The other day someone was talking on one of the many shows where people do nothing but, well, talk—and the discussion centered around what you needed to do to regain the support and confidence of your black voters, because without them you would not be re-elected in 2012. Okay, they may be on to something because last poll I saw your popularity is hovering around 39%.
Controversial changes that have rocked Texas' higher education system may be coming to Florida. Gov. Rick Scott has begun promoting the same changes to the higher education system that Texas Gov. Rick Perry has championed. The proposals include some of the same reforms pushed by conservatives in K-12 schools: merit pay for professors, tenure reform, and generally a much greater emphasis on measurement of whether professors are turning out students that meet certain goals.
The GOP-controlled Legislature approved a measure that drastically limits how many classes have to meet the state's class size requirements, thus effectively ignoring the will of Florida voters to limit class sizes.
Florida's growing budget deficit, now estimated to be $3.6 billion, looks certain to squash Gov. Rick Scott's signature campaign pledge, to roll back property levies and eliminate the state's corporate income tax, leading senators said on Wednesday.
The Senate Regulated Industries Committee is beginning to look at research compiled by its staff that poses a variety of options the Legislature could consider if it wants to expand gaming, including opening the door for huge hotel and casino chains like Las Vegas Sands or Wynn Resorts to enter the Florida market.
The first of three immigration meetings set for Monday will be the Senate's first look at a debate over a comprehensive Arizona-style measure, a topic that Gov. Rick Scott made one of the biggest social issues of his campaign for governor.
Gov. Rick Scott's decision to freeze rule making for agencies under his purview is drawing heat from some, even within his own party. Scott, who signed the executive order shortly after his swearing-in on Tuesday, said the purpose was to be fiscally responsible, even as an evaluation of all rules and regulations takes place.
Even as Gov. Rick Scott promised total openness as governor, reporters had limited to access to inaugural events in state buildings over the past two days and some were even escorted out of events, after they had already entered. Scott managed to attend 12 public inaugural events without pausing once to answer reporters' questions.
Rick Scott was sworn in on Tuesday as Florida's 45th Governor before several hundred state officials, private sector leaders and community members. At times, seemingly nervous, unprepared and flubbing several of his lines, Scott's speech was dominated by the issue of creating jobs for the more than 1 million Floridians out of work.
As Rick Scott, multimillionaire outsider businessman prepares to become Rick Scott governor, one of the first things he's likely to find out is that nearly everything has a constituency.
Governor-elect Rick Scott began two days of inaugural events on Monday morning, departing from the Governor's Mansion, although he doesn't officially take office until Tuesday when he takes to oath of office. Scott who campaigned on a theme, Let's get to Work", appeared anxious to get going, beginning with an early morning walk with his yellow lab Reagan on the Mansion grounds.
As Gov.-elect Rick Scott readies for his January 4th inauguration, he is likely to face a myriad of challenges from an impatient public early in his term. Among them, the promise of 700,000 additional jobs will no doubt loom large for the "Jobs Governor" in a state where more than 1 million are out of work.
Florida will gain two additional congressional seats on account of its 17 percent population growth in the last decade, Census officials announced Tuesday. Now slated to hold 27 seats in the 435 member house, Florida continues a trend that began in 1930 by gaining at least one congressional seat during each of the past nine decennial redistributions of political power in a nation that continued to grow to the west and south.
Less than three weeks before Gov.-elect Rick Scott takes office, plans for implementing one of his major campaign promises--to cut $1 billion from the state's prison system--drew a sharp push-back from the union representing correctional officers with the airing of television spots warning, inmates might be released to help reduce cost.
Flanked by a host of mostly Democratic lawmakers, Gov. Charlie Crist highlighted on Wednesday, legislation that will create a Civil Rights Hall of Fame exhibit in the Capitol. The measure (HB 523), sponsored by Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, calls for the members of the Hall of Fame to be nominated by the Florida Commission on Human Relations and selected by the governor.
