Blogs from around the state

Scott signs bill making it easier for judges to detain "violent career" criminals before trial

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:09:57 +0000

PolitiJax

Gov. Rick Scott Tuesday signed legislation making it easier for judges to detain someone charged with a crime while they await trial.

The legislation (HB 7035) allows a judge to not release someone prior to trial if they are deemed a “habitual violent felony offender,” or a violent career criminal.

Michael Scionti campaign for Circuit Court kicking-off tonight in Ybor

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:09:23 +0000

St. Petersburg

A group of Tampa’s best and brightest political stars is helping Michael Scionti launch his campaign for Circuit Court Judge, Group 19. The former representative of Florida House District 58 invites friends and supporters to a kick-off celebration this afternoon to promote his run for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit.

The event will be from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Siboney Dining Room of the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. The Columbia is at 2117 E Seventh Ave.

Scionti is hoping to bring his impressive and wide-ranging resume, which include political, military and diplomatic triumphs, to the Hillsborough County Judicial Courts. He is looking to replace retiring Chief Judge Manuel Menendez, Jr.

Tonight’s event features many of the biggest names in Tampa Bay politics. A few of the luminaries on the host committee for the reception/fundraiser includes U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, current Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and former Mayor Dick Grecco.

Prior to running for Hillsborough Circuit Court Judge, Scionti previously worked in the Pentagon. He recently returned from a diplomatic mission in Afghanistan. As a well-respected diplomat, Scionti was appointed by President Obama as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Intergovernmental Affairs.

In addition to a distinguished diplomatic career, Scionti has a long list of military accomplishments. He was a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, where he served two combat tours of duty, in Iraq and Afghanistan, receiving the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and Presidential Unit Citation.

Scionti was also Judge Advocate General in military intelligence, where he has been since 2000.

For more information on tonight’s event, or how to help Scionti in his campaign, visit www.sciontiforjudge.com or email info@sciontiforjudge.com.

If anyone would know about a ‘disastrous’ gubernatorial campaign, it’s the bitter, bitter Alex Sink

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:45:37 +0000

St. Petersburg

As she mulls her own political return, Alex Sink “resents all the attention on lifelong-Republican-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist and is intent on being courted for as long as possible,” the Tampa Bay Times reports.

She is “revolted by the prospect of Crist as the Democratic nominee” and called the possibility “a disaster.”

“The campaign against former Gov. Crist would be brutal, she said, noting the job losses during his term, flip-flops on issues, ‘plus all the stuff that hasn’t been written about yet, about the Republican Party fiasco, about Jim Greer, about the party in the Bahamas,’ she said, referring to Crist’s hand-picked GOP chairman, now in prison for stealing party funds and who was accused of hiring prostitutes at a fundraising retreat Crist attended.”

Reading what Sink has to say, the first question which comes to mind is, bitter much, Alex?

My Lord is Sink green with envy at the sight of Crist winning over her their partymates with ease. Of course, she is bitter. Of course, she is envious.

Criticism of Sink had been put on hold while she mourned the passing of her late husband, Bill McBride, but that cease-fire is now over.

In fact, if Sink wants to talk about disastrous gubernatorial campaigns, she need look no further than the mirror.

If Sink wants to talk about disastrous gubernatorial campaigns, perhaps she needs to be reminded of her petty decision to distance her campaign from President Obama.

If Sink wants to talk about disastrous gubernatorial campaigns, perhaps she needs to be reminded of her campaign’s inability to chase absentee ballots in central Florida and the I-4 corridor, where upwards of 50,000 absentee ballots ordered by Obama voters went un-chased. Instead, as Joy Reid reported, the Sink team chased phantom votes in north Florida and the Panhandle, spending way too much time there, while eking out only a 6,900 vote margin over the ABR entity in crucial Miami-Dade.

If Sink wants to talk about disastrous gubernatorial campaigns, perhaps she needs to be reminded of her ruinous decision to turn down $2.4 million in public campaign financing. (To understand how dumb that was, Reid wrote in an autopsy of the campaign, consider that Sink raised about $11.2 million and got 2.6 million votes. Assuming she spent it all, that breaks down to $4.30 a vote. At that rate, 62,000 votes would have cost the Sink campaign a mere $266,454. They would have gotten at least 10 times that from public financing.)

If Sink wants to talk about disastrous gubernatorial campaigns, perhaps she needs to be reminded of when she cheated on live TV during a debate.

If Sink wants to talk about disastrous gubernatorial campaigns, perhaps she needs to be reminded that, despite all of her failings and miscues, The New York Times‘ polling wunderkind Nate Silver still gave Sink a 58% chance of winning two weeks out from the election and yet she still lost.

Crist would be a disaster, huh? That’s a helluva prediction from the politician named the worst candidate of 2010 by MSNBC (of course, Crist was also a finalist for this infamous distinction, but he’s never had a cross word for Sink.)

“It’s unbelievable,” Todd said. “Think about it: You lost to a guy who defrauded Medicare — in Florida! Okay?”

Losing to a guy who defrauded Medicare in a state with more folks per capita on Medicare than maybe any other state — now that’s what you’d call a disaster.

In radio interview, Allen West doesn’t rule out challenging Rubio in 2016 GOP Senate primary

Copy Editor1 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:41:30 +0000

Post on Politics

Saying he has “a lot of concerns” about the immigration reform bill backed by Sen. Marco Rubio, former Rep. Allen West didn’t say no this morning when a Washington radio interviewer raised the possibility of West challenging Rubio in a 2016 GOP Senate primary.

WMAL host Larry O’Connor said many tea party conservatives who helped elect Rubio in 2010 aren’t pleased with Rubio’s immigration stance.

“There’s a lot of people whispering maybe he should be primaried in 2016. What about an Allen West primary challenge for that Senate seat?” O’Connor asked.

Said West: “That’s a pretty heavy lift, because you’re talking about running against a sitting senator, and of course, then, that creates that schism that the other side would love to see happen.”

When O’Connor noted that West was “not saying no,” West was silent for a second, then said “Chirping, chirping, chirping” with a laugh.

West suggested he might run “if I see people that are not taking our country down the right path, if I see people that are not standing up for the right type of principles and putting their own party politics before what is best for the United States of America…We’ll see what happens down the pike. God will set my feet on the right path.”

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Florida Retailers name Jack Latvala its “Senator of the Year”

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:59:35 +0000

St. Petersburg

The Florida Retail Federation (FRF) today announced that Sen. Jack Latvala is the recipient of its 2013 Senator of the Year Award for his strong support of the retail industry in the Florida Senate.

In a release, the FRF noted that Sen. Latvala has been a champion and friend of FRF since his first term in the Senate.

“Florida’s retailers know that they can count on Senator Latvala to advance policies that help our businesses grow and create jobs,” said Rick McAllister, president and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation. “We are proud to honor Senator Latvala as our Senator of the Year, and we look forward to his continued leadership in the Legislature.”

Latvala received the FRF Senator of the Year Award today in Orlando during the FRF Summer Meeting. FRF recognized Latvala as a leader in ethics and election reform, and as the primary sponsor of a liability reform bill to protect manufacturers and retailers from unnecessary litigation. Latvala also defended the retail industry in the final week of the 2013 Session by filing an amendment on the floor to remove a potentially harmful civil cause of action from a bill regulating drivers’ license verification.

Rep. Tom Goodson is receiving the 2013 award for the Florida House of Representatives.

Inside today’s Q-poll, a possible correlation between Legislature’s 32% approval rating and its rejection of Medicaid expansion

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:41:18 +0000

St. Petersburg

It is common in public opinion studies for people to rate individual politicians more favorably than the political bodies they serve in — and that trend is once again alive in Florida, where recent polling shows only 32 percent of voters approve of the way the legislature is handling the business of the state.

Sometimes, disapproval can be tied to specific policies that a legislature enacted — or in this case, didn’t enact.

Among the people polled in the Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, 49 percent supported an expansion of Medicaid eligibility, while 40 percent did not. Is it a coincidence that overall 49 percent of respondents also disapproved of the way the Legislature is going about its business? More thorough analysis would be necessary to really link the two together, but it does appear Floridians are aware that the legislature opted to reject federal funding to cover the cost of expanded care. Overall, 11 percent of respondents didn’t know — or didn’t care to answer — whether they thought expanding Medicaid coverage was a good idea.

Democrats support the expansion of Medicaid coverage by a margin of 72 percent to 18 percent, with Republicans just about a mirror image: 26 percent support while 62 percent oppose. Independents support health coverage expansion 49 percent to 40 percent; and men support it slightly more than women do (50% and 48%, respectively). Then again, men also disapprove of expanded coverage slightly more than women do (41% and 38%, respectively)… so that’s probably awash.

In this Q poll, Republicans see the legislature more favorably (47% approve/34% disapprove), compared to Democrats (18%/64%); and men do so (39%/49%), compared to women (26%/48%). Broken down by race, Hispanics view the legislature by far the most favorably (47%/29%), compared to Whites (31%/50%), and Blacks (16%/64%).

Interestingly, it is younger voters (ages 18-34) who feel most positively toward the legislature in this poll: 38 percent approve, compared to 32 percent of voters ages 35-54, and 30 percent of voters over age 55.

When it comes to gun laws, the Q poll had some interesting findings.

The work of the legislature fared more favorably regarding Florida’s “stand your ground” law which has become a focus of national attention in the closely-watched Trayvon Martin – George Zimmerman case. The law is strongly backed by Republicans, and was supported by 59 percent of independent voters in this poll. Overall, 57 percent of Floridians support the law, which was passed in 2005 to mean that you are not required to retreat when feeling threatened in places outside of your home. There has been almost no variation in overall support for this law since May 2012, three months after the shooting death of Martin, and no polling data is available prior to that date.

Yet when it comes to requiring background checks on people buying guns at gun shows or online, Floridians are overwhelmingly in support. Overall, 73 percent strongly support requiring background checks in these cases, and 14 percent somewhat support. In total, only 7 percent of respondents strongly oppose this requirement. Eighty percent of Republicans support or strongly support mandatory background checks, as do 94 percent of Democrats and 85 percent of Independents. About 82 percent of men support these laws, as do 91 percent of women. Even among current gun owners, 81 percent support or strongly support expanded background checks, compared to 92 percent among those who don’t have a gun in the home.

Poll: Rubio gets negative marks on immigration

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:01:15 +0000

PolitiJax

By MICHAEL J. MISHAK
Associated Press

The most important paragraph you’ll read today about the relationship between politicians and the media

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:00:11 +0000

St. Petersburg

While Poynter’s Andrew Beaujon enjoyed John Harris and Jim VandeHei take down of Nate Silver, to me, the most important paragraph in Isaac Chotiner’s Q&A with the POLITICO honchos, is where VandeHei answers a question about whether there are any politicians who are really good at “winning the morning” without going too far?

VandeHei believes Rahm Emanuel is better at navigating the media than any other politician around today because “he has the relationships and he understands old media and new media.”

Here’s the key line in his answer, “There aren’t that many on Capitol Hill who I think are savvy. Most of them, it’s old men trying on the new jeans, trying to figure out how to be hip by being on Twitter.”

That last line reminds me of so many pols, not just in D.C., but also in Tallahassee and throughout Florida. Pols trying ‘so hard to be hip’ on Facebook, on Twitter, and in the media, but failing miserably. I am reminded of the silly so-called infographics currently being pumped out by the Republican Party of Florida. I am reminded of the hit-and-run social media accounts the PR firms spend so much time setting up only to let lay dormant. I am reminded of the pointless online initiatives launched by newspapers — remember “MyLawmaker” — which stray so far from their core mission of, you know, reporting the news.

So many old men trying on new jeans who’d be much better off just sticking to their khakis.

State says Reggie Gaffney's non-profit overbilled Medicaid by $1.4m, settles for $336k

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:52:51 +0000

PolitiJax

By David Bauerlein

Community Rehabilitation Center — the Jacksonville nonprofit led by Reginald Gaffney — has agreed to repay the state about $336,000 the center received in Medicaid payments over a 2½-year period.

The settlement amount is considerably less than the almost $1.4 million identified in March by the state Agency for Health Care Administration.

Paging Jeff Brandes: Interesting reads on whether we need self-driving cars

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:39:26 +0000

St. Petersburg

Because I am friends with Senator Jeff Brandes, sponsor of legislation to bring the driverless cars to Florida, I can’t not highlight some interesting reads on whether society needs self-driving cars.

Kaid Benfield and Lee Epstein aren’t convinced that intelligent vehicles and automated highways are a good thing:

While it may be conceivable for bright engineers, planners and designers to come up with ways to fit such systems carefully and properly into people-first, walkable urban environments, at a minimum that fitting needs to be done as the systems are conceived and tested rather than as an errant afterthought. Likewise for the possibility that these systems will exacerbate sprawl: there are policy approaches that can moderate the spread and extension of highways, and/or to keep sprawling growth to a minimum – but, again, the track record is not inspiring. These policies need to be considered, developed and adequately applied concurrently with the application of the new technologies, before the damage is inevitable. …

[J]ust because it’s high tech doesn’t make it better.

Indeed, there are lots of “old fashioned” things we need to get right about our cities, urban regions, and transportation systems before we play with expensive new technology that still doesn’t solve those basic problems: we would place a higher priority on ensuring that cities are safe, hospitable to all, walkable, a pleasure to be in, and green (both naturally, and existentially); on urban/suburban regions that have defined limits, conserving important resource lands around them; and on transportation systems that help us get efficiently from point A to point B, but which take fully into account the first two problems as effectively as they solve the last.

Lloyd Alter thinks they ignore the “larger, longer term implications” of self-driving vehicles:

Last year the Institute Without Boundaries put a lot of smart people in a room to think about the issue. They concluded that the autonomous car is going to evolve into a very different vehicle. … Henry Ford is purported to have said “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” The autonomous car is at that “faster horse” stage, where we think of it as being pretty much what we have now, driven by robots. I suspect it is going to be as different a mode of transportation from what we are driving now as the car is from the horse.

The autonomous car will likely be shared, smaller, lighter, slower, and there will likely be about a tenth as many of them. Urban planners and theorists have to start thinking about this or we will screw it up again.

Why Obama’s falling approval rating matters

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:24:04 +0000

St. Petersburg

John Sides: “First, it matters for the 2014 election. A simple model of House election outcomes constructed by political scientist Gary Jacobson shows that the share of seats controlled by the president’s party depends in part on presidential approval…. Obviously, other factors matter too. But a less popular president certainly provides headwinds for Democratic candidates.”

“Second, it matters for the 2016 election. Of course, that’s a long way away, and a lot can happen between now and then. But again, simple forecasting models show that, controlling for other factors, the incumbent party does better when the incumbent president is popular.”

“Third, it matters for whether the President gets what he wants from Congress–with some caveats.”

Allen West won’t rule out future challenge to Marco Rubio

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:16:23 +0000

St. Petersburg

Former Rep. Allen West told WMAL that he wouldn’t rule out a future primary challenge to Sen. Marco Rubio.

“That’s a pretty heavy lift, because you’re talking about running against a sitting senator, and then, of course, that creates that schism that the other side would love to see happen,” said West. “We’ll see what happens down the pike, God will set my feet down the right path.”

West was pressed further by WMAL’s Larry O’Connor, who asked him directly if he would rule out a challenge against Rubio.

“Chirping… chirping… chirping…,” replied West with a chuckle, before elaborating with a more direct response.

”If I see people that are not taking our country down the right path, if I see people that are not standing up for the right type of principles, and putting their own party politics before what is best for the United States of America,” West indicated he might make a run.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn to attend St. Pete Pride Carnivale

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:10:11 +0000

St. Petersburg

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn will be the highest-ranking elected official to attend the 2013 St. Pete Pride Carnivale Promenade.

Carnivale is the annual street festival and parade that celebrates the Tampa Bay LGBT community. It will be the highlight event of the five-day celebration beginning June 26.

This year, the parade is June 29, and will be held on Central Avenue, between 21 and 28 Streets. The Carnivale kicks off at 9 a.m. and continues through 3 p.m.

In its 11-year history, Carnivale has grown into the largest LGBT pride event in Florida, with more than 80,000 attendees last year. Organizers expect the numbers to reach 100,000 to 125,000 attending the festival next week.

Buckhorn’s participation is anticipated to open the door for other elected officials to show support for the LGBT community.

“This is meaningful in many aspects,” said St. Pete Pride Executive Director Eric Skains. “It never goes unnoticed to the LGBT community the level of support from the local government as it brings a sense of belonging and acceptance. We truly appreciate Mayor Buckhorn’s commitment to the LGBT community, and welcome him to the Tampa Bay/St Pete LGBT Pride celebration.”

Invitations were sent to all Tampa Bay area elected officials earlier this year. Buckhorn is the highest-level elected official to accept. Also expected to attend are leaders from St Petersburg, as well as representatives of Gulfport, Largo, and county commissioners from the region. The St. Petersburg City Council recently proclaimed June LGBT month.

For more information about St. Pete Pride Carnivale, visit www.stpetepride.com

Wednesday Morning Reads: Rubio, wildflowers and school grades

Copy Editor1 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:56:00 +0000

Florida PoliticsTALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Wednesday.

Wednesday Morning Reads: Rubio, wildflowers and school grades

Copy Editor1 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:56:00 +0000

Political PulseTALLAHASSEE -- Good morning and happy Wednesday.

Poll: Florida voters not happy with Tallahassee, give gov and Legislature low marks

Copy Editor1 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:49:37 +0000

Naked Politics

Maybe it's the out-of-sight, out-of-mind placement of the state Capitol. Maybe it's the sluggish economy and the stubborn unemployment numbers. Whatever the reason, the latest Quinnipiac University poll sends the signal that Florida voters are not happy with Tallahassee these days -- not that they really ever are.

When asked how voters feel about the job the state Legislature is doing, voters disapprove 49 to 32 percent. The numbers are predictably partisan for the Republican-led chamber: Democrats disapprove of the job lawmakers are doing 64 to 18 percent while Republicans approve 47 to 34 percent. But the telltale signal comes from crucial independent voters, who determine the fate of all statewide races in Florida. They disapprove of the job legislators are doing 48 to 33 percent.

On controversial issues, Florida voters are pretty clear where they stand:

*They support expanding Medicaid to cover Floridians without health insurance by 49-40 percent, virtually unchanged from a similar March poll, a clear contradiction from the firm rejection of the issue by Republican legislative leaders.

* Voters continue to support the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law, allowing people to fight back with deadly force when threatened, 57 to 36 percent. The issue remained untouched in the last legislative session.

* Voters want to allow path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants 58 to 24 percent, a federal issue that Florida lawmakers can only tinker with.

* And they oppose the governor’s veto of a non-controversial bill to make it easier for children of undocumented immigrants to get driver’s licenses, supporting the issue 59-32 percent. The governor surprised legislators by vetoing the bill which won near unanimous support.

As for Gov. Rick Scott, voters are warming to the Republican governor but are still not thrilled: 43 percent approve of the job the governor is doing and 44 percent disapprove. That's up from a March Quinnipiac poll when 36 percent of voters approved of Scott's performance and 49 percent disapproved.

Florida Morning: Kentucky governor hits back at Scott - a lost decade for Dems? - CBO gives immigration backers a boost

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:33:57 +0000

PolitiJax

Below is a brief look at today's Florida Morning. Here's the full version.

@Mdixon55

Florida

Public Service Commission incumbents draw 22 challengers

How the redistricting mess in St. Petersburg came about — and how to make sure it doesn’t happen again

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:06:45 +0000

St. Petersburg

Editor’s note: The following is a guest post from St. Pete Polls’ Matt Florell.

I followed the redistricting process in the City of St. Petersburg closely. I went to the meetings when I could, read the meeting minutes, and even submitted my own rules-compliant district map to the commission.

There were several problems related to the redistricting process that lead to what has happened recently with candidates in both District 2 and District 4, and I will try to detail them here.

The first problem with the redistricting process was timing. Back in May of 2012, the city’s legal staff sent out a memo saying that the precinct maps were available from the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, and that the Redistricting Commission as now outlined by the recently amended city charter could begin it’s work redrawing the maps for the city’s eight council districts. A redrawing of the maps was necessary because of the large number of precincts that were consolidated by the Supervisor of Elections, as well as the city’s population loss as shown in the 2010 census. In spite of this May 2012 memo, nothing happened with the redistricting commission until a new memo was sent to City Council members in November 2012 telling them they had to submit their candidates for the redistricting commission that must start in December 2012. It was seven months after the city received the redistricting report before the Redistricting Commission was formed. Because of it’s late start, the commission would have to meet over the holidays, resulting in lost meeting time and less attendance at meetings by commission members. Another result of this late start was that potential candidates who were already starting to file to run for council had no idea if they were going to live in the district they filed to run in by the time the redistricting process was over.

The second problem was the rules for redistricting in the city charter. There are no special provisions in the charter for elections happening during a redistricting year. At the state level in a redistricting year, the residency requirements are relaxed. This was done because the redistricting process can go on longer than intended, and if there were strict residency requirements, nobody would be able to file to run for office until the new district maps were finalized. It just makes sense to add a similar provision to our City’s charter.

The third problem was the consolidation of precincts by the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. This consolidation reduced the number of precincts in the city, and greatly reduced the flexibility the city had in drawing its districts along precinct lines. The city’s legal staff informed the redistricting commission that according to the city’s charter, they had to keep district boundaries along precinct lines if at all possible. Nobody involved in crafting the current charter could have foreseen this change, this charter requirement was written when there were more precincts, and the precincts that were there were much smaller. Now that this has happened, it should be addressed by the charter, allowing for more flexibility in splitting county-defined precinct boundaries.

The fourth problem is that according to the city’s legal staff, the city charter infers that the new district mapping must be drawn to keep sitting council members in their districts, making the options for new district maps even less flexible. At the state level there are actually constitutional amendments banning this type of activity. Our charter should follow the state precedent and disallow this kind of preferential district map drawing.

The fifth problem is that City Council district maps are not in effect per election as they are at the state level, they are in effect immediately upon adoption by City Council. City district boundaries serve no purpose except for electing City Council members, so there is no reason for them to have to be put into effect immediately instead of per election.

Throw all of these problems together, and you have the situation we have now. Two candidates for City Council in district 4 filed to run before the district maps were finalized. The residency requirements meant they would have to change residence by the day that the new district maps were approved by council to stay fully compliant with the city’s charter to run for office in that district. The opposite situation has happened in District 2, a candidate who has lived in the same house for 12 years was recently redistricted from district 3 to district 2. When this person filed to run for District 2, the residency requirement again became a cause for concern.

Is this situation entirely the fault of how the city’s charter is written? No. If the city administration had requested that City Council start the Redistricting Commission seven months earlier, this might not have happened. Or, if the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections had not consolidated so many precincts forcing larger changes in district boundaries, this might not have happened. But consider this, if the city’s charter had this one sentence added to it, making it similar to how things work at the state level, then there is no way this situation would have happened,

“If new City Council district maps are adopted by City Council less than 12 months before the next City Council primary election, then the district residency requirement to run for City Council will be removed for those primary and general elections, and the City Council candidates only need to be residents of the city as a whole for the last 12 months.”

Here is the only language relating to the residency requirement of a City Council candidate in the current city charter,

“All applications shall be accompanied by an affidavit that the candidate is a qualified elector of the City of St. Petersburg, Florida, and that, as of the date of the primary election, a candidate for Council Member shall have been a resident of the declared district for at least the past twelve (12) months”

This reads like if a candidate files to run for City Council, they have to swear that they “have been” a resident of the district for 12 months counting backward from a date several months in the future from when they filed. This is impossible to swear to, especially in a redistricting year where the candidates might have to swear to something in the future that they have no control over, the redistricting process.

Another strange effect of how the charter is written allows a City Council candidate to move out of their district after the primary election, and they can stay in a residence in another district or even another city for over five months, even through the general election. They don’t have to move back to their elected district until the day they take office on January 2nd of the next year.

I am not alone in my opinion that the redistricting section of the city charter needs to be amended. During their final meeting, the Redistricting Commission took less than 30 minutes to choose the final district map that they approved. Then they spent double that amount of time going over what needed to be changed in the charter to make the redistricting process go more smoothly and be a more fair process. Along with their final map choice, the commission sent these suggestions to the City Council, and the City Council voted to hold a workshop to go over these suggestions within 30 days. That was on March 7, 2013 over 100 days ago, and to date no workshop has been scheduled. To be fair, at this point it is too late to fix these problems for this election cycle, since charter changes have to be approved by voters. But, procrastination is part of what caused the problems we are dealing with now, so it would be best if these issues can be dealt with soon while they are still fresh in everybody’s minds.

Blaise Ingoglia campaign for HD 35 kicking-off tonight

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:58:04 +0000

St. Petersburg

Florida Republican Party Vice Chair Blaise Ingoglia invites friends and supporters to a campaign kick-off party tonight. The fundraising event begins 5:30 p.m. at the Silverthorn Country Club in Brooksville.

Ingoglia, a popular Spring Hill homebuilder and former tournament poker player, is running for House District 35, which covers most of Hernando County.

Ingoglia announced his candidacy in May to replace term-limited Republican Rep. Rob Schenck, who currently represents District 35. Since then, he has racked up a long list of respected conservative supporters and endorsements, including State Senator Wilton Simpson, Rep. Jimmie T. Smith and Dennis Baxley, leader of the Florida Christian Coalition. Simpson and Smith are among the campaign event chairs.

Much of Ingoglia’s popularity comes from his “Government Gone Wild” seminars and videos, which calls out wasteful spending in Tallahassee. His campaign, along with the governmentgonewild.org website, has a message of “educating everyday citizens of the dangers of Big Government, while motivating people to get off their couch and get involved.”

Organizers suggest a donation of $100, but they will accept any contribution at the door. Florida law limits political donations to a maximum of $500 per individual or entity.

The Silverthorn Country Club is located at 4550 Golf Club Ln., Brooksville. To RSVP or for more information, call 352-585-9802 or email julie@blaiseforflorida.com.

Q poll: Rubio popular in Florida, but he or Jeb Bush would lose to Hillary Clinton

Copy Editor1 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:39:43 +0000

Post on Politics

Florida voters give Republican Sen. Marco Rubio a 51 percent job approval rating while disagreeing with his vote against gun background checks and having an overall negative view of Rubio’s handling of immigration issues, a new Quinnipiac University poll says.

Hillary Clinton would top Rubio in Florida by a 53-to-41 percent margin if the two were running for president, the poll says. That’s virtually unchanged from a March Quinnipiac poll. Clinton would defeat former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush by a 50-to-43 percent margin, compared to a 51-to-40 percent advantage she enjoyed in March.

Clinton would be a much stronger 2016 presidential candidate in Florida than Vice President Joe Biden, the poll says. Bush would defeat Biden in the Sunshine State by a 47-to-43 percent margin and Rubio would have a 45-to-43 edge — essentially dead heats considering the poll’s 2.9 percent margin of error.

The survey of 1,176 registered voters was conducted June 11-16.

While 51 percent of Florida voters approve of the job Rubio is doing, 35 percent disapprove. Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson has 51 percent approval and 29 percent disapproval scores.

President Barack Obama gets 47 percent approval and 48 percent disapproval from Florida voters in the new poll, substantially worse than in December, when 54 percent approved and 42 percent disapproved.

Despite the recent controversies involving the IRS and Justice Department, Florida voters’ view of whether Obama is “honest and trustworthy” is virtually unchanged from November, shortly after he carried the state on his way to re-election. In the new poll, 50 percent of Floridians say the president is honest and trustworthy, while 45 percent disagree. In a November survey, 52 percent of Florida voters found Obama honest and trustworthy while 43 percent did not.

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Public Service Commission incumbents draw 22 challengers

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:34:24 +0000

St. Petersburg

Two members of the Florida Public Service Commission are being challenged for their seats at the state’s top utility regulatory agency by at least 22 other applicants, reports Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida.

Commission Chairman Ronald Brise and Commissioner Art Graham have both applied to keep their governor-appointed positions, with competition for the $130,036-a-year positions coming from a wide-ranging list of people with business and government experience.

The most notable name among the challengers is former state House member and short-time PSC commissioner Ken Littlefield.

Littlefield, who spent eight years in the House, was appointed to the PSC by former Gov. Jeb Bush in September 2006 but was replaced shortly after being sworn-in in January 2007 by former Gov. Charlie Crist. Crist contended Littlefield was not consumer-friendly enough.

Several tea party groups unsuccessfully urged Gov. Rick Scott to return Littlefield to the commission last year, imploring the governor to replace Commissioner Lisa Edgar, who faced criticism that she did not adequately represent ratepayers. Scott reappointed Edgar.

Brise and Graham were both appointed to the commission by Crist in July 2010 and reappointed by Scott. Their terms will expire in January.

The deadline to apply for the seats was Tuesday. A nominating council will meet July 24 in Tampa to whittle the applicant list to those deemed “most qualified.”

People on the short list will appear before the council for interviews on August 28 in Orlando. The council will then submit at least six names from which Scott will make the final appointments.

The applicants:

— Brise, of Tallahassee, a former state House member who has served on the PSC since 2010 and been its chairman since 2012.

— Graham, of Jacksonville Beach, a former Jacksonville City Council member and PSC member since 2010.

— Israel Rodriguez-Soto, of Pembroke Pines, an engineering and safety consultant.

— Martha Hicks, of Milton, a U.S. Navy retiree who is employed by the Escambia County Health Department and is a special-needs shelter consultant.

— Julia Holtzhausen, of Boca Raton, an environmental specialist with the Palm Beach County Health Department.

— James Baumstark, of Crystal River, a former vice president of central engineering for Con Edison in New York

— Albert Martin, of Fleming Island, a professional engineer.

— Littlefield, of Wesley Chapel, a former state House member, a PSC member in January 2007 and funeral home medical liaison.

— Paul Wood, of Naples, a nuclear engineer.

— Jennifer Reeves, of Pensacola, manager of Ferguson Airport.

— Frank Stubbs, of Fleming Island, former deputy chief of staff for operations at Navy Medicine Support Command and former head of hospital operations at Naval Hospital Jacksonville.

— Julian Dan McCarthy, of Ponte Vedra Beach, former chief assistant state attorney, 4th Judicial Circuit, and former Jacksonville director of Military Affairs, Veterans and Disabled Services.

— Dennis Clarke, of St. Johns, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation resolutions specialist and former CFO at both First Bank of Jacksonville and Independent Bancshares, Inc., Ocala.

— Michael Ward, of St. Johns, a finance manager and self-published author.

— Jocelyn Brown, of Wellington, a West Palm Beach wastewater industrial pre-treatment program supervisor.

— John Bruce, of Gulf Breeze, an independent insurance and financial services contractor.

— William “David” Outlaw, of Seminole, vice president of operations for Cavaform International LLC.

— Donald Polmann, of Dunedin, director of science and engineering for Tampa Bay Water.

— Joseph Colon, of Kissimmee, a member of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and a retired assistant vice president for Manufacturers Hanover Trust.

— Michael Duggar, of Orlando, an attorney.

— Timothy Altenau, of Beverly Hills, an attorney.

— Dianne Williams-Cox, of Tallahassee, a business analyst with the Department of Revenue child support establishment.

— David Tyler Van Leuven, of Tallahassee, an attorney with the firm Williams, Gautier, Gwynn, DeLoach & Sorenson, P.A.

— Keith Jones, of Port St. Joe, a self-employed certified public accountant.

Floridians still giving Marco Rubio high marks, but prefer Hillary Clinton for president in 2016

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:28:41 +0000

St. Petersburg

Florida voters give Sen. Marco Rubio negative ratings for his work on immigration reform and strongly disagree with his vote in the U.S. Senate against requiring background checks for those buying guns, but they still give him an overall 51 – 35 percent job approval rating.

President Barack Obama gets a split 47 – 48 percent job approval rating, compared to a 50 – 45 percent approval rating in a March 21 survey by the independent Quinnipiac University.

In trial heats for the 2016 presidential race, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leads two favorite sons, Sen. Rubio and former Gov. Jeb Bush, but either Republican would run neck and neck against Vice President Joe Biden.

Rubio’s approval rating is little changed from his 48 – 33 percent approval March 20, although on individual issues voters are not as enamored with the state’s junior senator:

* Voters disapprove 41 – 33 percent of the way Rubio is handling the immigration issue;
* Voters say 49 – 10 percent they think less favorably of Rubio because of his vote against expanded background checks.

Background checks are “strongly” supported by 73 percent of voters, including 63 percent of voters in houses with guns, while 14 percent of all voters support them “somewhat.”

“A mark of an able politician is one who can keep his support among the electorate even when that politician follows his own path rather than the public’s preference on a high-profile issue like immigration or gun control,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Q poll: Rubio's approval remains steady, Clinton leads in match-up for prez in 2016

Copy Editor1 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:12:51 +0000

Naked Politics

From the Quinnipiac University poll released today: Florida voters give Sen. Marco Rubio negative ratings for his work on immigration reform and strongly disagree with his vote in the U.S. Senate against requiring background checks for those buying guns, but they still give him an overall 51 – 35 percent job approval rating.

President Barack Obama gets a split 47 – 48 percent job approval rating, compared to a 50 – 45 percent approval rating in a March 21 survey by the independent Quinnipiac University.

Rubio’s approval rating is little changed from his 48 – 33 percent approval March 20, although on individual issues voters are not as enamored with the state’s junior senator:

Background checks are “strongly” supported by 73 percent of voters, including 63 percent of voters in houses with guns, while 14 percent of all voters support them “somewhat.”

Q Poll: Hillary Clinton wallops Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio in their home state of FL

Poll: Florida voters don't approve of Rubio on immigration; Clinton leads him in 2016

Copy Editor1 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:09:00 +0000

Political PulseTALLAHASSEE -- Florida voters aren't all-on-board with Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's handling of the congressional immigration debate or his vote against beefing up background checks on gun purchases.

Poll: Florida voters don't approve of Rubio on immigration; Clinton leads him in 2016

Copy Editor1 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:09:00 +0000

Florida PoliticsTALLAHASSEE -- Florida voters aren't all-onboard with Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's handling of the congressional immigration debate or his vote against beefing up background checks on gun purchases.

Sunburn for 6/19 — A morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:00:06 +0000

St. Petersburg

A morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.

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OBAMA IN GERMANY via Der Spiegel

It is Obama’s ninth European trip as president, but only his first state visit to Berlin. It took him four-and-a-half years to pay his official visit to Germany, the undisputed dominant power in Europe. The trip carries a great deal of importance for the Germans.

Obama’s visit this month and the memory of the Kennedy visit 50 years ago highlight the special relationship between Germans and Americans, but they also show how much the world has changed since then. Kennedy’s trip to Berlin was an almost ecstatic celebration of the protection and defense alliance, while the visit by the no less charismatic current president will probably end up being a more or less unexciting family affair.

RUBIO ON DEFENSIVE FOLLOWING AIDE’S GAFFE via Newsmax

Sen. Marco Rubio was forced to play defense after a key aide was quoted saying that immigration is necessary because some American workers can’t get the job done. “There are American workers who, for lack of a better term, can’t cut it,” Enrique Gonzales, a Cuban-American lawyer, said according to a yet-to-be-published article in the New Yorker magazine. “There shouldn’t be a presumption that every American worker is a star performer. There are people who just can’t get it, can’t do it, don’t want to do it,” added Gonzalez, who was acting as Rubio’s point man on immigration talks between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and labor unions. “You can’t obviously discuss that publicly,” he added.

Rubio spokesman Alex Conant did not dispute the accuracy of Gonzalez’s statement, but blasted the New Yorker for using it. Conant explained, “The legislation that Sen. Rubio agreed to sponsor creates a robust temporary-worker program to meet our economic needs while protecting American workers and wages. Sen. Rubio believes that American workers can compete against anyone in the world.”

… ATTEMPTS TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM UNNAMED AIDE

The bottom line is the statement doesn’t reflect (what I feel),” Rubio said Tuesday, surrounded by reporters. “I’m the senator. It’s my bill. I’m the one that votes on these things. I’m the one that makes decisions. Whatever other people want to opine or say to a reporter or somebody else, I can’t control that. I can only comment to you where I stand on the issue and by and large, I can tell you I think we have a bill that doesn’t hurt the American worker but will allow our industries to identify when they do have shortages in workforce to be able to fill that shortage — in an orderly and legal way, not in the chaotic way that it’s happening right now.”

TWEET, TWEET: @EzraKlein: CBO says Senate immigration bill would cut the deficit by about $200 billion over the next decade.

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FLORIDA RETAILERS CALL ON U.S. REP. RON DESANTIS TO STAND UP FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES, NOT D.C. ACTIVISTS

The Florida Retail Federation today responded to a Washington D.C. press conference featuring Rep. Ron DeSantis and Grover Norquist, who oppose a bill that would put Florida retailers on a level playing field with out-of-state competitors. FRF President and CEO Rick McAllister said he hoped Rep. DeSantis would reconsider his opposition to the Marketplace Fairness Act. Rick McAllister, president and CEO of the FRF, said passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act was the top priority for Florida retailers, and an important indicator of lawmakers’ support for the retail industry.

“This is an important issue, and Florida retailers will determine our support or opposition of the Congressional delegation based on their position on the Marketplace Fairness Act. We hope we can continue supporting Rep. DeSantis, and we look forward to speaking with him further,” McAllister said.

ROSS TO HOST TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN LUTZ AND BRANDON

US Rep. Dennis Ross is hosting town hall meetings in Lutz and Brandon on Tuesday, July 2, where he will spend time answering questions. Ross has had a full plate these past few weeks, leading a charge to urge President Obama to remove Eric Holder from his position as Attorney General, working to prevent taxpayer funded soccer fields for Guantanamo Bay detainees, and urging his colleagues to support immigration reforms that enforce our laws and provide for earned citizenship. Last week, Ross hosted a telephone town meeting in which 11,000 constituents from Florida’s 15th Congressional District called in to speak with the congressman. You can join Ross in person in Lutz at Lutz Elementary School at 5:30 pm; or at the Brandon Regional Service Center at 7:30 pm.

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Q-POLL: SCOTT SHOWS IMPROVEMENT; STILL TRAILS CRIST via Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida

With the Democratic field remaining unsettled, Republican Gov. Rick Scott is seeing improvement in his poll numbers — though he still trails former Gov. Charlie Crist by double digits in a potential 2014 election battle.

Quinnipiac University on Tuesday released a poll that shows the Republican-turned-Democrat Crist leading Scott by a margin of 47 percent to 37 percent. While that is a significant edge for Crist, it is down from a 16-point margin in a March poll.

Another sign of improvement for Scott: In the new poll he is viewed favorably by 40 percent of voters and unfavorably by 42 percent. While he is still underwater, Scott’s numbers have improved since March, when he was viewed favorably by only 33 percent of voters and unfavorably by 46 percent.

Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said it is an indication of how low Scott’s poll numbers have been that he can “take some solace” from only trailing Crist by 10 points. Also, Brown pointed to improvements for Scott in other parts of the poll, though he described the governor’s job approval and favorability numbers as “tepid.”

“Now that doesn’t mean that happy days are here again for the governor, but if he is going to make a comeback these are the kind of steps that would be required,” Brown said in a news release announcing the poll results. “Whether it is the start of something larger, we’ll see in the coming months.”

HOW THE Q-POLL PLAYED

Tampa Bay Times, “Gov. Scott gains ground in new Florida poll, but still trails Crist - according to a new Quinnipiac University poll”… Huffington Post, ”Rick Scott trails Charlie Crist in poll, but Florida Gov’s numbers are rising - 43 percent approving of his job and 44 percent disapproving”… Politico, “Florida poll: Gov. Rick Scott rebounding - his best rating since he was elected and up 7 points from March”… Orlando Sentinel, “Rick Scott gains steam after session wins - with a growing economy and legislative wins in the bank”… Miami Herald, ”Fla. Gov. Scott’s job approval up to 43 percent - though not to the point that it’s likely to deter any potential challengers in 2014″…Washington Post, “Scott rebounds (a bit), but Crist still up double digits in Florida - he’s still not very popular”… Sunshine State News, “Charlie Crist has reasons to smile and Bill Nelson to scowl in new poll - leaves window open for other candidates”

REACTIONS

Dems commend Scott on moving from an F to a D-: Only in Rick Scott’s world does going from an F to a D- represent success. While polls will go up and down, what’s certain is that Florida voters do not trust this governor to fight for them and their families, and we are confident they will vote him out of office next year,” said FDP Chairwoman Allison Tant.

Is Charlie Crist the G.O.B. Bluth of Florida politics? via Karen Cyphers: Basically, G.O.B. doesn’t demonstrate much team loyalty; has few close confidants; likes to put on a good show; … continually seeks the approval of his father; loves to yacht; and enjoys being in charge in part because it requires the least work.

Quick thoughts from Steve Schale: Schale points out that Scott trails significantly behind either major Democratic candidate among NPA voters, with just 35 percent in his corner. Comparably, Crist and Nelson have better statewide favorable/unfavorable ratings: among independents, Crist is +19 favorable while Scott is -5. Schale then lays out some demographic crosstabs. He relays that Crist is +19 among women, only 29 percent of whom would vote to re-elect Rick Scott; and casts some doubt on the Q poll’s prediction that the Democrat will earn in the mid-70s of the African-American/Caribbean vote. Shale doesn’t see that happening. ”Sink was in the mid 90s,” he wrote, “Even Davis was in the low 80s.”

CHARLIE CRIST HAS REASONS TO SMILE, BILL NELSON TO SCOWL via Jeff Henderson of Sunshine State News

The poll finds Crist actually does better with Democrats against Scott than Nelson does. Both do well, of course, but Crist gets 83 percent of Democrats while Nelson gets 82 percent. That’s an impressive figure for Crist, especially since he has only been in his new party for six months.

Democrats also see Crist as more favorable than they do Nelson. Only 11 percent of Democrats see Crist as unfavorable but 67 percent have a favorable take on Crist. Nelson is seen as favorable by 59 percent of Democrats, unfavorable by 5 percent of them, but 34 percent don’t know enough about him to have an opinion. That’s stunning, especially since Nelson won a third term in the Senate last year and has been around in Florida politics for 40 years.

EX-SENATOR DOCKERY: FLORIDA GOP SCARED OF CRIST via Steve Bousquet of the Tampa Bay Times

Dockery said that by promoting Nan Rich, Republicans showed their true colors.

“It looks like they’re scared of Charlie Crist,” Dockery said on the weekly public affairs program Florida This Week on WEDU-Channel 3 in Tampa. “They want to pump up Nan Rich, who was not getting much traction on her own … I think it just sends the message that they’re worried about Charlie Crist and it was kind of a dumb thing.”

Puzzled by a Republican effort in support of a little-known Democratic candidate, Dockery said she fired off an email to party headquarters in Tallahassee, asking: “Who’s your audience on this?”

SORRY, CHARLIE, YOU MAY YET FACE FIGHT FROM ALEX SINK via Adam Smith of the Tampa Bay Times

Sink will decide by Sept. 1, but she sounded anything like a retired politician merely intent on keeping her name in the mix. She spoke angrily about the direction of the state under Gov. Scott — “I mean, pick a day. Read the newspaper. This governor’s incompetent” — and nearly as revolted by the prospect of Crist as the Democratic nominee.

“A disaster” is how she described the possibility.

INFOGRAPHIC ON SUCCESS OF FLA. DEMS 2013 JEFFERSON-JACKSON DINNER

The Florida Democratic Party released an infographic — a well-designed one, not the turds the Florida GOP has pumped out — charting what it describes as “the remarkable success” of the 2013 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, which broke records for attendance and fundraising.

The FDP says its success is not just based on the number of tickets sold, either.

Their infographic offers a complete picture of the 2013 Jefferson-Jackson dinner. View it here.

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BOUSQUET COLUMN: RICK SCOTT’S LATEST VETO IS SIMPLY WILD

Florida’s governor showed his true colors Friday when he vetoed what might have been the least controversial bill of the entire 2013 legislative session.

… The wildflower bill passed both houses of the Legislature by unanimous votes. Most lawmakers are, like Scott, Republicans who oppose higher taxes.

And everybody knows Scott opposes raising the cost of government on Florida residents. But to use the wildflower license plate as an example is taking things to ridiculous extremes.

Scott’s stated reason for his veto is that the bill, HB 265, would have increased the annual fee for the wildflower license plate from $15 to $25, which is true.

But the fee is voluntary.

SCOTT, FLORIDA KEEP RACKING UP SUCCESSES AT PARIS AIR SHOW via Nancy Smith of Sunshine State News

The Sunshine State has the largest of the United States’ 34 state pavilions at the 50th annual International Paris Air Show, and even in the second day the effort is paying off measurably. On Tuesday, Scott and president and CEO of Vision Systems, Carl Putman, announced that Vision Systems, a Lyon, France-based tier one supplier for the aeronautics, marine, and automotive industries, will open its first U.S. subsidiary on the Space Coast.

The project is the company’s first foreign direct investment project in the United States. Unveiled Tuesday at the show, it is expected to offer 40 new jobs and nearly $1.2 million in capital investment in the Melbourne community.

TIMES EDITORIAL: SCOTT’S STRONG STAND ON PUBLIC RECORDS

Gov. Scott took a strong stand for public records by vetoing a bill that would have kept secret the email addresses of registered voters. The election system should be as transparent as possible, and there was no compelling reason to create a public records exemption to keep email addresses secret.

… Mailing addresses for voters have long been public, and as the governor noted, “In the modern age of electronic communications, email is increasingly the most convenient and efficient means to receive information that was previously sent through the mail.”

The presumption in Florida is that government records are public unless there is a compelling reason to keep them confidential. This bill did not meet that test. Scott stood up to the elections supervisors and state lawmakers, and he made the correct decision to veto it.

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CONGRATS to FCCI, recognized as the #1 best company in Florida for employees over 50 by the AARP and #18 in the country!

DAYTONA SPEEDWAY GREEN FLAGS UPGRADES WITH NO STATE BACKING

International Speedway Corp., which owns Daytona and 12 other NASCAR tracks, announced approval Tuesday for a project that will dramatically overhaul the frontstretch at the “World Center of Racing.” The construction will cost between $375 and $400 million and is expected to be completed prior to the 2016 Daytona 500. The changes will cut seating by about 46,000 seats to 101,000.

“The decision was made with strong consideration of the current macroeconomic condition and a clear view for our long-term growth,” ISC’s Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy said in a release Tuesday. “This significant private investment is a strategic use of our capital that will ensure the long-term viability of the iconic speedway, and when completed, will contribute favorably to the company’s revenues, as well as to our community and the sport as a whole.”

DUKE ENERGY NAMES NEW CEO via the News Service of Florida

Duke Energy, which last year finalized a merger that included Progress Energy Florida, announced Tuesday its chief financial officer will take over as company president and CEO on July 1. Lynn Good, who has worked as CFO and executive vice president since 2009, will succeed the retiring Jim Rogers. Rogers, the president and CEO since 2006, will remain as company chairman until Jan. 1, when he will be replaced in that position by an independent director.

HOW REP. DANE EAGLE IS SPENDING HIS SUMMER VACATION Full blog post here

State Rep. Dane Eagle managed to pass nine bills during the 2013 legislative session, but is quick to share credit with his House and Senate colleagues and his staff.

“I was continuously surprised by how willing every member is to try to work together for the greater good,” Eagle said of his colleagues, who left Tallahassee the morning after Session, saw his family, and got out on the water to unwind.

Eagle doesn’t plan to begin campaigning quite yet, instead focusing on work, enjoying Southwest Florida with family and friends, and continuing to communicate with constituents via newsletters, op-eds, radio shows, meetings, and speaking engagements.

This summer, the 30-year-old legislator will be reading the daily news and taking occasional weekend trips, and looks forward to seeing his all-time favorite superhero (The Wolverine) on the big screen.

Eagle will be ready to get back to the state capitol by the end of September for committee weeks, where he’ll get a head start on his top priority for 2014: “Tax cuts. I hope.”

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: PRIVATE INSURERS READY AND WILLING TO TACKLE STATE’S HURRICANE RISK

The Tampa Tribune published an opinion editorial by the Association of Bermuda Insurers President and Executive Director Bradley Kading on the private reinsurance industry’s ability and willingness to tackle Florida’s hurricane risk. Unlike the state-run Cat Fund which concentrates hurricane risk in Florida, exposing all Floridians to the financial burden of covering claims through hurricane tax assessments, according to Kading reinsurance makes “Florida’s risks more affordable by spreading them around the world.”

In the opinion piece, Kading stated that during the 2013 state legislative session Florida leaders “missed the opportunity to take maximum advantage of the growing amounts of private capital interested in the Florida market,” which in 2013 declined in price “by 15 percent or more on average across the state.”

While there are various products and services available to support the insurance industry, especially in the world’s most hurricane-prone state, according to Kading, “the world’s private reinsurers, including ABIR members which have a 100 percent track record paying Florida claims, will continue to be available to support Florida and its unique needs.”

RUBBER STAMPING OF PHONY GAMBLING EVENTS A CONFUSING AND DANGEROUS TURN, HORSEMEN SAY

The Florida Legislature outlawed internet cafes in the wake of a scandal, and a court ruling outlawed “barrel racing” — yet within weeks of both, state regulators quietly approved a new round of phony gambling events at Grenta Racing in North Florida — a confusing turn of events considering the judge’s scathing 85-page rebuke of Gretna activities that targeted barrel-racing and other contrived activities. According to the May 6 ruling, any Quarter Horse racing held in Florida must conform to racing that the American Quarter Horse Association would approve. However, the latest license issued by the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering to Gretna contradicts that ruling by allowing another Gretna-created event called a “flag-drop” which is specifically not approved. To Dr. Steve Fish, FQHRA president, events such as those at Gretna are contrived specifically to skirt the law, which results in the loss of thousands of Floridian jobs.

To Fisch and his allies, there is still time for regulators or Gov. Rick Scott to reconsider the rubber-stamping of phony gambling events. “Governor Scott has committed to getting Floridians back to work by promoting Florida business the cornerstone of his administration,” he said in a statement. “Now, we need him to hold true to that vision by putting a stop to this outrageous sidestep of Florida law that doing just the opposite by putting Florida horsemen and breeders out of work.”

STORY I JUST COULDN’T GET TO: “UF researchers develop technique to test manatees for heart disease”

THE UNRETIREMENT OF BILL COTTERELL

Political columnist Bill Cotterell has unretired, rejoining the Tallahassee Democrat to offer two columns a week, about a year following his departure. To Democrat editor Bob Gabordi, Cotterrell’s move follows “many of the great ones before him – Michael Jordan, George Foreman, Roger Clemens and Brett Favre…” who have left and returned to their legendary professions. Cotterell hasn’t been entirely retired since leaving the Democrat – he contributed to the syndicated Florida Voices until the upstart web service folded a few weeks ago. Leaving Gabordi sad. And prompting him to offer Cotterell a place back on the roster. Already, according to Gabordi, web traffic has soared on Cotterell’s work. The Democrat needs it… original material that is. So, expect to see more from Cotterell in the months to come, particularly on issues that impact state workers; and perhaps to see some of his signature style within the columns of new Democrat writers that he will mentor.

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BLAISE IGNOGLIA KICKING OFF CAMPAIGN TONIGHT

DAVID SIMMONS TO HOLD FUNDRAISING RECEPTION

Hosts Tommy Boroughs, Alexander Clem, Fred Leonhardt and Dr. John McCutheon invite you to attend a fundraising reception for State Sen. David Simmons on June 19, along with honorary co-chairs Senate President Don Gaetz, and Senators Andy Gardiner, Lizbeth Benacquisto, John Thrasher, Jack Latvala, and Alan Hays. And along with 70 distinguished members of the host committee and 18 members of the honorary host committee. Basically, this reception is being hosted and supported by the Who’s Who of Central Florida Republican politics. You can join them from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Citrus Club at 255 South Orange Avenue, following an RSVP to Kim Carroll at kac23@dbksmn.com.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY to two Tallahassee pros, Bascom Communication’s Lyndsey Cruley and the Miami Herald‘s Mary Ellen Klas.

Jacksonville council committee assignments spread around key seats

Ray Austin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 01:55:26 +0000

PolitiJax

Almost all of Jacksonville’s City Council members have a voice on one or another of two high-profile panels under committee assignments incoming president Bill Gulliford announced Tuesday.

Gulliford appointed 16 members to the Finance and Rules committees, raising Finance’s membership to nine, two more than in most years.

No decision from Miami-Dade commissioners on leftover Dolphins elections cash

Copy Editor1 — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:18:06 +0000

Naked Politics

@PatriciaMazzei

Deciding what to do with left over cash from the Miami Dolphins’ short-lived referendum on stadium improvements proved too much Tuesday for Miami-Dade commissioners.

After delaying a vote earlier this month and considering three competing spending proposals at length, board members declared a stalemate, conceding they could not agree on any of the plans.

Instead, they asked the administration to bank the windfall — about $2.3 million — in the county’s general fund. They will decide during the next few months how to spend the money in next year’s budget.

The anticlimactic conclusion came after a tug-of-war among commissioners on the dais. At one point it appeared that practically each one had a different idea of where the dollars should go.

“Before the budget, it’s very easy for us to give money away,” Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa said. “But then when the budget time comes and we have to talk about either increasing taxes or asking our employees to make sacrifices, that is when things get hard on this table.”

The money was left over from the nearly $4.8 million nonrefundable payment the Dolphins made to the county to cover the costs of a proposed May 14 special election. The referendum was called off after the Florida House of Representatives concluded its annual legislative session without taking up a bill required for the election to take place.

More here.

Amazon giveaways popular, even if company doesn't need them

Copy Editor1 — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:56:42 +0000

Naked Politics

When Amazon expands, like it wants to in Florida, state and local governments practically line up to offer to pay the company to move.

Virginia officials approved $4.4 million in taxpayer subsidies so Amazon could build two warehouses in the state. California reached a deal where the online company was free from sales taxes for a year, saving about $200 million. Texas officials forgave $269 million in back sales taxes to get a new warehouse. New Jersey officials put up millions more in breaks.

All the deals were cut in the past three years. All for a company that had $61.1 billion in sales last year.

On Wednesday Hillsborough County commissioners will consider a package that could include up to $7.5 million in local and state tax breaks for Amazon to build a new warehouse in Ruskin for 1,000 employees. Hillsborough's offer was disclosed last week, shortly after Gov. Rick Scott announced that Amazon wants to create 3,000 jobs in the state by 2016.

Yet enticements are so small in relation to Amazon's multibillion-dollar business that analysts don't even bother studying their affect on expansion.

"They are a spec on the radar," said Matt Nemer, a retail analyst for Wells Fargo Securities in San Francisco. "They're just not big enough to make a difference."

Here's the rationale for why Amazon gets the incentives, at considerable public expense, anyway.

Interesting look at how people perceive the two major parties

Ray Austin — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:09:58 +0000

St. Petersburg

John Sides highlights how little the perception of the two major parties has changed over time:

Two features of this graph (to the right) deserve emphasis, I think. One is how poorly the trends conform to prevailing narratives about how the parties have changed. In particular, there is precious little evidence that Americans perceived the Democratic Party’s “re-boot” in the late 1980s and 1990s—when many observers believe that the party moved to the center under the influence of the Democratic Leadership Council and Bill Clinton. This is one reason why I’m skeptical that ideological “re-branding” is all that consequential.

That skepticism is even more justified by the second, and overriding, feature of the graph: just how little change in perceptions there has been over time. The GOP is perceived to be only slightly more conservative than it was forty years ago. As of 2008, the Democratic Party was perceived to be as liberal as it was when it nominated George McGovern. As of 2012, it was perceived to be only a bit more liberal than in 1972. We can have an argument about whether the Democratic Party has shifted left or right. The point is that the public doesn’t see much of any shift.