Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Jennifer Carroll’s resignation amid a racketeering investigation has Patch wondering if this affects your trust in government, Tampa Bay?
Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll has resigned her post as a racketeering investigation into a nonprofit she was once affiliated with continues. That nonprofit, Allied Veterans, is accused of money laundering, siphoning profits and misreporting how much cash actually went to the charity, according to The Washington Post. The organization claims to help “fellow veterans in need,” according to its website. While no charges against Carroll have been filed, several people with connections to Allied Veterans have been arrested. Carroll resigned to prevent her “former affiliation with the company from distracting from the administration’s important work on behalf of Florida families,” a spokesman for Gov. Rick Scott is quoted as saying. The …
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Florida’s governor was adamant in his State of the State address that his policies have put us on the right path. What do you say, Tampa Bay?
Florida Gov. Rick Scott might have a new catchphrase. If his March 5 State of the State address is any indication that phrase is: “It’s working.” The governor gave his address as both the Florida House and Senate officially began their sessions. "We eliminated thousands of regulations on job creators. We paid down state debt for two years in a row," The Tampa Tribune reported him as saying. "We invested in priorities – like education. And, now our economy is on the rebound. It's working." Scott went on to defend his anti-tax and anti-spending policies. He also sent the message that his reforms have improved the state’s public schools. Throughout the address, he repeated the phrase: “It’s working.” Do you agree, Tampa Bay? What are your …
Dozens of concerned voters are calling on lawmakers to make it easier for Floridians to vote.
Concerned citizens rallied across Florida Tuesday, calling for more early voting days, amendment caps and a uniform voting policy across the state. Kofi Hunt with Awake Pinellas joined the effort to send the message to lawmakers at a rally in front of Florida State Senator Jeff Brandes' office on Fourth Street North in St. Petersburg. The protest was one of about two dozen rallies that took place in several cities during the first day of the legislative session. "The problem is, we had the longest lines in the country, we had the longest waits in the country. The problem is 200,000 people didn't vote because they didn't think they had time," Hunt said. Concerned citizens say Florida's voter laws are too restrictive. "This last election was…
Monday, March 4, 2013
It’s looking like Gov. Rick Scott’s decision to go along this major plank in the Obamacare plan is getting a frigid reception from State lawmakers. What do you think about it Tampa Bay?
Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s recent flip-flop on Obamacare might be a moot point. It looks like the plan to expand the state’s Medicaid coverage to another 1 million or so people is falling flat with other Florida lawmakers. A state House committee recently decided that expanding Medicaid to provide care for the uninsured wasn’t the way to go, according to a report on TBO.com. Committee members, TBO reported, said they were concerned about the quality of care and the costs associated with the proposal. Scott recently said he’d go along with the notion of expanding Medicaid since the federal government would be paying for it for the first three years as part of the Obamacare package, which is more formally known as the Affordable Care Act. The…
Thursday, February 21, 2013
He said he wouldn't, but he did. Gov. Rick Scott announced Wednesday, Feb. 20, that Florida would expand its Medicaid program.
Florida’s Medicaid program is about to get bigger – a lot bigger. In a flip-flop from a previous decision, Gov. Rick Scott has acquiesced to expanding the state’s Medicaid program to provide coverage for an estimated 1.3 million more people. The expansion is a major prong in the Obamacare program that kicks into effect in 2014, according to The Huffington Post. Scott has been an outspoken opponent of Obamacare in the past. His disdain for the concept of government-backed universal healthcare coverage even prompted him to dip into his own fortune. He spent about $5 million of his own cash to prevent President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform legislation from being passed in the first place. Once it did pass – and he became governor – Scott …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
As Florida Gov. Rick Scott calls on state legislators to increase funding for school by $1.2 billion some are skeptical about his intentions. We’d like to get your take on the governor’s proposals, Tampa Bay.
Florida school districts that have struggled with multi-million-dollar budget cuts and teachers who’ve gone years sans raises are being offered some hope courtesy of Florida’s Republican governor. Rick Scott is calling on the state’s legislature to approve a budget that includes an extra $1.2 billion in funding for public schools. Some of that money would help fund across-the-board raises of $2,500 for the state’s teachers. The overall plan would also boost per-student funding by about 6.5 percent, according to TBO.com. "Investing in our teachers and in our education system is the key to our state's continued economic growth," Scott said in the TBO piece. "We made the hard choices to recover and get back on track — now we must make the …
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The Florida governor is expected to use a portion of a projected budget surplus to pay for the raise. Florida teachers have been vocal opponents of the governor's spending cuts.
How do you spell "relief"? Florida teachers certainly may be feeling some relief, since Gov. Rick Scott indicated that he will use Florida's first budget surplus in five years for an across-the-board pay raise for public school teachers. The Bradenton Herald is reporting that Scott will announce the plan Wednesday in Orlando. The details of the pay raise, including the amount, have yet to be released. Florida teachers have been among the angry protesters at many of Scott's event, opposing spending cuts that affect their salaries and benefits. Scott is seeking re-election and has been extending a hand -- with some debit cards -- to teachers, according to the Bradenton Herald. He called for $250 debit cards for all teachers to help cover the…
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
A group of self-proclaimed Satan worshipers will rally in support of the Florida governor's stance on religious freedom.
Satanists from all over Florida are scheduled to gather on the steps of the Governor’s Office on Friday, Jan. 25, in a show of solidarity for Governor Rick Scott, who, satanists say, has shown unwavering fortitude and progressive resolve in his defense of religious liberty, particularly in his approval of Senate Bill 98 [SB 98] authorizing “a district school board to adopt a policy that allows an inspirational message to be delivered by students at a student assembly; providing policy requirements; providing purpose, etc.” There is nothing devil-may-care about the attitude of the Satanists: The group plans to show public support for the governor signing a bill that allows students to pray at school events. Organizers say they also want to…
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
The former governor of Florida has announced he’s joined the Democrat Party. Could another run for the governor’s office be far behind?
First he was a Republican. Then he became an Independent. Now, former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has officially joined the ranks of the Democrats. Crist made the announcement of his recent switch to the Democratic Party on his Twitter feed. “Proud and honored to join the Democratic Party in the home of President @Barack Obama,” he tweeted. Crist, a vocal supporter of Obama, is said to have signed the papers to become a Democrat while visiting the White House. The former Republican dropped his affiliation with that party during his 2010 Senate bid against now Sen. Marco Rubio. Crist’s announcement has many wondering if he’s positioning himself for a 2014 run against Gov. Rick Scott. Or, perhaps he has another seat in mind? We’d like to hear…
Friday, December 7, 2012
President Barack Obama and Gov. Rick Scott both released statements today honoring the 71st anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
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Friday, December 7, 2012
On the 71st anniversary of the tragic Pearl Harbor attacks, President Barack Obama and Florida Gov. Rick Scott released proclamations honoring the victims. Obama's Pearl Harbor Proclamation “Today, we pay solemn tribute to America's sons and daughters who made the ultimate sacrifice at Oahu. As we do, let us also reaffirm that their legacy will always burn bright -- whether in the memory of those who knew them, the spirit of service that guides our men and women in uniform today, or the heart of the country they kept strong and free,” President Barak Obama said in his proclamation issued today declaring Dec. 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. The proclamation reads: “On December 7, 1941, our Nation suffered one of the most …
St.Pete.Resident
2:00 pm on Monday, April 29, 2013
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