Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

James CallMarch 15, 2015

At the state Capitol this week the budget begins to take shape and Rep. Richard Corcoran increasingly becomes the man to watch. By the end of the week the Senate will have released its budget allocation and Corcoran and Sen. Tom Lee, the two chambers’ appropriation chairs, will move closer to center stage as a spending plan begins […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 11, 2015

State Sen. Alan Hays on Wednesday sternly told a Senate subcommittee audience that the Legislature had not neglected the environment in past years, and that Amendment 1 supporters may have misled Florida voters. The ballot initiative, approved by 75 percent of voters in November, provides an estimated $22.6 billion towards water and land conservation during […]

James CallMarch 8, 2015

This week politics at the state Capitol will be about money and a search for clarity. Legislators will get a better view of the hill they need to climb in building a state budget for the year beginning July 1. The Revenue Estimating Conference meets Tuesday and will count up how much tax money the […]

James CallMarch 6, 2015

At the end of the first week of the 2015 Legislative Session, the Capitol City’s newspaper printed an editorial cartoon that compared lobbyists to great white sharks. The cartoon asks which species pose a greater threat to Floridians; paid advocates or Jaws. Psychologists tell us we see what we know and what we know influences […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 6, 2015

Senate President Andy Gardiner, who began the session by saying the state needed to have a “discussion” about Medicaid expansion, explained in a memo to senators why he was pushing ahead with a bill that would extend coverage to 800,000 Floridians. The Thursday memo was accompanied with a detailed breakdown of the lengthy bill that […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 6, 2015

Senate President Andy Gardiner, who began the session by saying the state needed to have a “discussion” about Medicaid expansion, explained in a memo to senators why he was pushing ahead with a bill that would extend coverage to 800,000 Floridians. The Thursday memo was accompanied with a detailed breakdown of the lengthy bill that […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 9, 2015

You might recall that in August of 2012, thousands of Republicans and journalists flooding Tampa for the Republican National Convention were greeted with a billboard that read,” “Welcome to Tampa! Where the mayor and all city council members are DEMOCRATS.” It was the Cigar City’s time to shine, and a point of pride for a state party […]

Ryan RayFebruary 5, 2015

As Lake Worth Sen. Jeff Clemens taught us once again last week by announcing his bid for Senate Democratic leader in 2018, there’s no such thing as ‘too soon’ in the term-limited game theory of the Florida Legislature. In that spirit, Republican state Sen. Tom Lee has filed to run for his Hillsborough County-based District 24 seat […]

James CallJanuary 22, 2015

State Florida’s economy will produce an extra billion dollars for state budget writers but the state’s chief economist says the windfall is just slightly ahead of growing expenses. Twice in the past six months state economists have adjusted their revenue forecast for next year by hundreds of millions of dollars. And although that produced a […]

Mitch PerryDecember 16, 2014

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In a close election, Hillsborough County Republicans on Tuesday night chose former state Representative Deborah Tamargo to be their new party chair, defeating former party chair Debbie Cox-Roush on a 110-80 vote. She succeeds Brandon state Senator Tom Lee, who has led the local party for the past two years. Tamargo had been running for […]

Tag: Tom Lee

The week ahead in Florida politics

Alan Hays says Amendment 1 backers misled voters

Capitol Preview: Money, press skits and the search for clarity

The week that was in Florida politics

Senate President Andy Gardiner memos members: “We have the obligation to make coverage affordable …”

Senate President Andy Gardiner memos members: "We have the obligation to make coverage affordable …"

FDP goes after GOP Tampa City Council candidates

Tom Lee gears up for 2018 re-election campaign

State on track for billion-dollar budget windfall but will have little money for new spending

Hillsborough Republicans choose Deborah Tamargo to be their new party chair