Proposed amendment would put limits on local taxes, tax hikes

A proposed cap on local and state taxes at 2010-11 levels and a limit on future increases tied to population growth met with quick and loud opposition in its first Senate committee hearing Tuesday.
Read more…

Florida Legislature sets special session to discuss $2.3 billion budget shortfall

It’s official.

The Legislature will meet in special session Jan. 5-16 to true up the state’s budget and the $2.3 billion gap between revenue and spending. Gambling and cigarette taxes are definitely out. Class-size spending and increased speeding fines are in.

House Speaker Ray Sansom and Senate President Jeff Atwater on Tuesday evening signed the call for the special session, a constitutionally required step for the Legislature to meet outside its required 60-day spring session. The call signed by Atwater and Sansom also sets out the limits of what can be considered for lawmakers. Anything outside the call requires a super majority of lawmakers to be taken up.

Read more…

Ethics complaint filed against Sansom

Pressure continues to mount on House Speaker Ray Sansom, who now faces an ethics complaint filed by a Clearwater man.

“Somebody’s got to say something,” David Plyer, a retired electrical engineer, said Monday. “Those elected officials all seem to be quiet, and they seem to be part of the same club.”

Plyer alleges in his complaint that the powerful Destin Republican improperly steered $24.5 million in taxpayer dollars to Northwest Florida State College before accepting a $110,000 job as a school vice president. The complaint cites an ethics law that prohibits a public official from “corruptly” using his or her authority to, “secure a special privilege, benefit, or exemption for himself, herself or others.”
Read more…

Crist weighs moratorium on foreclosures

Continues to give Republicans a bad name

US Constitution, Article 1, Section 10:
“No State shall… pass any… Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts…

Gov. Charlie Crist said Monday he is considering ordering a moratorium on home foreclosures, “especially during the holidays.”

In an informal gathering with reporters following a news conference, Crist was asked what he thought of copying California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 90-day moratorium on home foreclosures.
Read more…

Secretary of state continues to review fraud complaints

While Wakulla County election officials waited Wednesday to certify razor-thin victories, the state’s top elections chief continued to weigh fraud complaints.

Secretary of State Kurt Browning is still considering a complaint filed last week by a Panacea resident against Wakulla County Elections Supervisor Sherida Crum, alleging that voting rolls contained the names of people who listed vacant lots and nonexisting street addresses.
Read more…

Gay-marriage ban in constitution

Neither side was ready to concede late Tuesday in the vote over Amendment 2.

Early this morning, Amendment 2 was passing with 62.2 percent of the vote, above the three-fifths required for passage. Here’s the count:

Yes: 4,616,271
No: 2,810,313

Both sides said the final results would be close.
Read more…

Polls suggest Florida too close to call as McCain, Obama work on final push

With both presidential candidates making final appearances today in Florida, polls are showing the state is too close to call.

A poll released this morning by Quinnipiac University gives Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama a razor-thin 47-45 lead over Republican John McCain in Florida, but impressive leads in the other key swing states of Ohio, (50-43) and Pennsylvania, (52-42.)
Read more…

Florida early voters favor Dems; GOP leads state in absentees

Nearly 2 million Floridians cast ballots in the first week of early voting, and the partisan breakdown gives a slight edge to Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
Read more…

Palin campaigns in Republican-rich areas of Florida

FORT MYERS — Gov. Sarah Palin energized large crowds in Southwest Florida on Monday while campaigning for the presidential ticket in a Republican-rich area of the state.
Read more…

Updated: Palin starts two-day Florida tour; Biden will be in the Sunshine State Wednesday

CLEARWATER — Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, the state’s two top Republicans, have taken the stage to introduce Republican vice presidential nominee and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

With patriotic and nostalgic songs from a group of elementary schoolers, today’s rally began at Coachman Park in downtown Clearwater at around 7:30 a.m.

Read more

Next Page »