Category Florida Legislature
Sources: Skip Campbell strongly considering launching campaign to reclaim his old Senate seat
Senator Jeremy Ring who is term-limited will be replaced by the victor of the 2016 Democratic Primary in Senate District 29. The district which is one of the most Democratic in state already has two potential high-profile candidates in State Rep. Jim Waldman who is termed this year and well-known Trial Lawyer Gary Farmer, who […]
Governor Scott to veto speed bill – Our Take
While we did not publicly editorialize about SB 392 during the recently completed Legislative Session, our writers contemplated on multiple occasions coming out strongly against the bill. Not only did we have concerns from a public safety perspective but we were also concerned about the increased rate of energy consumption that will come with increasing […]
Thursday Bookshelf : Dream State
I get very self conscious when people make fun of Florida – the exception to that general rule of mine is when Floridians especially those from long-time Florida families mock our state. Diane Roberts formerly of the St Pete Times, FSU Professor and longtime NPR commentator. Roberts family has lived in Florida since the 18th […]
Tallahassee under Charlie Crist – Could today’s SINE DIE be the end of a sorry history for our state?
Lenny Curry’s resignation as RPOF Chairman to pursue the Mayor’s seat in Jacksonville currently held by Democrat Alvin Brown is the talk of Florida political circles today. We will have plenty of time to discuss this in coming months, but Curry may simply be getting out ahead of a storm if Charlie Crist is elected […]
Urge Your Representatives: Pass Parasailing Reform Before Sine Die
Rep. Gwyn Clarke-Reed’s HB 347 is the House companion bill to Sen. Maria Sachs’ SB 320, a package of common sense reforms to the currently unregulated parasailing industry. HB 347 — supported by the parents of two young women killed in needless accidents in Pompano Beach, supporters of good government, and stakeholders in the industry itself — […]
Video: Voucher proponent discusses how Florida is the national model for school “choice”
Florida’s school children have been used as guinea pigs in the continued experimentation for political purposes with our educational structure. AMCSC- Clip 1 from Nozo Media on Vimeo.
Budget Pre K-12 numbers reduced
Last night at 8:35pm Tallahassee time the House and Senate agreed to a compromise budget for FY 2014-15. While the budget has lots of good points one particular issue is worrying. This issue is that the funding for Pre K-12 education is lower in the conference report than in both the initial House and Senate […]
Fare Play: Should Florida be over Uber?
Is it a car service? Is it an app? Is it the next great step forward for the “sharing economy?” Another David vs. Goliath showdown, where innovation squares off against entrenched and outdated local control? The Uber debate is not easily broken down by a prevailing ideology or caucus factions. Age has played a critical […]
Flashback Friday: The Legislature in 1996
Yesterday, while doing some spring cleaning (ie. throwing things out) I stumbled upon the 1996 edition of the always handy “Know Your Legislators” legislative directory put out each year by Associated Industries of Florida. This happens to be the very last session the Democrats had a majority in the House. The spread in the Senate […]
The Rise of the Republican Party of Florida & the Decline of the Middle-Class
Florida Governor Rick Scott has claimed that the Florida economy is doing better than the rest of the nation and business publications, like Florida Trend, have proclaimed, “Florida is back!” The headlines sound great but the facts tell another story. A recent study by Florida International University’s Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy found […]
The Florida Squeeze 