The Nov. 6 general election ballot is very lengthy. The culprit -- 11 proposed constitutional amendments added by the Florida Legislature.
So before heading to the polls, familiarize yourself with the proposed changes and know how you’re going to vote. You might even want to consider voting by absentee ballot...
Floridians are truly blessed with a state park system twice named the best in the nation. Our 160 state parks offer 18 million residents and 80 million tourists the opportunity to enjoy the “real Florida.”
Created in 1935 with eight parks, our system now boasts 160 parks spread throughout the state on beaches and rivers, on prairies and uplands, on former cattle lands and citrus groves and on...
Just 10 of Florida’s 160 legislators voted recently on a $58-million budget amendment that carries large policy implications for citizens across the state. And although the change will affect constituents in my district, they had no representation in this decision -– or any other decisions passed by the Legislative Budget Commission.
When you enter the ballot box, your vote is supposed to have...
There was a lot of buzz about former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist speaking at the Democratic National Convention, given that he’s served in numerous elected offices over the past few decades as a Republican.
After one term, Crist left the governor’s office in 2010 with support across party lines. Affable and exceedingly polite, his door was open to legislators in both parties. He was considered a...
Tonight marks the end of the Republican National Convention, featuring many of the party's biggest political stars, including Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and former Gov. Jeb Bush, and most importantly, presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
What did the Republicans need to do this week? What has been successfully accomplished? And what do tonight's speakers and Gov. Romney need to do to close the...
The Republican National Convention was scheduled to start in Tampa on Monday but in an abundance of caution, Gov. Rick Scott and RNC officials decided to postpone the start of the speaking events until Tuesday. GOP Chairman Reince Priebus did, however, officially gavel in the start of the convention on Monday at 2 p.m. and recessed less than 30 seconds later.
Before leaving the podium, Priebus:
...With the Republican National Convention set to kick off in just a few days, the party faithful are flocking to Tampa in the hopes of rallying the base and getting a bounce in the polls.
The host city of Tampa has rolled out the red carpet and the gracious people of Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties have offered their homes and businesses to convention-goers, while many others have left for well-...
I’m very excited about a new opportunity that has come my way. Starting this week and lasting through the end of the 2012 election season, I will be joining the ABC Action News team in Tampa as a political analyst.
This endeavor allows me to combine two of my loves — politics and talking.
The political bug bit me early. First it was with student government at Coral Springs High School. That was followed by the Student Senate at my alma mater, the University of Florida,...
During my time in the Florida Legislature, I have taken on a few issues that led to the discovery of state activities that were questionable at a minimum, and more likely unethical or illegal.
In politics, it is easier and more rewarding to "go along to get along." People who seek the truth and continue digging or asking questions are "troublemakers," while those who turn their heads the other way or ignore warning...
During the last legislative session, one legislator used his position as appropriations chair to push through a bill creating the state's 12th university while cutting $300 million from the existing 11. Not one of the legislative leaders reined in his costly pet project. Some claimed the state needed more STEM degrees -- short for science, technology, engineering and mathematics -- as though UF's College of Engineering is somehow a front for the liberal arts.
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