Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 20, 2018

Attorneys seeking to overturn the voter-approved transportation tax in Hillsborough County are asking the judge to expedite the case, according to court filings. The motion calls for an expedited case management conference to settle the lawsuit brought forth by Hillsborough County Commissioner Stacy White. Its basis for a speedy judgment in the plaintiff’s favor is […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 20, 2018

The All For Transportation campaign filed a motion Wednesday to have a team of its own lawyers intervene in the defense of its transportation referendum increasing sales tax by 1 percent, which voters approved last month. That motion provides some insight into how defending entities might argue their case. The primary argument is simple: “Counties […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 19, 2018

The All For Transportation campaign parent company, Keep Hillsborough Moving, filed a motion in Hillsborough County Circuit Court Wednesday to intervene in the defense of the voter-approved transportation referendum Hillsborough County Commissioner Stacy White is challenging. The group is offering up its own team of lawyers to defend the referendum against challenges that it is […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 19, 2018

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly noted that Darryl Shaw, one of Ed Turanchik’s campaign donors, had also contributed to Americans For Prosperity. In an interview Turanchik said Shaw had contributed to AFT (All For Transportation) not AFP (Americans For Prosperity.) The story has been updated to reflect his support from a transportation […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 18, 2018

A lawsuit that sought to overturn the 1 percent sales tax voters approved last month for transportation and transit improvements in Hillsborough County has been reassigned to a new judge following concerns the initially assigned judge could not provide a fair trial for defendants. Judge Laurel Lee, the wife of Florida Senator Tom Lee, recused herself […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 17, 2018

Judge Laurel Lee, wife of Florida State Sen. Tom Lee, has been asked to recuse herself in the lawsuit seeking to overturn the Hillsborough transportation sales tax voters approved last month. Sen. Lee has been a vocal critic of the sales tax, giving his wife an apparent conflict of interest in the case. A defendant […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 17, 2018

Monday is the deadline for defendants in the All For Transportation sales tax lawsuit to request that the presiding judge take herself off the case. The question remains: Does Hillsborough Circuit Judge Laurel Lee have too big a conflict of interest to oversee the case in an impartial and unbiased manner? The 1 percent transportation and transit sales […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 15, 2018

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority is looking for two residents to fill open positions on the Independent Oversight Committee being created to oversee spending of the one percent sales tax voters approved for transit and transportation improvements. The agency is moving forward with filling its positions on the committee despite a lawsuit challenging the […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 14, 2018

Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp is warning constituents not to buy into claims that merging local Metropolitan Planning Organizations is a good idea. Kemp described the concept as an attack on local power on Friday during Cafe Con Tampa, a community forum held at the Oxford Exchange to inform residents of issues facing their communities. […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorDecember 12, 2018

The Tampa Bay Partnership’s 2019 Regional Competitiveness Report shows the Tampa Bay region has room for improvement in several areas — some surprising, others not so much. The report shows the region lagging behind others in job growth, wages, household income, transportation and transit and talent access. Companies, community organizations and government agencies can use […]

Tag: Transportation

Overturning Hillsborough transportation tax rests on argument denied by Florida Supreme Court

All For Transportation court filing hints at possible transportation tax defense

All For Transportation wants to use their own legal team to defend transportation tax

Ed Turanchik’s campaign fueled by anti-transportation tax donor

Tom Lee’s wife recuses herself from transportation tax lawsuit amid questions about conflicts

Judge Laurel Lee, wife of Sen. Tom Lee, asked to recuse herself from transportation tax lawsuit

Tom Lee’s wife still has All For Transportation lawsuit amid more ties to his opposition

Hillsborough transit agency seeks transportation tax oversight volunteers

Pat Kemp rejects plan to merge Bay area transportation planning groups

Tampa Bay Partnership study shows lag in job growth, pay and transit