Florida Chamber targeting lawmakers on casino expansion

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Chamber is christening what should be a contentious, months-long debate over whether to expand gambling by targeting some lawmakers open to the idea of building resort casinos in South Florida. A mailer that dropped over the weekend in the Brevard-based district Read More

Florida gambling bill reworked

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, January 6, 2012……A Senate committee Monday will consider a sweeping proposal that would allow three mega-casinos in Florida, offer the possibility of additional gambling at pari-mutuel facilities and try to rein in Internet cafes.

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Construction workers plug destination resort

TALLAHASSEE — Representatives of the construction industry plugged the destination casino bill Thursday morning as a major job creator for unemployed builders, contractors, carpenters and other laborers who have been hit by the recession. The bill, which would authorize up to three Read More

Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush headline Hispanic gathering

Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush will be the featured attractions at a Miami conference on Jan. 27 hosted by the Hispanic Leadership Network, which calls itself a center-right advocacy group. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida The conference begins on Jan. 26 with a presidential candidates’ debate Read More

Senate Reg chair says no more workshops for gambling bill, just a vote

TALLAHASSEE — Watchers of the destination casino bills are eagerly waiting for the filing of a strike-all amendment to the first version of the bill, with Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, releasing tidbits of the new version to reporters from the Sun-Sentinel , Palm Beach Post and Read More

Florida members relieved by tax-cut extension

An agreement to extend the payroll tax cut and emergency unemployment benefits for two more months brought a sense of relief to members of both parties on Thursday, though Republicans remained disgruntled. Tom Rooney “A full-year extension of the payroll tax holiday would be far better than a Read More

Monday Morning Reads: Slots, Marco Rubio and FAMU

TALLAHASSEE — It’s less than a week before Christmas and Hannukah starts tomorrow, so the capital city is filled with the holiday spirit and its stores are filled with sales. And while one would think that state policy makers would be quieting down and there would be little news from Read More

Thursday in Tallahassee: Budget talk, redistricting, repealing cap-and-trade

TALLAHASSEE — It’s the last full day of committee meetings before the long winter break, which will last about three weeks before lawmakers return to the Capitol for a once-a-decade redistricting session in January. In the Senate, Gov. Rick Scott’s budget staff will fan out to Read More