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Bondi opinion sheds doubt on future of slots in PB

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:45:58 +0000

TALLAHASSEE -- Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an opinion Thursday afternoon that shed doubt on the future of slots in counties that have pushed for referenda on the issue, including Palm Beach County. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation asked the attorney general's office for the opinion after many counties began floating the idea of putting a slots referendum on the ballot. Bondi wrote that the department was not authorized to provide a slots license to a parimutuel facility that has a county referendum on slots unless the county was expressly given permission by statute or through the constitution. Gadsden County also is asking voters to approve slots to accompany its new barrel racing facility in Gretna. Read Bondi's opinion here .

Is former Dem leader Sands looking at commissioner’s race?

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 01:26:00 +0000

My Sun-Sentinel colleague Brittany Wallman has a tidbit on Rep. Franklin Sands , D-Weston, looking at a run for the county commission. Sands, who served as the House Democratic leader from 2008 to 2010, is term limited out of the Legislature after this year. ********** Is state Rep. Franklin Sands, D-Weston, considering a run for Broward County Commission, for the open seat that Commissioner Ilene Lieberman is leaving? Sands said he'd "heard that also,'' when I called to ask earlier this week. "At this point, I am a candidate for the school board,'' he said. Sands is running for the at-large District 8 seat. Sands' son is lobbyist and Democratic fund-raiser Alex Heckler. Heckler is actually his step-son, but Sands called that a technicality, saying "Alex is my son.'' Read the rest of Brittany's post on the Broward Politics blog.

Gambling impact figures still ‘squishy’

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 01:24:21 +0000

By Jim Saunders at the News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE --- Faced with a series of unanswered questions, economists said Friday they could not pinpoint how much money the state would rake in if Florida lawmakers approve a plan for three resort casinos. The best guess: $455.7 million over the next four years. But the economists said the tax impact of the controversial casino plan is "indeterminate" because of the need to make key assumptions --- a situation that led House economist Don Langston to describe the numbers as "pretty squishy.'' "I think there's just too many assumptions that may be good assumptions, but there's just too many of them,'' Senate economist Jose Diez-Arguelles said. Officials from the House, Senate and Office of Economic & Demographic Research have grappled in recent weeks with trying to figure out how much tax money would spin off from proposed bills that would allow up to three "destination" resort casinos in the state. The discussions have included issues such as licensing fees, sales taxes generated from resort construction and the amounts that would be wagered. But the issues also have included potential losses in revenue from a state gambling agreement with the Seminole Indian tribe. Some of the issues might appear easy to resolve. As an example, the economists estimated the state could bring in as much as $155 million during the 2012-13 fiscal year from application and licensing fees. But that number assumes three casino applicants would be approved and that each would pay $50 million in licensing fees. If only one or two were approved, the $155 million total would plummet. Also, economists focused on the potential of bringing in $60.6 million in 2013-14 and $102.9 million in 2014-15 as the casinos are built. The bills call for each casino owner to spend $2 billion on building and equipping the facilities, which would also include amenities such as convention space and shopping. But Amy Baker , coordinator of the Office of Economic & Demographic Research, said she was concerned about the construction-related tax estimates because of uncertainty about the number of casinos and what she described as a "very ambitious" timeline for building them. Baker said the projects could run into delays because of issues such as permitting. The casinos are projected to start operating during the 2015-16 fiscal year, with economists looking at the possibility of reaping $137.2 million in taxes that year. While the plan was designed to allow the casinos in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, it could also apply to other counties. Though not a factor during Friday's discussions, it appears almost certain the casino proposal will undergo changes. Senate sponsor Ellyn Bogdanoff , R-Fort Lauderdale, said this week she will propose changes, after members of the Senate Regulated Industries questioned parts of the plan, including a 10 percent tax rate on gambling revenues. The House version, sponsored by Rep. Erik Fresen , R-Miami, has not been debated in committees. If either the House or Senate bills change, economists would have to look at the new versions to try to determine the impact on taxes.

Tuesday Morning Reads: Slots, redistricting and the Super Committee

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:30:00 +0000

TALLAHASSEE -- Only a few more days until Thanksgiving. So, hope you're counting down the days until turkey, stuffing and sweet potatoes. While you daydream of sleeping in, the Macy's Day Parade and Thanksgiving dinner, here are the top five stories you should be reading this morning. * The Sun-Sentinel reports on the winners and losers in the Super Committee's failure to make a deal. From the story: A congressional super committee's failure to agree on a debt-reduction plan Monday disappointed sugar growers and alarmed defense contractors in Florida while bringing a sense of relief to proponents of Social Security and Medicare.Big Sugar, rooted in Palm Beach County, had hoped the committee would renew a program that artificially raises consumer prices while propping up a $3.3 billion industry in Florida with more than 12,000 jobs. * The Palm Beach Post writes that Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff , R-Fort Lauderdale, is warning Palm Beach County against slots for Palm Beach Kennel Club. From the story: Palm Beach County's push to allow slot machines at the Palm Beach Kennel Club could have far reaching, possibly negative effects on the future of gambling in the state, the chair of the county's legislative delegation warned Monday. Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, told county commissioners and other Palm Beach County legislators that it will be difficult to expand gambling here without also addressing other areas of the state. * The Orlando Sentinel reports that Orlando home sales surpassed the rest of the state in October. Metro Orlando's median single-family home price dropped to $127,800 last month from $130,800 a year earlier — a 2 percent decline. For metro areas statewide, the median house price was down 4 percent from October 2010. * The News Service of Florida writes that Florida's dog sniffing case may be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. From the story: as a dog sniffing at the front door of a suspected drug house a case of "good boy, Franky, good boy," or was he violating the Fourth Amendment rights of the people who lived there? That question may be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court in a Florida case. The state is asking the nation's high court to consider overturning a decision by the Florida Supreme Court, asking whether a sniff at the front door of the house by a trained narcotics detection dog is itself a search that requires probable cause. * The Orlando Sentinel writes that minority groups are fighting over voting power in the redistricting process. From the story: Orange County commissioners are risking a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice if they draw voting districts that preserve their power while diluting the strength of Hispanics and blacks, activists said Monday. As commissioners continued to tweak district maps Monday, a minority coalition said the yearlong process may end with a complaint accusing the county of violating the Voting Rights Act. Bonus Blogs * Feds close investigation of Jim Norman without bringing charges * Notebook scribbles: Cannon's take on budget, casinos and more

Aaronson asking voters to approve slots

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:55:29 +0000

County Commissioner Burt Aaronson this morning said he plans to ask his fellow commissioners to approve a ballot question for the county’s next election, asking voters to approve slot machine gambling at the Palm Beach Kennel Club.

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Occupy Miami Protesters Asked to Move Back to Original Location by 5 P.M.

Kyle Munzenrieder — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:43:21 +0000

All things considered, the Occupy Miami protests at Government Center in downtown have been relatively peaceful, and Miami-Dade County has been pretty lenient about dealing with protest… Continue reading “Occupy Miami Protesters Asked to Move Back to Original Location by 5 Read More

Palm Beach County Commission to pick chairperson

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:39:49 +0000

The Palm Beach County Commission is expected to pick a new leader on Tuesday. The seven-member commission is holding its annual reorganization meeting, where the board elects its chairperson. If recent practice holds, current Commission Chairwoman Karen Marcus will give up the post to Vice Chairwoman Shelley Vana. In recent years, the County Commission chairperson has served one year and been succeeded by the vice chairperson. The commission chairperson: runs the commission’s meetings, serves as the lead representative for county government, assigns commissioners to committees and other boards, and gets a bigger say in deciding what comes up at commission meetings. Marcus, a Republican, is the board’s longest serving member. Term limits prohibit her for running for re-election to the County Commission in 2012. Vana, a Democrat, is a former teacher who was a state legislator before she was elected to the commission in November 2008. While commissioners in recent years have been taking turns as chairperson that is not a requirement. One commissioner just needs a majority of support on the board to win the post. The commission meets at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the county governmental center at 301 N. Olive Ave. in downtown West Palm Beach.

Girl, 12, hits vehicle in parking lot during driving lesson with dad

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:25:00 +0000

Dad, get a clue. This is not what children's' advocates mean by quality time spent with dad. Jacsaint Derival, a Port St. Lucie dad, is accused of letting his 12-year-old daughter drive his car when she traveled about 25 feet on top of a median in a parking lot before crashing into another car, reports TCPalm in Stuart. A 55-year-old man told police he was teaching his daughter to drive. Get the DUHtails at TCPalm in Stuart. Photo: St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office More FloriDUH

Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run accident

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:44:48 +0000

A 38-year-old bicyclist was killed in a hit-and-run accident south of Vero Beach Saturday evening. Authorities are asking for anyone with information regarding the accident to contact Indian River County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-8477.