A morning read of whatâs hot in Florida politics.
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OBAMA AIMS TO INCENTIVIZE REINING IN COSTS OF COLLEGE
President Obama promised Thursday to reward colleges that keep their cost of attendance down–and punish those that do not–by using $150 billion in federal student aid and a ranking system as leverage.
“Colleges are not going to just be able to keep on increasing tuition year after year and passing it on to students,” Obama said to a crowd at the University at Buffalo. “We can’t price the middle class and everybody working to get into the middle class out of college.”
Obama said colleges that allow tuition to soar should be penalized with less aid, and those that keep costs down will get more money.
DNC FUNDRAISING WORST IN A DECADE via POLITICO’s Priya Anand
If you’re getting calls (or not getting calls) from the Democratic National Committee, here’s why: The DNC is in the middle of its worst fundraising year in a decade. The committee’s 2013 cash pace is lagging behind even for a typical off-year, according to a POLITICO analysis of the DNC’s fundraising. And it has barely made a dent in paying down election year debt nearly 10 months after President Barack Obama was reelected.
DSCC WINS JULYÂ
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee outraised the National Republican Senatorial Committee by less than a million dollars in July, maintaining its steady financial advantage in the battle for control of the Senate.
The DSCC took in just under $3.4 million last month, a Democratic official said, bringing the committee’s year-to-date haul to $30.7 million. That compares with $2.6 million in July for the NRSC and a year-to-date total of $20.3 million, according to documents filed with the Senate.
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FLORIDA ONE OF THREE STATES KEY TO OBAMACARE ROLLOUT via Jennifer Haberkorn of POLITICO
The success â or failure â of ObamaCare is resting on three large states: California, Texas and Florida. With more than one-third of the 46 million uninsured Americans, enrollment rates for the Affordable Care Act in those three states could affect national enrollment goals.
Seven million is the estimated sign-up goal for the first year; that has become the leading metric for the Obama administration. Without California, Texas and Florida, those numbers will be difficult, if not impossible to achieve.
The majority of uninsured in the big three raise their weight in the healthcare debate, much like âswing statesâ in a presidential race.
This is why President Obama, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and third party groups like Enroll America are spending time and resources in Texas and Florida states with not only large uninsured populations but also resistance from local Republican-led governments, like Floridaâs Gov. Rick Scott.
On the other hand, California, with money, resources and a friendlier view of ObamaCare, is seen as the region most aggressively implementing the Affordable Care Act.
Larger states not only get the most attention, but they also have competitive insurance markets, which should help keep ObamaCare rates lower and engage the uninsured.
TO KNOW IS NOT TO LOVE: FAMILIARITY WITH OBAMACARE ADVERSELY RELATED TO APPROVALÂ via contributor Karen Cyphers
The Obama administration and Affordable Care Act allies have spent much of the summer mounting a multimillion-dollar outreach campaign to raise awareness about the law, yet according to a Gallup poll that was released Thursday, these efforts have been largely in vain.  With the opening of health insurance exchanges coming in less than two months, more Americans still disapprove (49%) than approve (41%) of the Affordable Care Act.  Further, only 15% of respondents claim to be “very” familiar with the law, and another 35% feel they are “somewhat” informed.
Even more importantly, familiarity with the law is adversely related to approval. Americans who say that they are very or somewhat familiar with ObamaCare are far more likely to disapprove of it (55%).  Among those who are not too familiar, or not at all familiar, 36% approve and 39% disapprove.Â
Young Americans who are between the ages of 18 and 34 are the least familiar with ObamaCare, but are also the most approving of it.  From these findings, Gallup concludes that, “Currently, younger Americans know the least about this law, which may mean lower compliance with the individual mandate when that provision takes effect.”  And yet, if findings from this poll bear out, learning more about ObamaCare won’t be the fix that the administration has hoped for. Full blog post here.
SOME LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CUTTING WORKERS’ HOURS DUE TO ACA via The Washington Post
Several cities and counties are choosing to reduce the number of hours their part-time employees work instead of dealing with the possibility of spending hundreds of thousands in new health-care costs under the Affordable Care Act.
“It’s not something we prefer to do, but the cost of health insurance is significant and would really impact municipal budgets,” said a New Jersey township administrator. “It’s not something we can take on, particularly when we don’t know some of the other ramifications of the Affordable Care Act. There are far more questions than answers right now.”
>>>UPS said Wednesday it will stop providing coverage to spouses of employees who can obtain coverage from their own employers.
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ISN’T IT A LITTLE LATE IN THE YEAR FOR THIS: “Gov. Scott ceremoniously signs bill eliminating R-word from Florida Statutes at APD Town Hall”
YOU CAN NOW SLEEP AT NIGHT
The valuable portraits of Floridaâs former governors, including Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist hanging side by side, are back home where they belong in the state Capitol.
State museum employees carefully replaced the portraits of ten past governors in the hallway outside Gov. Scottâs office.
State officials decided to remove the paintings last month as a result of the Dream Defendersâ sit-in at the Capitol because so many protesters packed the hallway.
The portraits were stored at the Museum of Florida History over the past month.
This hallway on the first floor of the Capitol features the portraits of all Florida governors dating back to Claude Kirk, who served from 1967 â 1971.
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ASSIGNMENT EDITORS: Cfo Jeff Atwaterâs Bureau of Unclaimed Property will be hosting Floridaâs Unclaimed Property Auction this weekend at the Fort Lauderdale Airport Hilton. The auction, featuring more than 80,000 items, begins with a preview Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The actual auction begins Saturday, August 24, from 10:00 a.m. until complete. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m.
POLICY NOTES
Money Laundering:Â The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation will hold an “Anti-Money Laundering Conference.” 9 a.m., University of Miami School of Law, 1311 Miller Dr., Coral Gables.
Citizens watchdog selection:Â Â The search committee for a Citizens Property Insurance Corp. âwatchdogâ will meet to further narrow the field of applicants. There are four candidates and the committee is expected to decide whether to advance one or more names to Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet. 10:00 a.m., Room 301, Capitol.
DACS Water Policy:Â Â The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Water Policy Advisory Committee will discuss issues involving water supply and water quality in north Florida. 10 a.m., University of Florida Straughn Center, 2142 Shealy Dr., Gainesville.
SEN. GAETZ MEETS WITH LOCALS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD DAYÂ via WJHG Channel 7
Senate President Don Gaetz kept up with his practice of holding neighborhood day events, visiting Freeport Wednesday. Gaetz set up shop at the Freeport Community Center, meeting with residents on a number of issues, from paving roads to Medicare and job creation. Gaetz says that his main priority next year is promoting economic recovery. He pointed out that state government doesn’t create jobs, but can sometimes prohibit job growth by passing too many regulatory laws. The Legislature can prevent that from happening by maintaining attractive incentives to attract and keep businesses. Gaetz says a number of residents kept talking about one specific issue, Florida’s controversial stand your ground law. Gaetz’s son, State Representative Matt Gaetz will hole a public hearing on stand your ground next month in front of the Criminal Justice committee he chairs.
SPEAKER WEATHERFORD WELCOMESÂ REP. PIGMAN HOME FOLLOWING 3-MONTH DEPLOYMENT
On Thursday, Speaker Weatherford welcomed Rep. Cary Pigman back to Florida after his three-month deployment to Kuwait with the Florida National Guard.Â
âRepresentative Pigmanâs selfless act of service to his state and nation is an inspiration to all Floridians,” said Weatherford. “While we have missed having him here in Florida, I know he has been making tremendous sacrifices caring for his fellow soldiers, who are fighting for our freedom overseas. I have joined other members of the Legislature in keeping him and his family in my prayers. As he returns to Florida today, I offer my gratitude for his service and on behalf of the Florida House, we are all thankful for his safe return.â
Representative Pigman, a lieutenant colonel and a physician, treated military personnel returning from Operation New Dawn in Iraq.Â
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CHRIS LATVALA TO HOLD FIRST TALLAHASSEE FUNDRAISER ONÂ SEPT. 23
Chris Latvala, candidate for House District 67, will hold his first Tallahassee fundraiser on Monday, September 23, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Florida Dental Association office. Â
Also in attendance will be host committee members Senators Jack Latvala, Denise Grimsley, Alan Hays, and John Legg; and Representatives Ed Hooper, Larry Ahern, Matt Gaetz, James Grant, Doug Holder, Jimmy Patronis, Kathleen Peters, Holly Raschein, Ross Spano and Dana Young; former House Speakers Dean Cannon and Larry Cretul; and former Rep. Chris Dorworth.
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LOBBYING SHOT AND CHASER
Shot: State Representative Jamie Grant confirmed to Creative Loafing last week that he and and a few other legislators are looking at crafting a bill calling for the demise of Hillsborough County’s Public Transportation Commission.
“I don’t want to be in a position of demolishing an inefficient agency or an inefficient arm of government at any level and then replacing it with another inefficient or obstructive agency,” the two-term Republican said. “I don’t know if it will be a local bill. But anything I introduce will be through the lens of embracing innovation here in Tampa Bay and trying to focus on job creation and letting people know that this is going to be a region and a place [where] innovators and entrepreneurs are going to be welcome.”
Chaser: Tampa Bay’s most influential locally-based lobbying firm, Corcoran & Johnston, registered with the state on Wednesday to represent the PTC. The contract is reportedly worth ninety thousand dollars per year.
At that rate, Corcoran & Johnston should ask Grant to suggest aloud that other agencies be shuttered.
NRF, WALMART HIT ORLANDO FOR SUMMIT
The National Retail Federation and Walmart have partnered to host manufacturing summit: NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay is in Orlando this week at the U.S. Manufacturing Summit.
The summit, hosted by Walmart and NRF, will bring together 1,500 government and business leaders, including Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt , to discuss the importance of investing in American manufacturing and domestic sourcing. Shay will host a morning discussion with Pritzker, Immelt and other business executives and will lead an afternoon roundtable on manufacturing’s “success stories” that will feature the CEOs of Chobani Yogurt and Hampton Products International and the governors of Idaho, Maine and West Virginia.
Shay: “By leveraging our resources and applying our expertise, retail can help rebuild American manufacturing, create new jobs and opportunities, and spur economic growth across the country.”
See the full release here.
PERSONNEL NOTE: Beth Matuga is starting Monday as the new finance director of the Florida Democratic Party’s Senate Victory effort.
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EXPECT BUSIEST LABOR DAY SINCE MID-RECESSION, PREDICTS AAA via Sara K. Clarke of the Orlando SentinelÂ
With gasoline at about 5 percent less than last year and a positive economic outlook, this labor Day weekend should be the best one in a while. The AAA predicts that nearly 34.1 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles during the Labor Day holiday weekend, Thursday, Aug. 29, through Monday, Sept. 2. That would be the highest turnout since the peak of the Great Recession. Those numbers represent a 4.2 percent increase from Labor Day 2012, when 32.7 million people traveled, as well as the highest total since 2008, when 45.1 million people made a holiday trip of 50 miles or longer. If you are travelling during the weekend, take note that the largest traffic should be on Friday, Aug. 30, and Monday, Sept. 2, when many people will leave and return.Â
