Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics.
By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Mitch Perry, Ryan Ray, and Jim Rosica.
ALL HAIL JOE NEGRON! JACK LATVALA DROPS BID FOR SENATE PRESIDENCY, WILL SERVE AS APPROPRIATIONS CHAIRMAN
The bitter race between Jack Latvala and Joe Negron for the Florida Senate presidency has come to an end.
“I am withdrawing from the race for Senate President,” said Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, in an exclusive to FloridaPolitics.com. “I am supporting Joe Negron for Senate President.”
The deal for Latvala?
“I will be Appropriations Chairman,” Latvala said.
Negron was magnanimous in victory.
““I look forward to working with Sen. Latvala and the entire Republican Caucus as we represent the citizens of Florida,” Negron said, confirming in his release that Latvala will serve as Aprops Chair. “The Senate is comprised of 40 strong, independent voices and I will ensure that every Senator is heard.”
An earlier deal on the table reportedly was for Latvala to be named chairman of the Rules Committee, which can be a powerful position because of its procedural influence over legislation.
Latvala said he realized over the last week he had been too consumed with the politics of the Senate, and not enough with policymaking, which convinced him to concede.
Deciding policy is “what the people send us here to do,” said Latvala, who has served in the Senate for 13 of the last 21 years. “So I began to think about how we get the Senate back together.”
He credited state Sen. Wilton Simpson, a Pasco County Republican, with making him “think about the future of the State, instead of our own personal political futures … it’s like a load is lifted off my shoulders.”
Negron said he’s confident the GOP caucus will pull together now that the fractious presidency contest is over.
— “The fallout from Negron’s Senate presidency win” via Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida
TWEET, TWEET: @ChrisLatvala: I’m proud to be the son of @JackLatvala. #SonOfAStatesman
TWEETS
— @Jason_Garcia: It’ll be interesting to see how much rope Jack Latvala gets as approps chair under a guy who’s already been an approps chair twice himself.
— @SaintPetersBlog: Want to know who loses today? Those #TeamNegron Senators who wanted to be Appropriations Chairman.
— SLOW NEWS DAY IN TALLAHASSEE —
CFO JEFF ATWATER SAYS NO — AGAIN — TO 2016 SENATE BID via George Bennett of the Palm Beach Post – For the second time this year … Atwater is ruling out a 2016 bid for the U.S. Senate. “As I have said before, I am thrilled and honored to be the CFO of Florida … Despite the gracious words of encouragement from supporters and friends to once again consider a different path, I still believe the best place for me to serve the people of Florida is as their CFO.”
SENATE VOTES DOWN MAP, ADJOURNS A DAY EARLY via Gray Rohrer of the Orlando Sentinel– The Florida Senate on Thursday voted down the House’s plan for Senate districts, then adjourned a day before the special session was set to end. The map failed by a vote of 23-16. Andy Gardiner announced that the chamber was done with the issue, which means the districts will have to be drawn by the courts. Bill Galvano asked his chamber to reject the House plan. But after reviewing six different alternative maps… Galvano accepted the original House proposal during a conference meeting with his House counterpart.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “This isn’t perfect. I don’t know that it’s very good, But I do know this, that if we vote no, we put this whole process into the hands of those who will not do it better.” –Don Gaetz, who oversaw the Senate’s drawing of the 2012 map.
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GOP CREDIT CARD ONLY PART OF MARCO RUBIO’S STORY via Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times – The most detailed accounting of Rubio’s AmEx charges is this report from February 2010 that showed how the card was used for groceries, repairs to the family minivan and at a music equipment store … used two political committees, which raised about $600,000, to fuel his political ambitions … spent big on consultants and travel while giving little to candidates, the ostensible purpose of the committees … failed to disclose $34,000 in expenses — including $7,000 he paid himself — for one of the committees in 2003 and 2004, as required by state law. One committee paid relatives nearly $14,000 for what was incorrectly described to the IRS as “courier fees” … Another committee paid $5,700 to his wife, who was listed as the treasurer, much of it for “gas and meals.” … Billed more than $51,000 in unidentified “travel expenses” to three different credit cards — nearly one-quarter of the committee’s entire haul … Rubio’s AmEx rang up $10,000 … For a family reunion … on the day he was sworn in as speaker … lavish spending extended to Rubio’s chief of staff (and now incoming House speaker) Richard Corcoran [who] continued spending tens of thousands of dollars in party donations for a slew of expenses … dinners … personalized chairs … $4,600 for electronics … Rubio’s personal finances have created an opportunity and a curse.
OW JEB BUSH AND DONALD TRUMP HAVE PUT A SURGING MARCO RUBIO ON DEFENSE via Sahil Kapur of Bloomberg Politics – Rubio seems to be deathly swatting away attacks from rivals Trump and Bush, but the barrage coming his way over missed votes, immigration reform, and mismanagement of personal finances has prompted him to quietly fine-tune his campaign as he rises in the polls and picks up big donors.
BRIAN BALLARD FLIPS FROM JEB BUSH TO MARCO RUBIO via Alex Isenstadt and Marc Caputo of POLITICO – “I think the world of … Bush. He was a great governor of Florida and is a really good person, but the campaign has hijacked his message” said Brian Ballard … who contributed more than $25,000 of his own money and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars more for Bush’s campaign and the super PAC supporting him. “The campaign has become negative, one that is about attacking and trying to bring down … Rubio … And that doesn’t sit well — not only with me, but with anyone who knows the two … Marco’s a friend of mine. I didn’t sign up for a campaign that was going to be negative and attack a bright star of the party’s future. It doesn’t make sense. I’m over it. And I’m done.”
FLASHBACK to March 26, 2014 quote from Ballard about fellow donor Mike Fernandez’ public criticism of the Rick Scott campaign: “Some finance people don’t understand their role. They think they’re smarter than anyone in the room.”
RUBIO SAYS HE WOULD BE BETTER COMMANDER IN CHIEF THAN ‘OUTDATED LEADERS’ via Philip Rucker of the Washington Post – Rubio is trying to make his youth an asset in foreign affairs, arguing … That the nation’s security is being compromised by Washington’s “outdated political establishment” and that he would be a nimble commander in chief. “The nature of warfare is always changing and the leaders of the past are almost always blind to these changes” … extending his criticism to “outdated leaders” of both political parties.
RUBIO FUNDRAISER TODAY IN INDIAN HARBOUR BEACH via Dave Berman of FLORIDA TODAY – [Rubio] will be attending a $500-a-person reception at the Indian Harbour Beach home of attorneys Geoff and Susan Smith. Jason Steele, one of three Brevard County team leaders for the Rubio campaign … expects more than 200 people at the event, which would generate more than $100,000 in contributions … “We’ll raise quite a bit of money.”
BUSH OPENS UP ABOUT DAUGHTER’S DRUG ADDICTION: ‘SHE WENT THROUGH HELL’ via Scott Conroy and John Strauss of the Huffington Post – In an emotional interview conducted on his campaign bus, Bush spoke in highly personal terms about the toll that his daughter’s struggles took on her famous family. “She went through hell … And so did her mom and so did her dad. And it was in a private setting, but then it became very public when I was governor. And it wasn’t easy.”
BUSH GUARANTEES A WIN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE via Nick Gass of POLITICO – “I’m going to win it. There’s a difference. I honestly believe I’m going to win New Hampshire,” he said when asked whether he considered the first-in-the-nation primary state as a “must-win.” He also plans to “[d]o a lot of selfies. Go campaign all across the state. Tell the Jeb story. One of accomplishment … One of a record of applying conservative principles in a meaningful way that helped everybody. Garnering endorsements of opinion leaders in the state.”
TRUMP UP WITH FIRST CAMPAIGN ADS via Jeremy Diamond of CNN – The first two spots, radio ads set to air in the early primary states, tout Trump‘s business experience, slam politicians as “all talk and no action” and play up Trump’s pledge to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. The $300,000 in ad buys will air in the first three primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina … “It’s time for me to start advertising a little bit.”
TRUMP AND BEN CARSON GETTING SECRET SERVICE PROTECTION via Eliza Collins of POLITICO – “Homeland Secretary Jeh Johnson has authorized United States Secret Service protection … As prescribed by statute, authorization for Secret Service protection for presidential candidates is determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security after consultation with a congressional advisory committee composed of the Speaker of the House, the House Minority Leader, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, and an additional member selected by the Committee.”
CHRIS CHRISTIE, MIKE HUCKABEE RELEGATED TO UNDERCARD AT NEXT GOP DEBATE via Jill Colvin and Steve Peoples of the Associated Press – Christie and … Huckabee have been bumped from the main stage at next week’s GOP presidential debate, while George Pataki and Lindsey Graham have been cut from the lineup altogether. Debate sponsor Fox Business Network announced the moves … underscores concerns about the pivotal role that national opinion surveys have been playing in shaping the contest for the GOP nomination. Statistically, pollsters say, there is no significant difference between candidates lumped together near the bottom of the pack in national polls, which typically have a margin of error of 3 percentage points or more.
ASSIGNMENT EDITORS: Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus is in Orlando for two open press events. Priebus will hold a 10 a.m. media availability at the Amway Center Dex Imaging Room, 400 West Church St. in Orlando. Later, he will speak, followed by a Q &A session, beginning 11:30 a.m. the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida, Doubletree Orlando Downtown, 65 Ivanhoe Blvd. in Orlando. RSVP with Orlando Watson at [email protected].
SAVE THE DATE: Ted Cruz is hosting a Florida rally on Friday, Nov. 13 starting at 2:30 p.m. at the Faith Assembly Of God, 9307 Curry Ford Road in Orlando.
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DESPITE RESISTANCE, RICK SCOTT WANTS $1 BILLION IN TAX CUTS via Gary Fineout of the Associated Press – Setting up another contentious budget battle, Gov. Rick Scott callED for $1 billion in tax cuts, most of it targeted at businesses.
Scott’s is recommending the hefty amount despite signs that the Republican-controlled Legislature will resist going along with such a large tax cut package. Scott, however, will argue that the dramatic tax cuts will help the state’s economy withstand the next downturn. Scott has consistently called for tax cuts since he was first elected five years ago, but he has been blocked by a recalcitrant Legislature. That’s because the size of Scott’s tax cuts have either required sizable spending budget cuts or been aimed at businesses instead of consumers. Earlier this year, lawmakers did agree to more than $400 million in tax cuts.
Sen. Tom Lee, the Brandon Republican in charge of the Senate budget, said he wanted to see the details of Scott’s proposal, but added that the Senate would be cautious about the size of any tax cut package. That’s because Scott’s proposal exceeds the amount of surplus state economists have currently forecast. Senate President Andy Gardiner has already said he was willing to back $250 million in tax cuts in 2016.
“I think the Senate is interested in continuing to cut taxes in Florida but we want to do so in a responsible way that doesn’t result in budget deficits,” Lee said. “We look forward to the dialogue.”
REAX
Associated Industries’ Tom Feeney: “As the voice of Florida business and the Florida affiliation of the National Association of Manufacturers, AIF agrees that the Governor’s commitment to permanently eliminate the income tax on manufacturing and retail businesses, as well as manufacturing machinery and equipment, is an enormous savings to our Florida businesses and will significantly help attract new businesses to our state.
Florida Chamber of Commerce’s EVP Dave Hart: “For Florida, this is a competitiveness issue. Creating a fair and equitable tax system is key to growing high-wage, innovative and diverse jobs in Florida. While Florida already has one of the best tax climates in the nation, enacting smart and targeted tax reforms will produce greater economic growth and more opportunities for Florida’s families.”
Florida Retail Federation Chairman Dan Doyle “As retail business leaders in this state, we support Governor Scott’s proposed $1 billion tax cut package, specifically the reduction of the business rent tax. We expect to reinvest any savings that we’d enjoy from these tax savings into increased wages, benefits and additional jobs. We look forward to doing our part to support the Governor’s proposed tax cut package when it is considered in the upcoming legislative session.”
SCOTT WON’T RELEASE 2014 TAX RETURN OR INFO ABOUT HIS BLIND TRUST via Dan Christensen of the Florida Bulldog – Amid news of Scott’s investment in a company that’s seeking to build a controversial, $3-billion natural gas pipeline in north and central Florida, the governor won’t make public his federal income tax return for 2014. “If he’s provided his income tax returns in the past, it would seem in the spirit of transparency that he should provide it now,” said Ben Wilcox, research director for the nonpartisan government watchdog group Integrity Florida. Scott revoked his original blind trust in June 2014 in order to run for re-election, immediately opening a new blind trust into which he rolled over his assets. By state law, public officials do not have access to the tax returns of their active blind trust.
SEMINOLE TRIBE AD CALLS SCOTT, LAWMAKERS TO “GET IT DONE” WITH NEW COMPACT via Florida Politics – The Seminole Tribe of Florida is taking to the airwaves with a new ad urging the public to pressure … Scott and state legislators to “get it done” and renew the gambling agreement … “Get It Done” is a 30-second ad that began running in Leon County … reminding viewers of the economic benefits the Tribe brought to Florida over the past five years. A new agreement, it says, would build upon those benefits … The “real risk” in failing to renew the Compact – massive expansion of Vegas-style gambling throughout the state. “We’ve waited long enough.”
FLORIDA BUSINESSES FOR A COMPETITIVE WORKFORCE VIDEO UPDATE via YouTube – AT&T joined the coalition … which seeks to modernize the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 by including sexual orientation and gender identity. Florida Trend featured the anti-discrimination measure in its November ‘Diversity’ issue, highlighting the proposed legislation … CSX’s VP of Government Relations and Community Affairs Bob O’Malley spoke to the importance of passing a statewide measure to prevent discrimination in the workplace, in housing and in public accommodations … local South Florida business leaders [are] meeting with members of the Miami Herald editorial board [which] sets up the issue quite nicely heading into the 2016 Session.
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NEW LOBBYING REGISTRATIONS
Albert Balido. Anfield Consulting: City of St. Augustine
Carlos Cruz, Evan Power, Strategic Access Group: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
Marc Dunbar, Jones Walker: A. Duda & Sons
Randy Hanna, Foyt Ralston, Fred Springer, Bryant Miler Olive: Hillsborough County; NTT Data
Ty Jackson, GrayRobinson: Dosal Tobacco Corporation; Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects; Laboratory Corporation of America; Northwood Centre; Winewood Park,
Jeff Kottcamp, Jeff Kottcamp PA: FLABOTA Legislative and Educational Fund
Darrick McGhee, Johnson & Blanton: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Garrett McGuire: Air-Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institute
Paul Mitchell, Monte Stevens, Southern Strategy Group: e2Value, Inc.
Scott Ross, Capital City Consulting: Aetna; Ajax Building Corp; American Traffic Solutions; Don Meyler Inspections; Drive Electric Florida; Elevated, LLC; Florida Association of Orthotists and Prosthetists; Guardian ad Litem Foundation; Insurance Auto Auctions; North Highland Company; People’s Trust Insurance Company; South Automotive Group
William Rubin, Melissa Akeson, Christopher Finkbeiner, The Rubin Group: IGT and its Affiliates; Electronic Arts
Screven Watson, Screven Watson & Associates: City of Clewiston
DISNEY THEME PARKS ENDS 2016 WITH STRONG ATTENDANCE, HOTEL OCCUPANCY via Richard Bilbao of Orlando Business Journal – For the fourth quarter ending Oct. 3, Disney‘s… theme park business reported a 10 percent increase in revenue to nearly $4.4 billion from $3.9 billion for the same time last year… overall fourth-quarter revenue was up 9 percent to $13.5 billion, compared to $12.3 billion reported last year. Full-year revenue reached $52.4 billion, up 7 percent from $48.8 billion last year.
ON THIS WEEK’S EDITION OF THE ROTUNDA
Trimmel Gomes’ newest episode of The Rotunda features a one-on-one interview with Sen. Jack Latvala. Less than 24 hours before the Clearwater Republican conceded in a bitter fight for Senate President, Latvala shares with Gomes why he feels he was the best person for the job over. Rep. Gayle Harrell, R. Stuart, chair of the House Children, Families and Seniors Subcommittee, is calling for more focus on the state’s mental health crisis. She tells Gomes what needs to be done to get to the root of the problem.
And for those familiar with the Capitol Courtyard, you’ll notice some big changes below the feet thanks to the Florida Veterans Foundation. Hear the plan to honor Floridians who served, brick by brick.
