Gov. Rick Scott

Gov. Scott Signs Florida Budget; Explains Vetoes

Gina Jordan — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:59:38 +0000

Gov. Rick Scott signed the 2013-14 state budget into law today.

Media Frenzy Erupts After FAU Student Told To ‘Stomp On Jesus’

Allison Goodman — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 19:46:42 +0000

Sometimes people stand up for their beliefs by refusing to stand on them.

Ryan Rotela, a junior at Florida Atlantic University and devout Mormon, claims he was thrown out of class by his instructor after refusing to step on the name of Jesus as part of a classroom exercise.

What You Should Know From This Week's South Florida News: Dueling Governors And Dolphins Stadium

Elaine Chen — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

On The Florida Roundup, here are some of the items on our rundown:

Gov. Scott Wants Florida Reimbursed For Port Improvements

Arianna Prothero — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:00:00 +0000

President Barack Obama will be visiting PortMiami Friday to talk about the economy. Gov. Rick Scott, meanwhile, is asking the federal government to repay Florida for the money it has spent on port improvements.

Although Scott often criticizes the federal government for spending too much, he says this is different.

State CFO Objects Scott's Proposal to Expand Medicaid

Jim Turner — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

On the Florida Roundup, we have on the slate:

Transparency 2.0, Florida's $5 million Public Access System, Simply Waits To Be Turned On

Theo Karantsalis — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:34:17 +0000

Florida taxpayers have spent $5 million on a budget transparency portal called Transparency 2.0 that promised to herald a new era for citizen access to the state’s informational stores.

Currently, questions remain as to whether the public will ever be able to use the program, which is ready to go but has sat unused for a year and a half.

Gov. Rick Scott's 'Jobs, Jobs, Jobs' Agenda Coming Under Fire

Michael Peltier — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Gov.

What Gov. Rick Scott's $74.2 Billion Budget Would Mean For South Florida Environmental Projects

Tricia Woolfenden — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

If Gov. Rick Scott's proposed $74.2 billion budget passes the Legislature intact, it would include $75 million for conservation land projects spearheaded by the Florida Forever Coalition. The 2013-2014 budget also includes $60 million for Everglades restoration and $6.5 million for restoring springs.

Eleven More Colleges Sign On To Gov. Scott's $10K Degree Challenge

Arianna Prothero — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:58:30 +0000

Governor Rick Scott was at Miami-Dade College's North campus today to announce that eleven more state colleges have accepted his challenge to create bachelor’s degree programs costing $10,000 or less.

That means all 23 Florida state colleges offering four-year degrees have signed on.

Broward College is developing a bachelor's degree program in teacher education and business. President David Armstrong told the News Service of Florida that the goal is to open doors for more students.

Florida Gave Tax Breaks To Industries Blamed For Mass Shootings

Arianna Prothero — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 20:00:00 +0000

Florida taxpayers are helping subsidize three industries that have been blamed for recent mass shootings: violent movies, bloody video games and high-powered assault weapons.

Scott's Missing Campaign Dog Is Safe And Living On A Ranch With A New Name

Rick Stone — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:48:15 +0000

Gov. Rick Scott's 2010 campaign dog, Reagan, has been located -- safe, but probably a little bitter -- on a horse ranch somewhere in southwest Florida. Tampa's WTSP Ch. 10 reports he's now known as Pluto.

This should close out a week of speculation about whatever happened to the rescued Labrador that Scott acquired, named through a Facebook contest and campaigned with...

...before the dog mysteriously disappeared!

Anniversary Of The Earthquake In Haiti And Spotlight On Poet Richard Blanco

Elaine Chen — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:00:00 +0000

On The Florida Roundup: Saturday marks the third anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. How has it affected us in South Florida, home to the nation’s largest Haitian diaspora? We take your calls on what you have seen in Haiti and what responsibility we have to this country less than 700 miles away. Why has development been so slow after so many promises?

2012: A Year Of Electile Dysfunction In Florida

Phil Latzman — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 18:46:58 +0000

In 2012, Florida remained the state that can't vote straight.

Judging Rick Scott's Job Creation Record

Rick Stone — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 11:55:24 +0000

His big campaign pledge was 700-thousand jobs in seven years.

So, halfway through his term, how is Gov. Rick Scott doing with that?

The answer...it's complicated.

Unemployment has dropped from 11.4 percent in January, 2011, to 8.1 percent in November of this year. But almost half of the improvement is attributed to discouraged workers leaving the workforce.

Gun Control Debate: Is Florida "The Gunshine State"?

Elaine Chen — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:00:00 +0000

On the Florida Roundup: The tragedy in Connecticut hits home in what some people call “The Gunshine State,”as Florida has over a million concealed weapons permits, the most in the country. Do you feel safer? We hear your reaction to Florida’s milestone. And will gun control be on the agenda in Tallahassee?

What Charlie Crist Has To Say About Rick Scott’s Handling Of Election 2012

Elaine Chen — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 20:34:38 +0000

In what may be a preview of the governor’s race, former governor Charlie Crist directly criticized Governor Rick Scott before a U.S. Senate hearing on voting rights. Crist was critical of Scott for helping to pass a 2011 election law that limited early voting hours.

Florida Political Leaders Offer A Range Of Responses To Newtown School Massacre

Rick Stone — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:17:52 +0000

Florida leaders are expressing themselves, although not always clearly, after the elementary school massacre in Newtown last week.

Some Florida Democrats, including Tampa U. S. Rep. Kathy Castor, are calling for new restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips.

Congressman Rich Nugent, a Republican and former sheriff from Brooksville, says more gun control would be far less useful than identifying and treating mental illness.

Adelson Donates Early For Scott Reelection

Rick Stone — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Pollsters call him "highly vulnerable" and his approvals remain in the cellar, but Gov. Rick Scott's reelection campaign treasury is beginning to fill up.

Jilted GOP Reserves Special Anger For Crist

Rick Stone — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Former Gov. Charlie Crist is taking fire from the Republican press release machine now that speculation is growing that he'll challenge Gov. Rick Scott as a Democrat in 2014.

The AP and Sarasota Herald-Tribune suggest there's an angry personal element to this that transcends ordinary politics, probably because Crist was once a Republican governor and the darling of his party. But now he's a cheating rat.

Why State Government Contracts Sometimes Go To Out-Of-State Companies

Gina Jordan — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Statewide media consultant Ron Sachs went on a Facebook rant after Florida companies were skipped over for a local government contract in Tallahassee.

“The Tallahassee Airport leadership outsourced - without competitive bidding - a web development contract for about $23-thousand to an Atlanta-based company.”

Count's Final, Obama Won, But Is It Over? Except For Jabs, Politics And Fixes...Maybe

Rick Stone — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Tuesday's election in Florida lasted until Saturday when the state was finally called for President Barack Obama. That's how long it took to sort through the mountains of absentee and other non-standard ballots.

Nope! Scott Won't Extend Early Voting

Rick Stone — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 11:31:10 +0000

Top state Democrats and the League of Women Voters have been pleading with Gov. Rick Scott to extend the early voting to relieve the long lines and multi-hour waits.

Last night, the governor said no. "Early voting will end Saturday night," he announced to reporters at a fundraiser in the Alachua County town of Newberry.