Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJune 23, 2015

Florida Gov. Rick Scott vetoed more than $461 million worth of projects from the state’s nearly $80 billion budget Tuesday morning, but the University of South Florida’s two pet projects survived his veto pen. They include $17 million for relocating USF’s Morsani College of Medicine to its expected downtown Tampa home on the corner of Meridian […]

Mitch PerryJune 11, 2015

The Tampa Bay Times lead Thursday is a story that we touched upon briefly Wednesday because the Legislature is now half-way through its Special Session in Tallahassee: There are fears among Tampa leaders that state funding for a USF College of Medicine building ($17 million) and accompanying USF Heart Institute ($15.75 million) is in peril. […]

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2015

The big news in the Tampa Bay area Wednesday morning is Mike Salinero‘s exclusive in The Tampa Tribune that Hillsborough County Administrator Mike Merrill is prepared to recommend to county commissioners and Mayor Bob Buckhorn that a half-cent sales transit tax be put on the ballot in 2016, with 60 percent of the revenue going to […]

Mitch PerryMay 13, 2015

In Washington Tuesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled his progressive “contract with America,” a 13-point liberal platform in which every child has free kindergarten, wages start at $15 an hour, there would be national paid sick leave and family leave, higher taxes on the wealthy, opposition to unfair trade laws (such as the Trans […]

Mitch PerryMay 12, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott‘s Let’s Get to Work political committee raised $687, 691 in April, including a $100,000 contribution from Tampa Bay Lightning owner and Channelside developer Jeff Vinik. That brings his totals in 2015 to more than $2.3 million ($2,368,000). Other major contributions in April came from the AIF PAC, the political action committee formed by […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 19, 2015

To its supporters, it was a case of justice delayed but not denied, when on Thursday the Florida Board of Governor in Tallahassee unanimously recommended the state provide $57 million to USF to move its medical center to downtown Tampa. The next step in the process for the $153 million center to house the Morsani […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 22, 2015

It’s been almost impossible to go to any public event in Tampa over the past year when you haven’t heard Bob Buckhorn, Sandy Murman or Tampa/Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. CEO Rick Homans crow about how bad ass Tampa/Hillsborough is doing these days on the economic front. Whether it’s the airport, the port, the EDC, the […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 16, 2015

There’s an anniversary today regarding U.S. foreign policy that I’m sure nobody will bring up, and why would they? We like our anniversaries in round numbers, so maybe you’ll hear something next year on the 25th anniversary of the beginning of the 1991 Gulf War, when the United States and a coalition of allies attacked Iraq, with U.N. […]

Mitch PerryDecember 31, 2014

Some of these are outright predictions, but most of these stories are events that we’ll be watching for in 2015. 1 – Florida State’s reign as national champions ends January 1, 8:30 p.m. eastern time. It was great while it lasted, but the Noles’ uncanny run of luck and two-year undefeated run comes crashing down on New […]

Mitch PerryDecember 29, 2014

Tis the season for year-end lists, so here’s this reporter’s take on the 10 biggest/most interesting developments over the past year in Tampa Bay/Florida politics. 1 – The Florida Democratic Party hits rock bottom. There are a number of reasons why Rick Scott beat Charlie Crist, and the Crist camp’s notion that the $12 million […]

Tag: Jeff Vinik

USF funding projects survive Rick Scott’s veto pen

Mitch Perry Report for 6.11.15 — Picking winners and losers in Tallahassee

Mitch Perry Report for 6.10.15 — Game-changing developments?

Mitch Perry Report 5.13.15 – Bill de Blasio unveils a progressive contract with America

Rick Scott’s Let’s Get to Work PAC has raised more than $2.3 million this year

State BOG all in for USF med school move to downtown Tampa

Mitch Perry Report for 1.22.15 – Hillsborough loses some of its swagger

Mitch Perry Report for 1.16.15 — Foreign policy priorities

Things to watch for in 2015

A look back at the year in news in Tampa Bay