Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersOctober 10, 2017

Florida’s private utility companies have donated nearly $800,000 to support Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam‘s political committee seeking to get him elected governor, and also have donated another $1.8 million that may have been re-directed to him through other political committees. A review of campaign finance data available through the Florida Division of Elections shows that […]

Peter SchorschJuly 5, 2017

House Speaker Richard Corcoran’s newly formed political committee raised more 2 million dollars last month. Although the Land O’Lakes Republican has been coy about his political future, with an eye-opening haul like that, it’s hard to argue the Speaker is not at least considering a 2018 gubernatorial run. Included in that $2,060,000 (and change) Watchdog […]

Peter SchorschApril 25, 2017

Tampa Electric Co. is adding five prominent Florida business and community leaders to its board of directors, including developer and Tampa Bay Lighting owner Jeff Vinik, former House Speaker Will Weatherford and former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. In an announcement Tuesday, TECO parent company Emera Inc., the Nova Scotia-based energy conglomerate, said the new members are as part of […]

Peter SchorschNovember 2, 2016

Consider the eye-grabbing Tampa Bay Times’ front-page headline Wednesday: $43M spent to limit solar. Beyond the silliness of assuming that every dollar utilities donated this cycle is part of a plot to fight rooftop solar — as if there is nothing else they care about — the story is screwed up six ways to Sunday. If a politician were […]

Jim RosicaOctober 24, 2016

Democratic House candidate Loranne Ausley‘s recent ad bemoans “special interests” who “run our state government and control our legislators.” “They get the benefits,” she says in a voiceover. “We get the cuts.” But campaign finance records show Ausley also has taken thousands of dollars from special interests for a political committee (PC) that she controls. The story […]

Mitch PerryOctober 19, 2016

Critics of Amendment 1 on next month’s ballot in Florida teed off on the sponsors of that measure on Wednesday, following an explosive report in the Miami Herald quoting a policy director with the James Madison Institute as saying the utility industry is trying to deceive voters into supporting restrictions on solar power by supporting the amendment. […]

Joe HendersonSeptember 16, 2016

In the Aug. 30 primary, Florida voters made it unmistakably clear how they feel about solar energy. Nearly 73 percent of them voted to approve an amendment providing a tax break for businesses that convert to solar power. That was just what backers of clean energy in Florida wanted, of course. Now they have a […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 7, 2016

A coalition of Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and Green Party members came out on Wednesday to announce their opposition to the next solar power amendment Floridians will vote on this fall. If passed, Amendment 1 would put existing law regarding the rights of homeowners and businesses to own or lease solar equipment into the state Constitution. Advocates […]

Joe HendersonSeptember 6, 2016

While city officials play those favored political parlor games of finger-pointing and pass-the-blame, thousands of residents remain without power. That’s all we ought to care about now. There are reports of price gouging. Large trees are down all over the city. People are steaming as they wonder about the competence of the power they have […]

Mitch PerryJuly 14, 2016

The League of Women Voters in Florida is going big on solar power this year. They’re putting their political muscle behind supporting one solar constitutional amendment on the ballot next month, while opposing another such measure in November. And somewhat outside their normal lane, they’re also going to organize solar co-ops to negotiate steep discounts on rooftop solar for homeowners across the state. […]

Tag: TECO

Utility companies have contributed $800K, while funneling as much as $2.5M through committees, to Adam Putnam’s campaign

Richard Corcoran’s $2 million haul, and what it could mean for the governor’s race

Jeff Vinik, Will Weatherford, Pam Iorio named to TECO board of directors

Tampa Bay Times’ mind-boggling figures in ‘rooftop solar fight’ don’t add up

Loranne Ausley opposes special interests – while her PAC takes their money

Solar power advocates blast ‘deceptive strategy’ behind Amendment 1

Joe Henderson: For solar energy supporters, Amendment 1 raises red flags

Coalition of activists team up to oppose utility supported solar power amendment on Florida ballot this fall

Joe Henderson: Hurricane Hermine leaves Category 5 mess in unprepared Tallahassee

League of Women Voters going all in on solar power in Florida this year

Florida politics had 11 questions before federal qualifying week. Here are the answers.