Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer announced his resignation today, saying his critics would "burn down the house" if he didn't quit.
Former House Speaker John Thrasher, a state senator from Duval County, is expected to be elected chairman at a specially called meeting of the GOP State Committee in Orlando on Feb. 20.
He said complaints about his handling of party finances were "uninformed" and that anger over his open support for Gov. Charlie Crist in the U.S. Senate race had been misinterpreted, but that he had decided that continuing to fight for his job would split the party in a critical election year."
Greer hopes his departure will unite GOP activists and heal sharp divisions.
http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20100105/CAPITOLNEWS/1050307/-1/NLETTER07?source=nletter-news
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
2010 - A Really Big Year for Florida Politics
Elections - For the first time ever, every member of the state's Cabinet will be up for grabs in the same election. Governor, attorney general, chief financial officer and agriculture commissioner will each be filled by new people.
A U.S. Senate seat heads up the fall ballot. All 120 state House seats are up for grabs, and more than half of the Senate.
Independent voters, about one in five in Florida, will be a focus in all the statewide races.
Amendments-There are four proposed amendments already on the November ballot.
Fair Districts Florida is trying to meet the Feb. 1 deadline to get 676,811 signatures.
Amendment 1, proposed by the Legislature, would repeal the state's public-finance system for elections.
Amendment 2, by the Legislature, would expand property-tax credits for deployed military personnel.
Amendment 3, by the Legislature, would cap annual assessment increases for non-homestead property at 5 percent and provide tax protection for first-time homestead buyers.
Amendment 4, proposed by Florida Hometown Democracy by initiative petition, would require local votes on significant changes to comprehensive development plans.
Budget-A fourth year of constrained state finances is just ahead of us. Lawmakers will struggle to find solutions to a projected $2.6 billion increase in health-care costs, even as projections for tax revenue improve.
Revisiting expanded gambling, as well as Gulf offshore drilling are debates that will figure in the final budget.
There will be more than $2.7 billion in federal stimulus money propping up the state's budget.
Census-The 2010 U.S. Census will define politics for the next decade.
Florida is likely to vault to become the third most populous state and gain a congressional seat. Population for the state is a factor in federal funding formulas, including for counties and cities.
After the count is in, state lawmakers get to work drawing the political lines for congressional districts and state House and Senate districts.
http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20091226/CAPITOLNEWS/912260316/-1/NLETTER07?source=nletter-news
A U.S. Senate seat heads up the fall ballot. All 120 state House seats are up for grabs, and more than half of the Senate.
Independent voters, about one in five in Florida, will be a focus in all the statewide races.
Amendments-There are four proposed amendments already on the November ballot.
Fair Districts Florida is trying to meet the Feb. 1 deadline to get 676,811 signatures.
Amendment 1, proposed by the Legislature, would repeal the state's public-finance system for elections.
Amendment 2, by the Legislature, would expand property-tax credits for deployed military personnel.
Amendment 3, by the Legislature, would cap annual assessment increases for non-homestead property at 5 percent and provide tax protection for first-time homestead buyers.
Amendment 4, proposed by Florida Hometown Democracy by initiative petition, would require local votes on significant changes to comprehensive development plans.
Budget-A fourth year of constrained state finances is just ahead of us. Lawmakers will struggle to find solutions to a projected $2.6 billion increase in health-care costs, even as projections for tax revenue improve.
Revisiting expanded gambling, as well as Gulf offshore drilling are debates that will figure in the final budget.
There will be more than $2.7 billion in federal stimulus money propping up the state's budget.
Census-The 2010 U.S. Census will define politics for the next decade.
Florida is likely to vault to become the third most populous state and gain a congressional seat. Population for the state is a factor in federal funding formulas, including for counties and cities.
After the count is in, state lawmakers get to work drawing the political lines for congressional districts and state House and Senate districts.
http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20091226/CAPITOLNEWS/912260316/-1/NLETTER07?source=nletter-news
Saturday, January 2, 2010
2010 Florida Legislature to Address Corruption Reform
After a rash of corruption charges against state and local officials and other political figures, a handful of lawmakers have filed a slate of bills aimed at cracking down on official misconduct.
Senate Ethics and Elections Committee Chairman John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, is arguing for a move-carefully approach and not to overreact to sensational headlines.
In announcing the second of three petitions he filed with the court - the final one successful - Governor Crist has suspended 33 officials in the past three years because of corruption charges.
Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach has filed a handful of measures he said will help crack down on corruption, including a law adding penalties for officials who commit crimes in their official capacity and a constitutional amendment that would increase transparency in the budget process, including requiring public notice when two or more lawmakers get together to discuss the budget.
Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota, believes that flaws in the process not only allow lawmakers to do favors for special interests, but they encourage it. Fitzgerald has filed the House version of the budget transparency proposal.
The push for toughening ethics laws isn't confined to Democrats. Drawing from grand jury recommendations after a corruption probe in Palm Beach County, Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter, has filed a measure including Gelber's "color of law" penalties for public officials and other proposals meant to strengthen standards for elected officials.
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-12-21/story/legislature_set_to_hit_the_session_running_on_corruption_reform
Senate Ethics and Elections Committee Chairman John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, is arguing for a move-carefully approach and not to overreact to sensational headlines.
In announcing the second of three petitions he filed with the court - the final one successful - Governor Crist has suspended 33 officials in the past three years because of corruption charges.
Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach has filed a handful of measures he said will help crack down on corruption, including a law adding penalties for officials who commit crimes in their official capacity and a constitutional amendment that would increase transparency in the budget process, including requiring public notice when two or more lawmakers get together to discuss the budget.
Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota, believes that flaws in the process not only allow lawmakers to do favors for special interests, but they encourage it. Fitzgerald has filed the House version of the budget transparency proposal.
The push for toughening ethics laws isn't confined to Democrats. Drawing from grand jury recommendations after a corruption probe in Palm Beach County, Rep. Carl Domino, R-Jupiter, has filed a measure including Gelber's "color of law" penalties for public officials and other proposals meant to strengthen standards for elected officials.
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-12-21/story/legislature_set_to_hit_the_session_running_on_corruption_reform
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