Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersDecember 27, 2018

A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit from Indian River County, clearing the way for Brightline to consider its next steps in building a higher-speed passenger railroad that could connect West Palm Beach and Orlando. “The court’s decision adds momentum to our efforts of connecting Orlando to South Florida,” Brightline spokeswoman Ali Soule said in […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 11, 2018

All good things come to an end: and so it is for the 2018 calendar for the Jacksonville City Council, which met Tuesday for the final time this year. Just a few of the highlights, beyond the X-Mas sweaters depicted in the graphic…. _ Health care options for public safety: New changes to collective bargaining […]

Scott PowersAugust 1, 2018

A new space bill sponsored by Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, with a key provision from Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, cleared its last committee Wednesday with stipulations to expand business options at Kennedy Space Center and keep the International Space Station operating an additional five years. Senate Bill 3277, or the Space Frontier Act, […]

Scott PowersJuly 19, 2018

Martin and Indian River counties and Citizens Against Rail Expansion Florida are asking a federal judge to vacate the federal approval that would allow All Aboard Florida to sell $1.15 billion in private activity bonds to finance the railway expansion to send higher-speed Brightline passenger trains between Souh Florida and Orlando. In a federal case […]

Scott PowersJune 4, 2018

The next few months could go a long ways toward determining whether the privately-run, higher-speed passenger train Brightline will travel between South Florida and Orlando by 2021. With a seven-month extension granted Thursday by the federal government, All Aboard Florida now has until the end of the year to sell $1.15 billion in tax-exempt private […]

Scott PowersMay 31, 2018

The federal government has granted a seven-month extension for All Aboard Florida to sell the $1.15 billion in private equity bonds it intends to use to finance the proposed higher-speed rail expansion that could roll private Brightline passenger trains between South Florida and Orlando. The extension comes in the nick of time, as the company’s […]

Scott PowersMay 24, 2018

State Rep. Erin Grall is charging that an All Aboard Florida representative made “misrepresentations” in congressional testimony supporting the department’s approval of tax-exempt bonds to finance the company’s Brightline higher-speed passenger train proposal to connect Miami and Orlando. Grall, among Florida lawmakers from the Treasure Coast who are opposed to the train, sent a letter […]

Scott PowersMay 22, 2018

A bipartisan group from Florida’s congressional delegation, along with the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, are offering a counterpunch to the jab thrown in Washington D.C. by opponents of the Brightline private passenger railroad in Florida. In a letter Monday, U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, the Pennsylvania Republican chairing the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and […]

Scott PowersMay 22, 2018

Contending that there are statutory problems with the federally authorized bonds All Aboard Florida intends to use to finance its Orlando Brightline train expansion, U.S. Reps. Brian Mast, Bill Posey, Ron DeSantis and Matt Gaetz are urging the federal government to suspend the authorization. At issue is $1.15 billion worth of private activity bonds that […]

Scott PowersApril 24, 2018

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio on Tuesday joined his congressional colleagues U.S. Republican Reps. Brian Mast and Bill Posey in questioning whether All Aboard Florida should have received $1.75 billion in federally authorized, tax-exempt private activity bonds to build its private, higher-speed railroad from South Florida to Orlando. Mast, of Palm City, and Posey, of Rockledge, led a […]

Tag: U.S. Department of Transportation

Brightline wins again in court, clearing tracks for Orlando run

Last call: Jacksonville City Council closes 2018

Bill that would keep space station aloft until 2030 clears U.S. Senate panel

Martin, Indian River counties ask federal judge to stop Brightline’s bonds

Brightline’s Orlando line could be settled in next few months

Feds approve seven-month extension for Brightline train bonds

Erin Grall charges All Aboard Florida with ‘misrepresentations’

Florida’s congressional Brightline supporters come to train’s defense

Brian Mast, Bill Posey, others urge feds to suspend bonds for Brightline

Marco Rubio joins calls questioning federal financing behind Brightline

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