Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Larry GriffinJune 23, 2016

Forty-eight hours ago, the building at 507 Michigan St. was just an empty storage area. Now it has transformed into the new Family Assistance Center, intended to help survivors and others connected to the Pulse nightclub shooting. At a news conference Thursday morning, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs stood together […]

Scott PowersJune 22, 2016

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said Wednesday she plans to move forward in proposing a county ordinance to set rules on future uses for tourist tax money. Her statement comes a day after the Orange County Charter Review Commission reversed course Tuesday, and decided to not send a similar proposal to voters as a charter amendment. […]

Scott PowersJune 16, 2016

One of the world’s best-known symbols of LGBT pride is now flying over the Orange County Administration Building in Orlando. Section 93 of what once was a 1.25-mile-long “Rainbow 25 Sea To Sea Flag” — created to stretch across Key West in 2003 — was loaned to Orange County Wednesday and raised over the county offices Thursday. […]

Scott PowersJune 15, 2016

Orlando-area clergy, politicians, and leaders of the LGBT community came together Wednesday afternoon at the Orange County Administration Building to preach scripture, love and unity as the city prepares for its 49 Pulse funerals. In what some called a nationally unprecedented showing, dozens of Central Florida clergy representing faiths including the Roman Catholic Church, mainline […]

Scott PowersJune 15, 2016

I’m not religious enough to cite scriptural references in normal circumstances, but we all know the story of Job, and how he endured one calamity after another while his so-called friends tried to convince him to disavow his faith — yet he never did. Welcome to Orlando, where the rhetorical question, “What else can happen?” […]

Scott PowersJune 15, 2016

Love is conquering in Orlando. That’s the Day 4 message of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, as the community pulls together a remarkable recovery effort from Bloody Sunday and confronts a third tragedy in five days. Dyer and Jacobs addressed the city and the world Wednesday morning from outside of […]

Scott PowersJune 12, 2016

The Tony Awards intend to pay tribute to the victims of Orlando’s Pulse nightclub massacre Sunday night and Orlando leaders are sending their thanks. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and Dr. Phillips Center For The Performing Arts President Kathy Ramsberger offered video thanks late Sunday afternoon in the middle of the crisis management. […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 12, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott said the state will “devote every resource available” to assist law enforcement officials in the aftermath the Orlando shooting. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, families and all those affected by this horrific tragedy,” said Scott in a statement Sunday morning “We are a strong and resilient state, and we […]

Scott PowersJune 9, 2016

A critical vote on Orange County’s tourist tax Thursday night virtually assured there will be no more changes anytime soon in how that money is spent, and led to a threatening, name-calling confrontation between Mayor Teresa Jacobs and hotel czar Harris Rosen. Rosen is an influential outlier in Orlando’s tourism industry and a big proponent […]

Scott PowersMay 26, 2016

A judge ruled Thursday that Orange County had no authority to make the elections of constitutional officers nonpartisan contests, striking down the results of a 2014 ballot issue that did so. Those offices are now partisan again. Circuit Court Judge Keith White ruled in Orange County that the question put before county voters in the Nov. 2014, […]

Tag: Teresa Jacobs
Sen. Ashley Moody (right) fields questiosn about the space program during a town hall in Melbourne. Image via Ashley Moody.

To find ‘new normal’ after Pulse attack, city and county launch Family Assistance Center

Teresa Jacobs plans to move forward on tourist tax ordinance

Section 93 of the ‘Rainbow 25 Sea to Sea Flag’ raised in Orlando

Men and women of cloth and rainbow unite in Orlando

The transformation of Orlando

Love is conquering, say mayors Buddy Dyer, Teresa Jacobs

Tony Awards to tribute Orlando victims; Buddy Dyer, Teresa Jacobs send video thanks

Rick Scott: ‘We are a strong and resilient state’

Orange County tourist tax issue headed to ballot

Judge strikes down 2014 Orange County ballot issue that made elections nonpartisan