Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bruce RitchieApril 7, 2015

With hundreds of lobbyists in suits and Parrotheads in flower-patterned shirts cheering in applause, singer Jimmy Buffett urged Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature to buy land to protect the Everglades. “It’s good to be back in Tallahassee,” Buffett said before playing an acoustic version of “Changes in Lattitudes.” “It’s good to be raising a […]

Bruce RitchieApril 6, 2015

Eric Draper of Audubon Florida told a television audience this weekend that legislators are showing they are “out of sync” with voters who supported Amendment 1. Seventy-five percent of voters in November approved the funding initiative that would provide an estimated $742 million for water and land conservation in the 2015-16 state budget. Environmental groups […]

James CallApril 5, 2015

This week at the state Capitol the session enters its circus stage. We’ll entertain ourselves with perennial issues, while leaders figure out how to resolve a budget dispute. A gorilla called LIP along with an elephant known as Medicaid expansion are occupying the room used for budget negotiations. While the House and Senate maneuver behind […]

James CallApril 3, 2015

Now we have a Session — a battle of wills and philosophies in the building of a state budget. The Senate wants to talk. In the House, the talk is about war. Both chambers have passed a state budget for next year. If you look at the bottom lines the difference is about $4.2 billion. […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 2, 2015

Senate President Andy Gardiner issued a plea to the House late Wednesday night after hearing news that the federal government has stopped negotiating with the state over the future of a $2 billion program called Low Income Pool. “The time has come to find common ground and present a unified solution that is best for […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 2, 2015

Senate President Andy Gardiner issued a plea to the House late Wednesday night after hearing news that the federal government has stopped negotiating with the state over the future of a $2 billion program called Low Income Pool. “The time has come to find common ground and present a unified solution that is best for […]

James CallApril 1, 2015

This day at the state Capitol things began to happen. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson was in the House and Senate warning lawmakers that Washington wasn’t bluffing about ending a federal reimbursement program for safety-net hospitals. Nelson met with both Senate President Andy Gardiner and Speaker Steve Crisafulli. Concerning the Low Income Pool question, Nelson said, […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 1, 2015

The federal government has temporarily cut off Low Income Pool negotiations with Florida, making it difficult for the Legislature to complete its budget and bring the regular legislative session to an end on time. Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Liz Dudek sent a statement to the press late Wednesday announcing that the chief negotiator […]

Bruce RitchieApril 1, 2015

Environmental groups praised a Senate move on Wednesday to add $35 million in the state budget toward land acquisition but said the amount falls short of what voters wanted. Amendment 1, approved by 75 percent of voters in November, is now estimated to provide nearly $742 million for water and land conservation programs. Environmental groups […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 1, 2015

Amid a deteriorating budget stalemate that is splitting Republican legislators, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson stepped into the fray with a message that the loss of more than$2 billion in Medicaid dollars for hospitals is a real threat. “The day of reckoning is here,” said Nelson, who made a quick visit to the state Capitol Wednesday, […]

Tag: Steve Crisafulli

Jimmy Buffett tells Capitol crowd it’s good to be “raising hell for the right reason”

Audubon’s Eric Draper says Legislature “out of sync” with voters

This week ahead at the Florida Capitol — April 6-12

Epic battle brewing at Capitol as Session appears headed to overtime

Senate Prez Andy Gardiner says it’s time to find “common ground” on health care

Senate Prez Andy Gardiner says it's time to find "common ground" on health care

The day that was in Florida politics — April 1

Dudek: Feds call temporarily halt to LIP talks with Florida

Senate boost for land-buying praised as House Democrats question spending

Bill Nelson says Florida shouldn’t be playing chicken with health care for the poor