By Sharon Calvert from Eye on Tampa Bay All for Transportation (AFT) created the 5-page tax-hike charter amendment that led to Hillsborough County Commissioner Stacy White’s lawsuit, case #18-CA-011749. AFT recently filed to be an “intervener” in the lawsuit, filed against the county and other parties receiving the new tax …
By Jim Bleyer Florida will be taking two giant leaps forward in order to erase its stigma as the poster child for botched elections. The timing of the reforms remains nebulous, however. Responsibility for the revamping falls to Governor Ron DeSantis and a Republican-controlled Florida Legislature. Don’t expect immediate action: …
By Jim Bleyer When State Rep. Janet Cruz jumped into a Florida Senate race against incumbent Republican Dana Young, she told Tampa voters she was motivated to run because of the February school shootings in Parkland. The term-limited House minority leader had previously filed to run for a seat …
By Jim Bleyer The first order of business for Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum: mending fences. With Jeanette Nuñez and Chris King, the gubernatorial hopefuls chose solid, if not bold, imaginative picks for their running mates last week. But they face monumental missionary work after bitter, divisive primaries. Public …
By Jim Bleyer The editorial recommendation of State Rep. Kathleen Peters for the Pinellas County Commission represents another #MeToo fail for the Tampa Bay Times. Peters, gal pal of disgraced predator, former State Sen. Jack Latvala, has been insensitive to the victims of sexual harassment but more than sympathetic to …
By E. Eugene Webb PhD Republished from Bay Post Internet In a last-minute move Senator Jeff Brandes R of St. Petersburg managed to get some transportation language added in the tax cut bill approved by the State Legislature. Details of the legislation are in this Tampa Bay Times editorial. …
By Jim Bleyer The generation, born from 2000 to the present, is known by sociologists as “The New Silents” or “Gen Z.” Thoughtless. Insulting, Inaccurate. This is the generation that has challenged pay-for-play politicians, confronted their socially unconscious elders, and sparked a mini-revolution. Media coverage of its activism over …
By Gene Webb, reposted from Bay Post Internet If you have been watching the news of the school shooting in Parkland and have been captivated by the event and the reactions around the state and the country, you may have missed a not so subtle twist. If you go …
By Jim Bleyer Fifteen months ago the people and politicians of a major American city stood up to protect their region’s economic health and integrity by rejecting a shakedown from a billionaire owner of a big-league sports franchise. But the citizens of San Diego had three major advantages over …
By Jim Bleyer With Florida voters gaining the capability to vote on increasing the homestead exemption next year, Florida’s counties and cities are in full panic mode painting doomsday scenarios should the constitutional amendment pass in November 2018. Florida voters will be asked whether or not the non-schools …
