FEATURED STORIES
Debt debate that divided Congress and hurt markets next could affect Florida's budget
By Michael C. Bender
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The federal debt debate that has divided Congress and disrupted financial markets next could affect state budget writers.
Assistant attorney general resigns after memo blasting Florida AG's office
By Kimberly Miller
Palm Beach Post
Andrew Spark, an assistant state attorney general in the Tampa office of economic crimes, resigned Wednesday, a day after he released a 16-page memo discussing grievances he has with the Florida attorney general's office.
Rick Scott Pays $360 a Year for State Health Insurance
By Adam Weinstein
Mother Jones
Last year, political neophyte Rick Scott spent $73 million of his own money to bring the tea party's anti-government, pro-privatization agenda to the Florida governor's office.
Florida company to create 500 jobs — in Texas
By Michael C. Bender
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
A recent announcement from a Florida-based call center to create 500 jobs at a pair of Texas locations has added another wrinkle to competition between the governors of each state.
USDA leader announces $100 million coming for Everglades restoration in Central Florida counties
By Susan Salisbury
Palm Beach Post
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is spending $100 million to acquire permanent easements from agricultural producers in four counties for wetlands restoration on 24,000 acres in the North Everglades Watershed, Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack said today.
BEST OF THE BLOGS
Congressman Cliff Stearns: earning back his stripes with GOP
By Gimleteye
Eye on Miami
Earlier this year, Ocala Republican Cliff Stearns earned the enmity of his Republican colleagues when he was the only member of the Florida GOP congressional delegation to implicitly support EPA's effort to clean up pollution of Florida's waters through specific numeric criteria for fertilizer run-off.
Not Convinced the State Will Say Anything to Reduce Medicaid Spending? Read This.
By Greg Mellowe
Florida CHAIN blog
Florida has now submitted its request to the federal government seeking approval of the statewide Medicaid managed care experiment authorized by the Legislature last spring.
Let's Add "Hypocrite" to "Hospital Grifter": Rick Scott on Your Dime
By Benjamin Kirby
The Spencerian
I would tell you that I'm surprised by this, but I am just not: Gov. Scott getting low-cost health insurance from the state.
Steve Southerland Lies About S&P Downgrade
By Kenneth Quinnell
Florida Progressive Coalition
I have the misfortune of having Steve Southerland “represent” me in Congress.
ALEC And The Florida Legislature: They Write The Laws, You Foot The Bill
By Inkberries
Beach Peanuts
As I wrote a couple weeks ago, this week the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC as it's more commonly known, is holding their annual meeting in New Orleans.
FLORIDA POLITICS
Scott, Hasner speaking at same event where Texas Gov. Perry to start presidential run
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post
The third annual RedState Gathering is billing its lineup of speakers in Charleston, S.C. this weekend as a "host of conservative rock stars," including Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Republican Senate hopeful Adam Hasner of Delray Beach.
Gov. Scott goes fishing in the Florida Keys
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Gov. Rick Scott cast a fishing line into the calm ocean waters off the Florida Keys today in an attempt to promote a state tourism industry reeling from a bad economy and last year's Gulf oil spill.
Randolph undeterred by House refusal to hand over ‘Fair Districts’ lawsuit billing records
By Travis Pillow
Florida Independent
Last month, Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, sought billing information that would disclose the details of how much the House is spending on a federal lawsuit challenging Amendment 6, a “Fair Districts” measure voters approved in a referendum last fall.
Fla officials talk redistricting with residents
Associated Press
Miami Herald
South Floridians will get a chance to weigh on the future of their state and congressional districts.
Gov. Rick Scott says rail would have cost state taxpayers $1 billion to build: False
By Amy Sherman
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald PolitiFact
On his second month on the job in February 2011, Florida Gov. Rick Scott wrote a letter to the U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announcing he had decided to reject about $2.4 billion in federal money for a high-speed train line between Tampa and Orlando.
Bishop leaving AIF, with some questioning the future of the big corporate lobby
By John Kennedy
Palm Beach Post
One of the Capitol’s most potent business lobbies Wednesday was in search of a new leader.
LPS lawyer defends himself in AG scandal
By David Royce
News Service of Florida
A former state government lawyer now working for a firm under investigation by the state in a foreclosure fraud case said Thursday that he had nothing to do with foreclosures while he worked in the attorney general’s office.
POLITICAL RACES
Spokesman says Gov. Rick Perry running for president
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Related: Analysis: Perry may pose biggest threat to Romney in GOP race
Texas Gov. Rick Perry is running for president, a spokesman confirmed today, a move certain to shake up the race for the GOP nomination much to the delight of conservatives looking for a candidate to embrace.
GOP candidates go after Obama — and each other
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
Related: Fact Check: Republican debate strains some facts
Minnesota rivals Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann sparred bitterly Thursday night during an eight-candidate Republican debate, trying to break out of the GOP presidential pack ahead of an Iowa test vote with huge consequences.
‘Corporations Are People,’ Romney Says
By Ashley Parker
Lakeland Ledger
Emerging on the campaign trail in Iowa after largely shunning the state, Mitt Romney was confronted on Thursday by hecklers on corporate tax policy and told one of them, “Corporations are people, my friend.”
LeMieux likes Arizona immigration law now but once said it went 'too far, too quick'
By Alex Leary
St. Petersburg Times
George LeMieux has reintroduced immigration into Florida's GOP U.S. Senate primary, saying he supports an Arizona-style law for Florida.
ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Environmental group pushes for oil independence
By Lynn Hatter
WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee
The advocacy group Environment Florida wants to wean the state off oil.
Americans for Prosperity take their Running on Empty tour to Sarasota in hopes of trimming regulations for oil drilling
By Janelle Irwin
WMNF Community Radio Tampa
A conservative group was in Sarasota yesterday to spread the message that regulations passed by the Obama administration are directly contributing to the high price of gasoline.
Coley again files septic tanks bill but springs protection remains an issue
By Bruce Ritchie
Florida Current
State Rep. Marti Coley has filed legislation again that seeks to repeal a statewide requirement for septic tank inspections.
A motive of profit, not protection
Editorial
St. Petersburg Times
Newly released electronic messages from Tallahassee offer an object lesson in why citizens can't leave the future of Florida in the hands of bureaucrats and politicians.
A decline in vigilance
Editorial
Pensacola News Journal
The Florida Department of Health's decision to cut back on water testing on beaches across the state is a bad plan.
EDUCATION
Florida a leader in setting reading standards
Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
A new federal report shows Florida is a leader in setting reading proficiency standards but lags a bit in math.
NCLB waivers? Big deal, parents group says
By Jeff Solochek
St. Petersburg Times
When Arne Duncan announced that the Obama administration would move on its own to relax No Child Left Behind as Congress dithers, many states cheered the idea of squirming out from under the federal thumb that holds their schools to different accountability levels than they do.
JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi sues Bank of New York Mellon for overcharging state retirement fund
By Janet Zink
St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Bank of New York Mellon, alleging the bank overcharged the state retirement fund by millions of dollars for foreign currency exchange in violation of the Florida False Claims Act.
Churches push Florida to expand foreclosure aid
By Mary Shanklin
Orlando Sentinel
Religious groups met Thursday night and asked state officials to be more generous with $1 billion in federal foreclosure aid Florida is distributing.
Florida real estate market outlook dips due to political fighting and economic worries
By Ana Goni-Lessan
Florida Current
In another troubling sign for Florida's economy a new survey shows that uncertainty in the economy may be rippling through Florida’s real estate market.
Report: Workforce Central Florida bought too many cars, owes state $39K
By Jim Stratton and Dan Tracy
Orlando Sentinel
Workforce Central Florida should repay the state almost $39,000 in unapproved and "unreasonable" costs for buying 20 cars it did not need, according to a report from Florida's inspector general.
New insurance consumer advocate getting into battle over no-fault auto insurance
By Christine Jordan Sexton
Florida Current
There are growing sings that the big insurance battle for the 2012 session may not be property insurance but the state's no-fault automobile insurance.
HEALTH AND SENIORS
Family planning in state Medicaid overhaul still raising questions
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (aka AHCA) recently submitted the state’s Medicaid overhaul proposal to the federal government — and reproductive rights advocates say there are still lingering questions about equal access to family planning services for Medicaid beneficiaries.
"Obamacare" Hater Rick Scott, Now Florida's Governor, Is Doing Exactly What He Falsely Claimed Federal Reform Would Do
By Wendell Potter
Huffington Post
As he was gearing up to run for governor of Florida, Republican Rick Scott emerged as one of the most vocal opponents of what he and others began referring to as "Obamacare."
Bloomberg: Scott ‘may’ ask Legislature to approve health care reform dollars
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
According to Bloomberg, Gov. Rick Scott, a strong opponent of federal health care reform, is considering working with the federal government to obtain grants from the Affordable Care Act for the state.
Florida fourth in nation for 'food hardship,' group says
By Catherine Whittenburg
Tampa Tribune
Nearly one out of three Florida families, and 27 percent of those in the Tampa-Bay area, are struggling to put enough food on their tables, according to a new study released on Thursday.
Report: Florida is ‘falling short on legislative solutions to prevent and fight cancer’
By Ashley Lopez
Florida Independent
According to a new report by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Florida is among many states that have “missed opportunities to enact laws and policies that could not only save money and generate revenue, but also save lives.”
CIVIL RIGHTS, PEACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES
Tampa tells group to stop feeding homeless downtownBy Christian M. Wade
Tampa Tribune
The hungry begin arriving before dawn, with bowed heads and downtrodden expressions, dirty bundles of clothes and other belongings tucked under their arms.
Felons' rights
Editorial
Orlando Sentinel
Regular readers of these pages might recall a guest column last week by an ex-offender.
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