Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJune 24, 2015

One of the most interesting citizen generated political development in Florida this year is the coalition attempting to get a ballot measure on the 2016 ballot that would give businesses and property owners the ability to sell a limited amount of solar energy. Florida is one of only four states in the union that prohibit citizens from […]

Mitch PerryJune 24, 2015

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Floridians have somewhat ambivalent feelings about Bruce Jenner‘s transition to Caitlyn Jenner, but most adults in the Sunshine State as well as in Ohio and Pennsylvania say there is “a lot” or “some” social acceptance of transgender people in the nation today, according to a Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll released Wednesday. The former Olympian’s transition has […]

Mitch PerryJune 24, 2015

Although he’s been in politics for a long time now, Joe Gruters has just became a political candidate for the first time in 15 years. The 38-year-old Republican Party chairman of Sarasota County and vice chair and head of fundraising for the Republican Party of Florida recently announced his candidacy for the House District 73 […]

Mitch PerryJune 24, 2015

Jeb Bush likes to boast on the campaign trail that he used to be called “Veto Corleone,” so paramount was his mission to stamp out what he considered excessive and unnecessary government spending from the annual state budget while he was Florida’s governor. Bush has nothing on Rick Scott. The current Florida governor on Tuesday […]

Mitch PerryJune 23, 2015

Mary Mulhern said Tuesday she will soon file to run for the Florida Congressional District 13 seat in Pinellas County occupied by Republican incumbent David Jolly. The former Tampa city councilwoman floated the idea 11 days ago of a possible run for the seat, held more than 42 years by C.W. Bill Young, until his death […]

Mitch PerryJune 23, 2015

There were some local projects of note in the Tampa Bay area that escaped Rick Scott’s veto pen Tuesday morning, but there were plenty of other local projects and programs that did not, all part of a record breaking $461 million in vetoes announced by the governor’s office. Winners included USF, which received $17 million for its […]

Mitch PerryJune 23, 2015

One of the annual rites of spring in Tallahassee is for Florida TaxWatch to release their Turkey Watch Report, which traditionally is released in May shortly after the Legislature finishes their work and before the governor signs the budget. The report spotlights legislative projects placed in the budget without proper opportunity for public review and debate, which […]

Mitch PerryJune 23, 2015

Rick Scott has a week to sign the just-passed $78.7 billion Florida budget, and he’s promising taxpayers that “I’m going to watch your money” as he reviews projects with his veto pen. The Legislature’s last-minute addition of $300 million in pet local projects (including for a USF medical facility moving to downtown Tampa) has caused outrage in […]

Mitch PerryJune 22, 2015

No “fracking fees.” That was the message from a press conference held Monday afternoon in St. Petersburg, as state Representatives Dwight Dudley (D-St. Petersburg), Jose Javier Rodriguez (D-Miami), and Amanda Murphy (D-New Port Richey) spoke out against a decision last week by the Florida Public Service Commission that would allow Florida Power & Light to collect up to […]

Mitch PerryJune 22, 2015

As they threatened to do, the environmental movement in Florida is not abiding by the the state Legislature’s failure to comply with Amendment 1, the Water and Land Conservation Initiative in the Florida Constitution approved last fall by voters. A lawsuit was filed in Leon County Circuit Court on Monday afternoon by the Earthjustice group on behalf […]

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Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann mugshot. Image via Collier County Jail.

Solar amendment proposal continues to roil Florida conservatives

Majority of Floridians say Caitlyn Jenner’s transition won’t change society’s feelings

Joe Gruters begins transition from party insider to political candidate

Mitch Perry Report for 6.24.15 — Rick Scott wins again

Mary Mulhern says she’s running for CD 13 seat in Pinellas County

Tampa Bay area sees number of projects cut by Rick Scott in his budget

Rick Scott’s budget signing preempts impact of Florida TaxWatch turkey list

Mitch Perry Report for 6.23.15 — Will Rick Scott veto IMG Academy funding?

Florida House Democrats denounce FPL’s “fracking fee”

Environmental groups sue Legislature for failing on Amendment 1