Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

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. […]

Mitch PerryMay 11, 2016

Consumers for Solar Choice, the group behind the controversial solar power amendment that will go before Florida voters in November, has raised their most campaign contributions to date in April, bringing in $8,521,125 — by far their largest one-month total since kicking off their campaign last July. That $8.5 million came from just 14 different contributors, […]

Mitch PerryDecember 16, 2015

The ballot initiative that would increase access to solar power in Florida next year has faced intense opposition from the public utilities and big business all year long. One of those opponents is The James Madison Institute (JMI), a conservative think-tank based in Tallahassee. The group released a report on Wednesday claiming that if the […]

Jim RosicaNovember 10, 2015

Heavy giving by political groups connected to Florida’s premier business lobby has pushed Republican Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam‘s political committee to more than $3 million in total fundraising. October fundraising numbers were due Tuesday; figures for Florida Grown PC were posted on its website Tuesday morning but not yet available on the state’s campaign finance page. […]

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No on 4

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

‘Consumers for Smart Solar’ initiative brings in more than $8.5 million in April

Solar power amendment opponent says its passage would cost ratepayers $1.1 billion

Adam Putnam political committee takes in nearly $700K in October