Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Tom JacksonAugust 22, 2016

Ordinarily, the only thing less interesting than electing a county’s property appraiser is electing its clerk of court. At least people have a pretty good idea of what a property appraiser does. But when a long-time appraiser creates an open seat by announcing his retirement, and does so in a year in which Donald Trump declares all […]

Peter SchorschAugust 1, 2016

Mike Fasano took to social media last week to “shame” GOP political consulting firm Data Targeting for having the audacity to request public personnel records. In doing so, the Pasco County Tax Collector — recognized with the Friend of the First Amendment award only last year — disappointed a number of people, including several of his friends. But in the […]

Peter SchorschJuly 28, 2016

What a difference four years can make. Especially in the world of politics. Elected officials change their positions. Sometimes it can happen when new facts emerge, or because of a desire to follow the will of the people who elected them to serve. And then there are the other scenarios. Take my friend Pasco County […]

Peter SchorschJuly 20, 2016

While Florida’s delegates to the Republican National Convention noshed on a Tuesday morning breakfast fit for a Hubert Mizell column — chicken & waffles, honestly cheesy grits, and cinnamon sticky buns — Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam extolled on the virtues of living under GOP rule in the Sunshine State. “The economy was in the tank, and we had more […]

Keith MorelliJune 29, 2016

The collecting began last year, and the contributions flowed into Tampa Bay incumbent constitutional officers focused winning this fall’s elections and keeping their jobs for four more years. By last week, when qualifying ended, nearly a dozen had raked in close to $900,000, ready to wage war with challengers to their positions as sheriffs, tax […]

Joe HendersonMay 31, 2016

Recent headlines heralded the fact that Citizens Insurance, the state-run company for those who can’t get coverage anywhere else, has a lot of cash. With the official opening of hurricane season at hand, company officials say Citizens has enough money in reserve to pay claims if even a catastrophic Category 5 storm hits a major […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 28, 2016

It’s easy to call Chris Sprowls tough. He beat cancer as a teenager; made a name for himself prosecuting violent offenders; and has become one of the go-to guys to get things done in the Florida House. Friends, though, say Sprowls is also a genuinely nice person who cares deeply about his community and the state of […]

Drew WilsonMarch 21, 2016

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Pasco County citizens raised more than $9,000 for a New Port Richey ranch as part of a charity drive set up by Tax Collector Mike Fasano. “Kiddy Up Ranch would like to thank our wonderful tax collectors staff and the people of our community for their fundraising efforts,” said Kiddy Up Ranch founder Tammy Harting. […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 15, 2016

In the Florida Legislature, John Legg is one of the good guys. A protege of populist Mike Fasano, Legg is a dedicated, policy-driven lawmaker with years of legislative experience that run counter to his boyish looks. That said, Legg has been somewhat of an enigma lately, although it’s understandable why he’s been acting the way […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 5, 2016

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano said Tuesday’s resignation of Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty means Floridians will be “losing one of their greatest advocates.” Fasano, a former longtime Republican state lawmaker, issued a news release shortly after news broke that McCarty would be leaving the post he’s held since 2003. “During my many years as a state legislator, […]

Tag: Mike Fasano
Mike Johnson. Image via AP.

In Pasco, big fireworks over low-profile job

First Amendment Foundation calls Mike Fasano’s conditions on public record access ‘highly inappropriate,’ illegal

Mike Fasano, it’s none of your business who requests public records

Richard Corcoran for Governor in 2018?

Unopposed local constitutional officers to return nearly $900,000 in contributions

As hurricane season begins, asking tough questions of Citizens Insurance

For Chris Sprowls, shot at leadership means an opportunity to be “as bold as possible”

Mike Fasano-led charity drive nets $9K for New Port Richey ranch

What is John Legg thinking (Part 2)?

Mike Fasano sticks up for resigning state insurance commissioner