Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jacob OglesJuly 22, 2018

Time is winding down on a petition drive to get a public transportation referendum on the ballot in Hillsborough County, but a significant infusion of dollars continues to fuel the effort. All for Transportation has through this Friday to submit about 49,000 valid petitions to place an initiative on the Nov. 6 ballot. “We’re getting […]

Peter SchorschJune 29, 2018

A grassroots effort backing a one-cent sales tax increase to fund Hillsborough County transportation filed a monster campaign finance report Friday. The group, All for Transportation, reports receiving five contributions in its first week, and included among those were six-figure checks from Water Street Tampa developer and Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik as well […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 16, 2018

There are a lot of issues in the Tampa Bay area, but it’s almost universally accepted that lack of transportation options is the dominant one for 2018. A 41-mile Bus Rapid Transit plan running from Wesley Chapel to St. Petersburg was introduced to the public last month to decidedly mixed reviews. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay Republicans in Tallahassee […]

Mitch PerryNovember 15, 2017

In a move critics called “chilling,” the Hillsborough County Commission voted 4-3 on Wednesday to seek financial reimbursement from four activists who filed a failed ethics complaint against Commissioners Ken Hagan and Sandy Murman. Hagan filed a petition for fees and costs for his attorney, Mark Levine, following the Florida Commission on Ethics’ announcement last month that it found no […]

Mitch PerryOctober 26, 2017

The Florida Commission on Ethics announced Wednesday it has found no probable cause that Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Hillsborough County Commissioners Ken Hagan and Sandy Murman violated the state’s Code of Ethics. The commission’s investigation surrounded activities related to the Go Hillsborough effort. Go Hillsborough was a years -in-the-making proposal that would have placed a […]

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2016

Former Florida Democratic Party state chairman Bob Poe revealed Thursday he’s HIV-positive. The 61-year-old Democrat says in a video that he’s healthy because he got tested and diagnosed early, but he wanted to share his condition publicly to “remove the fear, the stigma and the shame that goes with this.” “It’s those things that keep people from getting the […]

Mitch PerryMay 27, 2016

The somewhat improbable Tampa Bay Lightning run for a second straight appearance in the Stanley Cup ended last night around 11 p.m. when they lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins, 2-1. The Lightning were pretty thoroughly outplayed if you go by shots-on-goal, but the last eight minutes or so […]

Mitch PerryMay 19, 2016

Let’s talk about somebody I assiduously generally eschew writing about in this space, Donald Trump. (That’s not to make any editorial point at all. It’s just that there’s so much going on in news and politics right now, and you can get your fill of Trump a thousand other places on the internet). On Tuesday, […]

Mitch PerryMay 3, 2016

A couple of years after Hillsborough County voters overwhelmingly rejected a sales tax referendum on transportation, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn talked about getting Tallahassee lawmakers to back a measure that would allow big cities like Tampa to place their own tax referendums on the ballot. It received little support from the local delegation, and was never […]

Mitch PerryMay 3, 2016

Well today’s the Indiana primary, and aren’t you all excited about that? I didn’t think so. A CNN/ORC poll released yesterday shows more than eight of 10 Americans believe Hillary Clinton will challenge Donald Trump for president in November. That was taken before Indiana votes today … or Nebraska next week … or California and New Jersey […]

Tag: Go Hillsborough
Gabrielle Russon

All for Transportation enters final stretch with petition drive

Tampa transportation initiative gets $300K boost, collects 5K signatures

Business leader pitches Tampa Bay light rail, but not on backs of local taxpayers

Hillsborough approves filing reimbursement for complaint against Ken Hagan

Bob Buckhorn, Hillsborough commissioners cleared in ethics probe

Mitch Perry Report for 6.10.16 — Bob Poe’s courage

Mitch Perry Report for 5.27.16 — Lightning strikes no more

Mitch Perry Report for 5.19.16 — The yin and yang of Donald J. Trump

Ed Narain gets no love for advocating that Florida cities should be able to hold their own tax referendums

Mitch Perry Report for 5.3.16 – Only six more months of hearing about Hillary vs.The Donald – every day