Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryMay 20, 2015

Although every member of the Hillsborough County Commission weighed in this morning regarding their concern about the issue of wage theft in the county, the Republican members prescription of how to alleviate the problem drew the wrath of the measure’s proponent, Democrat Kevin Beckner. Beckner said that his colleagues worries about growing the size of government outweighed […]

Mitch PerryMay 13, 2015

The Hillsborough County Public Transportation held a two-and-a-half hour public hearing on Wednesday on proposed regulations that would put ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft into compliance with the agency’s rules. But at the end of the morning, they opted to punt on the issue once again, mandating that a subcommittee come back with recommendations next month. Ever since […]

Mitch PerryMay 11, 2015

Ten days ago, Florida Politics reported that Brian Willis, the Tampa lawyer running for the countywide Hillsborough County District 6 seat next year, had raised $45, 357 in his first month of campaigning. Advisers for Willis said it was the third-best first-month of fundraising for a county commissioner candidate in the past decade, trailing only […]

Mitch PerryMay 8, 2015

Hillsborough County Commissioners (and Administrator Mike Merrill) are gung-ho on having the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) explore an opportunity to move its facility into downtown Tampa. There it could be a part of Jeff Vinik‘s grand plans to redevelop the Channelside area, even though there are serious questions about how productive such a move […]

Mitch PerryMay 6, 2015

The Hillsborough County Commission voted 6-1 on Wednesday to ask the the Florida Commission on Ethics to pursue legal frees from a Plant City winery owner whose ethics complaint against Commissioner Al Higginbotham was deemed to be without merit by that same commission. Joe Keel, owner of Keel and Curley Winery, filed an ethics complaint against […]

Mitch PerryMay 4, 2015

For more than three decades, the seven-member Hillsborough County Commission has consisted of representatives from four single-member districts and three at-large seats. The county is much larger now, and a lot of people think its composition needs to change to reflect that growth. In the past few years, there have been two futile attempts to add […]

Mitch PerryMay 1, 2015

Buoyed in part by a very successful inauguration fundraiser/birthday party at an Ybor City craft brewery this past week, Hillsborough County Commission District 6 candidate Brian Willis touted his first fundraising totals in a press release issued Friday. The 32-year-old Tampa lawyer and transit activist raised $45,537 in April, the first month he has been […]

Mitch PerryApril 30, 2015

We finally have a challenger to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential nomination contest. Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, 73, officially announces his candidacy Thursday, though he says he won’t give a big speech noting the event until May 26. “I’ve been traveling around the country for the last year trying to ascertain whether there […]

Mitch PerryApril 29, 2015

Longtime Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan says he’s considering a run for mayor of Tampa in 2019. “I’m encouraged every day to consider running for either mayor of Tampa or a constitutional seat,” Hagan said Tuesday. Having just been re-elected to his District 5 countywide commission seat last year, he admits he’s not in any […]

Mitch PerryApril 3, 2015

Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, who is termed out of office next year, has filed to run for the Clerk of the Circuit Courts in Hillsborough County. Records filed with the Supervisor of Elections office shows that Beckner filed Thursday afternoon. He lists Gil Sainz, his longtime companion and now husband, as his campaign treasurer. […]

Tag: Ken Hagan
Florida's crackdown on Asian ownership is having an impact on Jacksonville ports.

Hillsborough County Commission meeting gets hot discussing wage ordinance issue

Hillsborough PTC discusses Uber & Lyft regulations, but again fails to come to a resolution

Brian Willis posts big fundraising numbers vs. Pat Kemp in District 6 Hillsborough commission race

Mitch Perry Report for 5.8.15 — The MOSI-USF Football stadium dilemma

Hillsborough Commissioners want winery owner to pay Al Higginbotham’s legal fees

Panel to consider new ideas to change Hillsborough BOCC setup

Brian Willis touts fundraising prowess in Hillsborough County bid

Mitch Perry Report for 4.30.15 — Hillary Clinton finally has challenger

Ken Hagan looks at 2019 run for Tampa mayor

Kevin Beckner files to run for Hillsborough Clerk of the Courts