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Guest AuthorDecember 28, 2015

From palace intrigues to pot, 2015 brought a plethora of material to the Capitol Press Corps. Trying to pick the top 10 state government stories is a subjective pursuit, to say the least, but here are the FloridaPolitics.com picks for the passing year: No. 1: The “firing” of Gerald Bailey Gov. Rick Scott actually forced […]

Peter SchorschDecember 19, 2015

This past Thursday, Mitch Perry working, in part, from several tips I received, reported that a dispute with a signature-gathering firm is making it likely that the group attempting to expand solar power choice in Florida will fall short of acquiring the necessary signatures to qualify for the ballot next year. It’s no understatement to say Perry’s story put […]

Phil AmmannNovember 18, 2015

Veteran Tallahassee reporter Joe Follick has joined Florida TaxWatch as its new Director of Communications and External Relations. Florida TaxWatch is the state’s leading independent government research and analysis organization. Follick brings more than two decades of communication and media experience, serving as communications director for the Florida Department of Education and with the Department […]

Mitch PerryNovember 17, 2015

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Florida GOP lawmakers in Tallahassee on Tuesday announced a number of bills that would crack down on illegal immigration. Among those bills include HB 675, sponsored by Yalaha House Republican Larry Metz, which would punish so-called “sanctuary” cities that don’t cooperate with federal officials attempting to deport undocumented immigration. It would call for the Attorney General to file […]

Mitch PerryOctober 8, 2015

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In the past week, it was learned that two major Hollywood productions intending to film in the Tampa Bay area chose not to because the state had no tax incentives to provide. The Tampa Tribune‘s Paul Guzzo reported on Thursday that “Gifted,” a new Hollywood film starring Chris Evans and Octavia Spencer about a St. Petersburg […]

Mitch PerryOctober 6, 2015

It was billed as “The Great Debate” with two of the most prominent Tampa residents on the issue of Cuba, Al Fox and Ralph Fernandez, duking it out on whether the United States should end the 54-year-old economic embargo against the Castro-led government. Hundreds jammed into the historic Centro Asturiano building in Ybor City for a 90-minute forum hosted by the […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 30, 2015

2015 was supposed to be the year that the Florida Legislature authorized funding to replenish its depleted film tax incentives package, allowing the Sunshine State to compete with Louisiana, Georgia and other Southeastern states in getting its fair share of movie and television production work. It didn’t happen. Despite the reshaping of the incentives and […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 28, 2015

Happy Monday/General Assembly Day at the UN, everyone. Lots of things happened over the weekend, but let’s transition into the work week by applauding the University of Florida Gators for their miraculous comeback victory over Tennessee, 28-27, early Saturday night in Gainesville. The victory puts UF in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 22, 2015

Nine days after Patrick Murphy spoke before hundreds of Hillsborough County Democrats at the party’s annual fundraising dinner, Alan Grayson got his shot Monday night. Speaking to about 70 members of the party’s executive committee members, the Orlando congressman and top Senate challenger to Murphy for the Democratic nomination for Senate spoke and took questions […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 1, 2015

Jim Norman, who has been meeting with all types of folks in the community the past few weeks and months in preparation for a return to local politics, makes it official Tuesday. He’s running for a seat on the Hillsborough County Commission. Actually, he made it official Monday by making pilgrimages to the editorial board […]

Tag: Tampa Tribune
Flamingos at Discovery Cove in Orlando.

Jim Rosica's Top 10 stories of 2015 in state government

On Jim Turner and FloridaPolitics.com not being a “blog”

Personnel note: Former reporter Joe Follick joins Florida TaxWatch as Comm. Director

Florida immigrant coalition blasts GOP proposal to crack down on “sanctuary cities”

AFP prepares sequel to fight film subsidy bills in 2016

Al Fox and Ralph Fernandez debate U.S. Cuba relations in Ybor City

Mitch Perry Report for 9.30.15 – Ybor and Florida lose out to Georgia in Hollywood production

Mitch Perry Report for 9.28.15 – USF’s wandering eye

Alan Grayson woos Tampa Democrats in his bid for U.S. Senate

Mitch Perry Report for 9.1.15 – The meaning of Jim Norman’s return