Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressDecember 19, 2014

The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature on Friday called on the state’s highest court to keep intact new congressional districts that state legislators drew up in August. In a lengthy legal brief, attorneys for the Legislature insisted that the new districts, which will not be utilized until the 2016 elections, meet new standards intended to eliminate maps […]

Guest AuthorNovember 10, 2014

When I debated Barney Bishop a few weeks ago in Miami, he claimed that he had “smoked more marijuana than everyone in the crowd – combined.” Well, he must have fried his brain doing so, because he can’t even put together a coherent thought in a “victory lap” piece like the one published on “Politics […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 7, 2014

In this election year, Florida Gov. Rick Scott is masquerading as the friend of the middle class. Who does he think he’s fooling? For going on 16 years, the Florida Republican Party has fiddled and belittled the middle class. It isn’t an act of God that’s destroying the American Dream; it’s petty, self-serving, greedy acts […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 7, 2014

Tourists visit Florida for its sunny beaches, shining amusement parks and natural landscapes. In fact, the Sunshine State welcomes nearly 100 million of them each year. They come to stay, play, and pay…taxes. Nearly 74 percent of Florida’s general revenue comes from sales and use taxes, and a large part of that $19.4 billion is […]

Guest AuthorAugust 26, 2014

Floridians voted yesterday. But it hardly mattered. Worse than gerrymandered, Florida’s voting districts have now been “terrymandered,” thanks to Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis. The whole sordid affair is enough to make a manic-depressive out of all Floridians who care about clean government. For a euphoric nanosecond, it looked like Florida was about to enjoy […]

Bruce RitchieJuly 31, 2014

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Former Gov. Charlie Crist says if elected governor again in November, he would again issue executive orders dealing with climate change. But we’ve been down that road before — and it didn’t take us very far. If Crist is elected and does what he says, you can expect a battle with industry groups and their […]

Dominic CalabroJuly 29, 2014

Florida schools will be back in session very soon, and the new school year brings plenty of changes. Students, teachers and parents will face new learning standards and a new assessment to test student achievement, but one thing will stay the same: the need for paper and pencils, clothes to wear, and maybe even a […]

Guest AuthorJune 11, 2014

Reporters and political operatives breathlessly tell us almost daily what the polling numbers are in the all-important governor’s race. Interestingly, the numbers are always bouncing around — and they should. That’s because essentially what we are seeing in the collective sense are tracking polls that provide us with an almost daily barrage of numbers. Well-funded […]

Guest AuthorJune 11, 2014

As the premier association representing professionally managed senior living communities that care for more than 28,000 Floridians, FLORIDA ALFA is deeply disappointed that the Legislature did not pass comprehensive reform of the assisted living facility industry in Florida. The proposed legislation, championed by Sen. Eleanor Sobel in the Senate and Rep. Larry Ahern in the […]

Guest AuthorMay 21, 2014

The Legislature missed out on a crucial economic development opportunity this session: the chance to attract new businesses and grow existing ones — all of which employ highly skilled and high-wage workers. I am talking about a proposal sponsored by Sen. Nancy Detert that would have extended the life of the successful Entertainment Industry Financial […]

Tag: Legislature

Legislature defends new districts

Ben Pollara: The battle to legalize medical marijuana moves to the Legislature

Stephen Goldstein: Wage gap between Florida men and women unchanged for 30 years

Jerry D. Parrish: More tourists mean lower taxes for Florida’s residents

Stephen Goldstein: Florida Republicans celebrate death of democracy

Bruce Ritchie: If voters want new energy policy, they need to elect new legislators

Dominic M. Calabro: Floridians benefit from back-to-school sales tax holiday

Barney Bishop: If Crist is governor, expect to see D.C. antics in Tallahassee

Gail Matillo: Legislature must pass assisted-living reform in 2015 session

Leah Sokolowsky: Helping the entertainment industry would benefit Florida