By Jim Bleyer The Tampa Bay Times once meant something in Hillsborough County despite its sparring with a credible rival in the Tampa Tribune. But that era ended years ago. Someone forgot to pass that info on to Times publisher Paul Tash …
By Jim Bleyer No one ever confused Peter Schorsch with Heywood Campbell Broun, Ernie Pyle, Nellie Bly, or even the rawest cub reporter. Schorsch is the St. Petersburg-based owner of Florida Politics, the widely acknowledged pay-for-play echo chamber for Florida politicians, political operatives, and lobbyists that lamely attempts to …
By Sharon Calvert, from Eye on Tampa Bay Five downtown Tampa special interests contributed $150,000 each to fund the “All for Transportation” (AFT) transit tax hike petition effort, literally buying their way onto the November ballot in Hillsborough County. The $750,000 was used to fast track a proposed massive …
By Jim Bleyer Susan Valdes, the early favorite in the Democratic primary race for Florida House District 62, has run a gaffe-riddled campaign but she won’t be branded the biggest loser if opponent Michael Alvarez pulls an upset next Tuesday. That honor will belong to outgoing State Rep. Janet …
By Jim Bleyer Hillsborough County voters have an easy decision Sept. 28 in the Florida House District 62 Democratic primary. The choice: A Marine veteran whose dedication to improving public education is widely admired or a controversial member of the school board beholden to special interests. Mike Alvarez, has …
By Karik Krishnaiyer, republished from The Florida Squeeze As we approach another party primary which has been divisive, the calls for unity and coming together are as loud and nauseating as ever. As a longtime active Democrat in Florida, I’ve sacrificed principle and my values before to back deeply-flawed …
By Jim Bleyer Bristol, FL—Declaring Florida’s Liberty County as sleepy surely is an understatement. Comatose would be a more accurate description of this rural outpost 50 miles west of Tallahassee. The Apalachicola National Forest provides a canopy of longleaf pine for fully half of Florida’s least populous county. Liberty …
By Jim Bleyer As far as we can determine, Hogan’s Heroes character Sgt. Schultz did not hold a law degree nor was he entrusted with protecting the public purse. But Janet Tashner, the state Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability’s General Counsel, apparently needs those qualifications for the …
By Dr. Jim Davison, from Eye on Tampa Bay Jeff Vinik, the former Boston-based hedge fund manager that reinvented himself in Tampa, and his cronies have bought their way onto the November ballot by spending more than a half million dollars. The Vinik referendum, if passed, would increase the …
By Sharon Calvert, from Eye on Tampa Bay The Vinik $15-18 Billion transit tax hike and the Chuck Sykes/District Rays Candidate Hagan billion dollar stadium have officially combined into one collaborative effort. The latest campaign filing found on the SOE website of Vinik’s transit tax hike All For Transportation (AFT) …
