainer and Jeff Brandes. Just a few weeks ago, both Gainer and Brandes were hostile critics of the contract and Tri-Rail. Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican, sponsored an amendment Thursday that […]

Joe HendersonApril 11, 2017

Florida Democrats have become such a non-factor in state politics that the real drama frequently becomes which faction of the Republican party will prevail on a given issue. Think about it. We have had knockdown, drag-outs between the GOP-controlled House and Senate. This year the main event has been the ongoing feud between Republican Gov. […]

Jim RosicaMarch 21, 2017

Richard Biter, one of two unsuccessful finalists for the top job at Enterprise Florida, now has thrown in his hat to be the state’s next Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation. Biter is one of more than 80 applicants for the open position, created when former Secretary Jim Boxold resigned in January to join […]

Drew WilsonMarch 20, 2017

The Senate Transportation Committee unanimously approved a bill Tuesday that would require private rail companies to add safety features along their tracks, a move maligned by officials at All Aboard Florida. SB 386’s safety standards require passenger rail companies to install features such as positive train control, which helps prevent train-on-train collisions, and a remote […]

Scott PowersMarch 10, 2017

With a $17.5 million, third-party loan arranged and approved Friday by Space Florida, OneWeb expects to begin construction of its satellite factory next week outside the gates of Kennedy Space Center. OneWeb already had received approval for a $17.5 million package of state incentives through the Florida Department of Transportation in a deal SpaceFlorida worked out […]

Scott PowersJanuary 31, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott is proposing cutting $156 million in state funding for Tri-Rail development unless the South Florida Regional Transit Authority reverses its decision to award a controversial half-billion contract to a lone qualified bidder. Scott’s proposed 2017 state budget now includes an item calling for “no funding” until the authority withdraws, cancels or otherwise […]

Scott PowersJanuary 27, 2017

Blowback erupted from another direction for the South Florida Regional Transit Authority late Friday over its big and controversial Tri-Rail operations contract when Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jim Boxold questioned the agency’s accountability and threatened to cut off its state money. Boxold sent the transit authority’s Executive Director Jack Stephens a letter late Friday questioning the SFRTA’s […]

Scott PowersJanuary 21, 2017

By the end of this year Orlando’s gleaming new $211 million train station should be virtually finished at Orlando International Airport, but it may be many years before trains start rolling in – if at all. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority is building a train station based on a vision of the future in which […]

Peter SchorschOctober 4, 2016

Jackie Toledo, the oft-controversial Republican running for Florida House District 60, has a major fundraiser planned for Tuesday. And while the invitation for the event is studded with dozens of local Republican heavyweights, I’m still not sure what to make of Toledo. Is she, as I want to believe, the latest in a line of […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterOctober 3, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for all of Florida as Hurricane Matthew barrels toward Jamaica and Haiti. Heavy bands from the Category 4 storm have already flooded streets and sent many people to emergency shelters in the two countries. Two deaths have already been reported in Haiti, bringing the total for the […]

Tag: Florida Department of Transportation

George Gainer, Jeff Brandes reverse positions on Tri-Rail, push bill to let controversial contract stand

Joe Henderson: Democrats may finally get the message that they need, well, a message

Richard Biter among dozens applying for state transportation secretary

All Aboard Florida says Senate railroad bill ‘unconstitutionally targets one company’

Space Florida approves loan to get OneWeb factory under construction

Rick Scott budget proposing cutting $156 million from Tri-Rail over contract

Transportation Secretary Jim Boxold threatens to pull Tri-Rail’s state money

Orlando is building the train station, not sure when or if trains will arrive

What to make of House candidate Jackie Toledo?

Rick Scott declares state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Matthew