Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryNovember 25, 2015

Outgoing Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear signed an executive order Tuesday immediately restoring voting rights to more than 100,000 ex-felons convicted of nonviolent offenses. “This disenfranchisement makes no sense,” Beshear, a Democrat, said in his announcement. “It makes no sense because it dilutes the energy of democracy, which functions only if all classes and categories of people have a […]

Mitch PerryNovember 23, 2015

Jeff Brandes is taking another shot at the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, this time because it hired a lobbyist. The St. Petersburg-based state senator has been calling for the agency’s demise for several years now, in part because it has tried to regulate ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft. Now he wants Attorney General Pam […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 9, 2015

Aiming for a different course after battling two rideshare companies for nearly a year and a half, the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission voted Wednesday to propose new regulations it hopes a local legislator can push through Tallahassee next year. As a “good faith effort” showing it’s trying to work with the industry, the board also […]

Mitch PerryAugust 12, 2015

Despite a court ruling that rejected their request that could have prevented Uber from operating in Hillsborough County, the Public Transportation Committee agreed today that they could continue to issue citations against Uber (and Lyft) drivers. “It is our opinion that there is nothing in Judge Huey’s order that prevents the PTC from continuing its enforcement […]

Mitch PerryAugust 11, 2015

First of all, let me give a public welcome to the newest addition to the Florida Politics/SaintPetersBlog family, James Rosica, late of The Tampa Tribune. I looking forward to reading his reports. The advent of the super PACS, we’ve been told, is that it will keep presidential candidates around a lot longer than before, since […]

Mitch PerryAugust 10, 2015

Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission executive director Kyle Cockream wants to emphasize that his agency has never wanted to boot Uber from operating in the county. He just wants them to abide by a few of the agency’s rules, which the popular ridesharing company has rejected. On Friday, a Hillsborough County Circuit Court judge denied the […]

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

Having survived a proposal in the Legislature that would have prevented them from making any rule changes to regular Uber and Lyft, Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission executive director Kyle Cockream said Wednesday that he will soon be recommending the “deregulation of some of our rules that we have.” The two ride-sharing companies have been […]

Phil AmmannApril 7, 2015

Hillsborough County’s Public Transportation Commission has stepped up the legislative battle in Tallahassee against ridesharing technology firm Uber. HCPTC head Kyle Cockream confirmed on Monday the retention of the high-powered and politically connected firm Capital City Consulting. CCC’s efforts are in addition the PTC’s main representatives, Corcoran & Johnston. The decision to expand the county lobbying team […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 19, 2015

This past Friday, St. Petersburg City Council convened for nearly three hours in an attempt to set up regulations to create a legal framework that would require Uber and Lyft to comply with ordinances regarding taxi cabs and limousines. It was the first time that local government had devoted a session to an issue that […]

Tag: Kyle Cockream
Image via AP.

Mitch Perry Report for 11.25.15 — Florida now one of 2 states withholding vote from ex-felons

Jeff Brandes wants legal opinion about Hillsborough PTC’s lobbying efforts

Hillsborough County PTC to stop citing Uber, Lyft drivers

Despite court ruling, Hillsborough PTC agents will continue to cite Uber drivers

Mitch Perry Report for 8.11.15 — Will Rick Perry be the first one off the GOP island?

Hillsborough PTC head emphasizes he doesn’t want Uber to leave Tampa

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

Hillsborough County PTC promises deregulation of some rules regarding Uber and Lyft

Hillsborough PTC antes up, adds more high-powered lobbyists

Matt Gaetz files legislation addressing Uber, Lyft