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Manatee

Focus turns to recovery after Irma’s exit

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More than 5.5 million homes and businesses in Florida remained without power at midday Tuesday after Hurricane Irma plowed through the state. The top to return to homes was underway in most areas outside the storm-ravaged lower Florida Keys.

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Kathy Castor wants increased federal disaster aid for Florida after Irma

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Tampa Democratic Representative Kathy Castor is pressing for an increase in federal disaster aid to the highest share possible to help Floridians recover rapidly from the damage caused by Hurricane Irma.

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Tampa Bay region marked for $33M in Florida TaxWatch ‘turkeys’

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Florida TaxWatch, the nonpartisan government watchdog organization, served up its annual list of “Budget Turkeys,” naming almost $178 million in line-item projects part of the $82.4 billion budget passed May 8 by the Florida House and Senate. For the Tampa Bay region, Florida TaxWatch targeted more than $33 million in local projects as individual line items added to the spending plans—usually last minute or in committee — without a thoughtful and thorough budget process. The largest project in the region…

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Rick Scott gets $178M serving of Florida TaxWatch ‘budget turkeys’

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Thanksgiving is six months away, but Friday is “turkey” day for Gov. Rick Scott. Florida TaxWatch, the nonpartisan government watchdog group, released its annual “Budget Turkey List,” of almost $178 million in line-item projects that are part of the $82.4 billion budget passed May 8 by the Florida House and Senate. Budget Turkeys are individual line items added to the spending plans—usually last minute or in committee — without a thoughtful and thorough budget process. A “Turkey” label does not…

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Vern Buchanan talks jobs with restaurant owners

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Jobs and the economy drove the discussion Wednesday when Vern Buchanan met with a group of nearly a dozen restaurant owners from Sarasota and Manatee counties. The Sarasota Republican congressman listened as the entrepreneurs discussed some of the financial challenges facing their businesses during the meeting at the Holiday Inn Sarasota-Airport. Buchanan’s meeting comes on the heels of a study released this week ranking Bradenton one of the best small cities in the U.S. to start a small business. According…

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James Buchanan hauls $138K in first month of HD 71 campaign

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House District 71 candidate James Buchanan brought in a monstrous $138,000 haul in his first month in the race to replace termed-out Republican Rep. Jim Boyd. Buchanan’s campaign says more than four-fifths of that money came from inside the district, which covers parts of Manatee and Sarasota counties. “One month into our campaign and the amount of support from every corner of our community has not only been encouraging, but overwhelming and humbling,” Buchanan said in a press release. “I…

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Joe Henderson: Proposed new transportation agency a good start toward solving an old problem

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Short of hitting yourself in the head with a hammer, the surest way to get a headache is to wade deep into Tampa Bay area transportation problems. You encounter a mishmash of competing agencies and agendas that has resulted in legislative and automotive gridlock for frustrated commuters for years. Given that, I’m encouraged by what is coming out of Tallahassee. A pair of Republican legislators — state Sen. Jack Latvala of Clearwater and state Rep. Dan Raulerson of Plant City…

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