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Jim Rosica’s Top 10 stories of 2015 in state government

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

From palace intrigues to pot, 2015 brought a plethora of material to the Capitol Press Corps. Trying to pick the top 10 state government stories is a subjective pursuit, to say the least, but here are the FloridaPolitics.com picks for the passing year: No. 1: The “firing” of Gerald Bailey Gov. Rick Scott actually forced out the state’s top cop in December 2014 but the repercussions of that move spilled well over into the new year. Scott originally announced Bailey’s…

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Enterprise Florida circles the wagons before incentives fight

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The vice chair of Enterprise Florida wants to make sure his organization’s affairs are in order as it fights for Gov. Rick Scott‘s proposed $250 million Florida Enterprise Fund to revamp the state’s business incentives. High on his list is looking at how much the state’s public-private economic development organization pays its top officials. Alan Becker, also co-founder of South Florida’s Becker & Poliakoff law firm, on Monday held a conference call for Enterprise Florida’s executive committee. Becker also wanted a review of all “costs and expenses” besides employee pay. “Enterprise…

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Jesse Panuccio’s road to resignation paved with Senate’s hard feelings

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One of three Senate committee leaders set to review now-outgoing Department of Economic Opportunity chief Jesse Panuccio for confirmation next year didn’t say she was sorry to see him go. “I’ve already said too much about Mr. Panuccio,” state Sen. Nancy Detert, the Venice Republican in charge of the Commerce and Tourism Committee, said Friday. “I wish him well in his next job.” Panuccio is the 34-year-old magna cum laude Harvard Law grad picked by Gov. Rick Scott to run DEO…

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Bob Buckhorn backs Rick Scott’s push to boost Enterprise Florida funding

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Rick Scott really, really wants the Legislature to back his reforms for Enterprise Florida, the public-private economic development organization. At the top of his wish list is a request for $250 million to help the agency lure out-of-state companies to take up business in the Sunshine State. As part of his advocacy, Scott has been recruiting mayors throughout the state to back his proposals. On Monday he snagged his biggest “get” yet in Tampa Democratic Mayor Bob Buckhorn, whose office issued…

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Jack Latvala, Senate budget panel clash with DEO chief on unemployment

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Department of Economic Opportunity head Jesse Panuccio faced a battery of pointed questions and criticism over an executive branch battle with a labor union and the state’s beleaguered unemployment system in a Wednesday meeting of a Senate budget panel. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Tourism, Transportation and Economic Development Chairman Jack Latvala had originally requested the presence of Enterprise Florida CEO Bill Johnson, who was out of state drumming up business in New York. Panuccio gave a presentation that explained recent reports about discrepancies in…

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Enterprise Florida names new marketing executive

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A 30-year veteran of marketing and public relations has been tapped to become Enterprise Florida’s new chief marketing officer. Joseph S. Hice Jr. will be the organization’s senior vice president for marketing, overseeing its marketing and communications, according to a Tuesday press release. Enterprise Florida is the state’s public-private economic development agency. “Joe will take Enterprise Florida’s marketing program to a new level in raising awareness, managing perceptions and influencing public opinion,” Florida Commerce Secretary and Enterprise Florida CEO Bill Johnson said…

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Enterprise Florida and lawmakers still disagree over funding

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

There was a battle of arithmetic Wednesday between state senators and the head of the state’s economic development agency as he argued for millions in new funding. Bill Johnson, president and CEO of Enterprise Florida, appeared before the Senate’s Commerce and Tourism Committee. It was his first appearance since Senate President Andy Gardiner took his agency to task in a memo saying it keeps asking for more money than it can spend in a given year. But Johnson fumbled at key…

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