Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryMarch 3, 2015

The most lackluster campaign that this reporter has covered in his 15 years living in Tampa comes to a conclusion tonight — at least for most of the candidates vying to win the five Tampa City Council seats up for election. There’s not much drama. Though there has been a lot of coverage of the […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 27, 2015

What a difference four years make. On March 1, 2011, Bob Buckhorn and his supporters crammed into JJ’s Cafe and Bar in Ybor City, fingers crossed, hoping he would make it into the run-off election three weeks later. He did, barely, getting 384 more votes than Dick Greco. Flash forward three weeks later, and Buckhorn […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 25, 2015

It was a Young Republican of Tampa Bay-organized candidate forum at the Barrymore Hotel, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise that the first question asked of Tampa City Council hopefuls Tuesday night was where they could cut the city’s $876 million budget. But with the city finally in the black after years of budget cutting, not […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 24, 2015

Pro-immigration activists are pushing for the Florida Legislature to support a bill granting driver’s licenses to qualified Florida residents regardless of immigration status, saying it will spur economic growth and make the streets safer. In Tampa, those activists have been trying to build up grassroots support for the measure by having the City Council pass […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 18, 2015

Last week, at a candidates forum in South Tampa, District 4 challenger Kent King assailed incumbent Harry Cohen’s performance on council over the past four years, saying he hasn’t represented South Tampa well at City Hall. But after King told moderator Christine Burdick at this morning’s Downtown Partnership candidates forum that the City Council is not the “lead […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 17, 2015

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Although Democrats Bob Buckhorn and Rick Kriseman are close political allies, they definitely don’t always share the same public policy prescriptions. Throughout much of 2014, there was a demand among progressives in Florida and across the nation to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. The minimum wage in Florida currently is $8.05 an […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 12, 2015

Harry Cohen is the establishment favorite to win re-election to his South Tampa District 4 seat next month. The 44-year-old lawyer and former chief deputy clerk of the Circuit Court for Hillsborough County (where he still works on a part-time basis) has been endorsed by all the major newspapers, and some observers speculate that he may be […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 12, 2015

Harry Cohen is the establishment favorite to win re-election to his South Tampa District 4 seat next month. The 44-year-old lawyer and former chief deputy clerk of the Circuit Court for Hillsborough County (where he still works on a part-time basis) has been endorsed by all the major newspapers, and some observers speculate that he may be […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 11, 2015

In recent years Tampa City Council members like Mary Mulhern, Yolie Capin, Harry Cohen and Charlie Miranda have made trips to the communist island, as more and more of the political and business establishment say they want the city to be in the best position if and when the now 53-year-old economic embargo ends. Since […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 5, 2015

This morning we’ll learn how serious Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam believe in being independent agents, and not just handmaidens to the leader of their party, Gov. Rick Scott. Today’s Cabinet meeting at the Florida State Fairgrounds in east Tampa could be interesting, or maybe […]

Tag: Yolie Capin

Mitch Perry Report for 3.3.15 — Democracy now in Tampa

Bob Buckhorn ready to party on Election Night

Tampa City Council candidates not keen on cutting services in 2015

Immigration activists, Tampa City Council members at odds on driver’s license issue

Transit talk dominates discussion at Tampa Downtown Partnership City Council forum

At NAACP forum, Tampa City Council candidates talk livable wages, red-light cameras and body cameras for police

Kent King says he can better serve Tampa’s District 4 on City Council

Kent King says he can better serve Tampa's District 4 on City Council

Tampa City Council candidates favor hosting a Cuban consulate

Mitch Perry Report for 2.5.15 – Pressure's on Jeff Atwater, Pam Bondi and Adam Putnam in Tampa today