Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschNovember 26, 2014

We’ve all seen the words “turkey” and “lobbyist” in the same sentence before. But, more than likely, this referred to the role of special interests in securing political pork for clients. Indeed, Florida’s political process has its own special “turkey day” which falls after each legislative session, before the governor gets to the bulk of […]

Dominic CalabroNovember 18, 2014

We all know individuals who spend more than they have. Often, these money mis-managers take on credit card debt and fail to save. They spend their additional income before they pay off old debts. Eventually, they spiral out of control. Their home is foreclosed; their cars impounded. Granted, not all people who find themselves in […]

Guest AuthorNovember 4, 2014

In 2013 Congress appointed a bipartisan Over-Criminalization Task Force to scrutinize the 4,500 felonies criminalized by federal law. This group, reappointed in February to continue its work in 2014, is seeking to reform criminal justice policies that make the United States the runaway incarceration leader in the world. Think about that: America imprisons its citizens […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 23, 2014

Each year, millions of tourists visit Florida. The revenue collected from the state’s thriving tourism-centered economy helps keep tax rates low for our full-time residents and businesses. The more visitors the state attracts, the more revenue is collected through sources like sales taxes and bed taxes. But the tourism industry does much more than pad […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 7, 2014

Tourists visit Florida for its sunny beaches, shining amusement parks and natural landscapes. In fact, the Sunshine State welcomes nearly 100 million of them each year. They come to stay, play, and pay…taxes. Nearly 74 percent of Florida’s general revenue comes from sales and use taxes, and a large part of that $19.4 billion is […]

Dominic CalabroAugust 25, 2014

Florida’s primary election is today. This year’s election cycle features a highly contested governor’s race, and the political adversaries hoping to battle it out on the November ticket are only warming up during the primary races. Everybody knows about Election Day in the United States. On the first Tuesday in November, American citizens around the […]

Dominic CalabroAugust 20, 2014

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the great German theologian who paid the ultimate price for standing up to Hitler, once said: “The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.” By that metric, Florida is doing better – but not well enough. In the most recent legislative session, business leaders, policymakers and […]

Dominic CalabroJuly 29, 2014

Florida schools will be back in session very soon, and the new school year brings plenty of changes. Students, teachers and parents will face new learning standards and a new assessment to test student achievement, but one thing will stay the same: the need for paper and pencils, clothes to wear, and maybe even a […]

Dominic CalabroJune 24, 2014

It’s been said that a team is only as strong as its leader. This adage rings especially true as Florida seeks to find its first head of the soon-to-be-created Agency for State Technology. Strong leadership often makes the difference between success and failure, and the state is all too familiar with failure in the arena […]

Bruce RitchieJune 4, 2014

When he signed the 2014-15 state budget on Monday, Gov. Rick Scott decided not to veto $88.5 million in local water projects. The governor had vetoed more than $50 million in water projects during his previous three budget signings. Some supporters of environmental programs say the water projects need to go through a better review. […]

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Thanksgiving, as brought you by these Florida lobbyists and political organizations

Calabro and Herrle: Overgenerous pensions hurt taxpayers, beneficiaries

Dan McCarthy: We can save lots of money by reducing the prison population

Jerry Parrish: Attracting 100 million tourists would create 121,000 jobs, report says

Jerry D. Parrish: More tourists mean lower taxes for Florida’s residents

Dominic Calabro: Today’s primaries are just as important as the general elections

Dominic Calabro and David Lawrence Jr.: Investments in early learning save taxpayer dollars, produce results

Dominic M. Calabro: Floridians benefit from back-to-school sales tax holiday

Dominic Calabro: Vital new tech agency needs strong leadership to succeed

Bruce Ritchie: When is a water project justified – or just legislative pork?