Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschJanuary 3, 2017

Just as how the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes that day, officials at St. Petersburg’s City Hall are deferring taking any regulatory action against ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft. City Councilmember Darden Rice told Janelle Irwin of the Tampa Bay Business Journal that all parties involved “are ever closer to an agreement to present to Council that […]

Mitch PerryDecember 20, 2016

Among the 2017 priorities that the Hillsborough County Regional Transit Authority’s government liaison, Cesar Hernandez told board members on Monday, one would be to continue to push for anything that can push autonomous vehicle technology forward in the new year. In case you’re not familiar with the whole driverless car concept, you should know that the Sunshine State, led by […]

Mitch PerryDecember 16, 2016

The troubled Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission received a terminal diagnosis Friday after members of the Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation voted unanimously for a local bill that would eliminate the agency on December 31, 2017. After that, the County Commission would pick up its regulatory duties. “The public has lost complete faith in the ability of this […]

Mitch PerryDecember 13, 2016

Now that Donald Trump has selected Rex Tillerson, the chief executive of ExxonMobil, as his Secretary of State, perhaps we can take a moment in recent history to look at how influential – or not- these men and women have been in presidential administrations. When I think of Madeleine Albright’s tenure with Bill Clinton, I think of her impassioned advocacy for […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 12, 2016

Even as Jacksonville waits for yet another legislative session to offer clarity in ridesharing legislation from Tallahassee, transportation networking giant Lyft has a message. Lyft claims to save Jacksonville time, and claims to boost the local economy. Lyft claims to drive $5 million of new spending to the local economy, with 73 percent of respondents […]

Mitch PerryNovember 10, 2016

As Donald Trump publicly laid low and dealt with officials about how the transition of his administration will begin, I couldn’t help but recall that often-referred-to famous final scene from the 1972 Michael Ritchie film, “The Candidate” starring Robert Redford. Bill McKay, the novice (played by Redford) who has just won an improbable victory for the U.S. Senate, turns dazedly […]

Mitch PerryNovember 8, 2016

The last presidential contest I really didn’t pay that much attention to was back in 1980, but I do remember this: I was in high school, and I had the TV on but the sound down when Jimmy Carter came out at around 6:15 PST to announce he was conceding the election. It was pretty early […]

Mitch PerryOctober 17, 2016

In the aftermath of published reports about questionable decisions made by Hillsborough County Public Transportation Executive Director Kyle Cockream over the past year, Tampa state Rep. Dana Young is calling for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to conduct an investigation into the agency. “When the line is blurred between the regulator and the entities they regulate, the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterOctober 14, 2016

Senate Majority Leader Bill Galvano will push for ridesharing legislation, saying this week the state needs a “single, unified approach” to the new transportation sector. In a guest editorial in The Bradenton Herald, Galvano said if Florida wants to continue to attract the next generation of innovators, the state “must solidify, through legislation and strategic […]

Joe HendersonOctober 3, 2016

Ken Hagan has been elected five times to the Hillsborough County Commission. That ought to say something about the way voters feel he takes care of both his and the public’s business. Headlines tend to find him because he always seems to be involved in something important, but I wouldn’t say he seeks out publicity. […]

Tag: Lyft

Upon second thought, City of St. Pete defers vote to regulate Uber and Lyft

Mitch Perry Report for 12.20.16 – Our driverless future?

Hillsborough County PTC may be on way out after local delegation approves bill to kill it

Mitch Perry Report for 12.13.16 – It’s Rex Tillerson at State. Now what?

Lyft claims to save time, boost economy in Jacksonville

Mitch Perry Report for 11.10.16 — The ‘What do we now?’ moment for the president-elect

Mitch Perry Report for 11.8.16 — Getting the results before the polls close

Dana Young calls for FDLE investigation into Hillsborough County PTC

Bill Galvano backs statewide ride-sharing legislation

Joe Henderson: Hillsborough rideshare decision could rest with ‘problem solver’ Ken Hagan