Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryDecember 7, 2015

(UPDATED) Last week President Obama signed into law the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act or FAST Act, a $305 billion transportation bill that will provide the state of Florida with $890 million more than it would have gotten under current funding formulas — and about $12 billion overall. “What will be most relevant for us in this bill is it will […]

Mitch PerryJuly 21, 2015

I was going to opine on John Kasich entering the GOP presidential contest this morning, but let’s get to that Wednesday. Instead, let’s talk about Florida’s U.S. Senate race, now that David Jolly is officially is in the race, along with Congressman Ron DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and retired CIA contractor Todd Wilcox. Lately […]

Mitch PerryJune 25, 2015

Bob Buckhorn travels to Tallahassee Friday in what is being seen as his first overt move to broaden his statewide appeal in advance of 2018, when he’ll likely take a run at the Democratic nomination for governor. The Tampa mayor speaks to the Tallahassee Tiger Bay Club on Friday, as well as tape an appearance […]

Mitch PerryMay 20, 2015

Tampa public relations firm Tucker/Hall was paid more than $400,000 by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) in 2013 and 2014 to create a public education campaign for the Greenlight Pinellas transit referendum. It was soundly defeated at the polls in November. One of the leading players for Tucker/Hall at the time was Tony Collins, the agency’s […]

Mitch PerryMay 4, 2015

Plant City Republican Josh Burgin, who been on the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) since February 2012, said Monday that he will leave the agency on July 1 to pursue a degree at the Harvard School of Government. “Three years ago, you gave me a specific charge to ‘protect the taxpayer,'” Burgin wrote last […]

Mitch PerryApril 21, 2015

A week ago I spoke with someone close to David Jolly about the Pinellas County congressman taking time to consider a candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2016. The still-newbie Republican U.S. Representative has a number of pros and cons to contemplate before making such a momentous career decision. The biggest downside is the real […]

Mitch PerryApril 20, 2015

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Before the 2015 Legislative Session commenced last month, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) Board Chairman Mike Suarez wrote to Pasco County area legislator Richard Corcoran, chairman of the Tampa Bay area legislative delegation, with a list of priorities that the transit agency hoped the state could fund this year. But with just two weeks to […]

Mitch PerryMarch 19, 2015

The Tampa City Council has an election every year to choose a new chair. The majority has chosen the status quo in recent years, continuing to choose longtime member Charlie Miranda as their leader, with nary a vote for the board’s other six members. That lack of leadership diversity has bothered a few members of […]

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2015

Last week the Tampa Bay Business Journal reported that HART is seeking more than $50 million from the Florida Legislature this year, an amount that apparently surprised some members of the Hillsborough County transit agency. “I don’t remember $50 million,” board member Bryan Crino confessed at the agency’s monthly board meeting on Monday. That’s because most of […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 11, 2015

Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez is feeling confident in his bid for re-election to his District 1 seat next month. Unlike four years ago, where he was competing against four other candidates in his first bid for elected office, Suarez is in solid shape with less than three weeks to go in his primary contest, […]

Tag: HART
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 4/18/25-Candles and remembrances are left near the Unconquered statue a few hours after the Florida State University Gathering of Unity Vigil held Friday to honor victims of the recent mass shooting. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

FAST Act means more money for Florida transit agencies’ buses

Mitch Perry Report for 7.21.15 — Bill McCollum isn’t seriously thinking of running for Senate. Is he?

Bob Buckhorn takes his act to Tallahassee

PSTA using consultant Tony Collins, an original architect of Greenlight Pinellas plan

Josh Burgin leaves HART board to attend Harvard

Mitch Perry Report for 4.21.15 — Senate in ’16 odds looking better for David Jolly?

HART still hopes for funding from Tallahassee

Tampa Council argues diversity vs. status quo in who will lead

Hillsborough County transit agency has $50 million in needs from Tallahassee this session

Mike Suarez goes on air in re-election bid for Tampa City Council