Life and politics from the Sunshine State's best city

Tag archive

Tom Lee - page 25

House-Senate healthcare fight nastily playing out on the Twitters

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The intense intra-cameral friction that defined the 2015 legislative session seems not to have dissipated after a few weeks off but rather compounded, culminating in the most antagonistic legislative hearing of the year at Tuesday’s meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee. There, budget chief Tom Lee led a chorus of indignant senators who excoriated AHCA deputy director Justin Senior for allegedly evading Senate staff and showing favor to the House’s position on the revamped FHIX 2.0 healthcare expansion plan later approved by the committee. Charges of malfeasance,…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Amendment 1 getting short shrift because of LIP battle

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

The multibillion-dollar healthcare fight has been “sucking the oxygen” out of the Capitol and has taken attention off Amendment 1, Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee said on Tuesday. Lee, the Senate’s chief budget writer, told reporters following an Appropriations Committee hearing Tuesday afternoon that “frankly, Amendment 1 is a big deal and deserves more attention than it’s gotten.” Florida voters in 2014 overwhelmingly approved Amendment 1, a water and land conservation initiative that is expected to provide almost $740 million for programs…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

The hypocrisy of Tom Lee: Senator fundraised before Special Session, counter to what he suggested

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

This week, the Florida Legislature reconvenes to complete its only constitutionally mandated job: close a multibillion-dollar budget gap. But that is not the only business politicians have on their agenda. Under Florida law, legislators can schedule and hold political fundraisers up to the June 1 Special Session, when they (hopefully) approve a nearly $80 billion budget – and fend off a possible government shutdown. As the state faces dire fiscal woes, it raises the question — should state lawmakers be…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Email insights: When budget money flows again, FEA will be first in line

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

When Florida’s legislative session began in March, there were high expectations, especially for education and healthcare. But by session’s end, that optimism was long gone, says Florida Education Association President Andy Ford. Now that budget talks are set to resume, and lawmakers prepare for a special session June 1, there is still one last chance for redemption. More spending for education is the obvious choice, at least in the eyes of the state’s largest teachers’ union. And when the money…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Stage legislators defend their own healthcare coverage at Tiger Bay forum in Tampa

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Tampa Bay area state legislators Tom Lee and Daryl Rouson took center court at todays’ Tampa Tiger Bay Club meeting, where again the Legislature’s divide on health care drove the debate. Lee, a Senate Republican, represents Brandon in Tallahassee, while Rouson’s House District comprises a good chunk of South Pinellas County, but bizarrely also includes portions of Ruskin in Hillsborough County, and parts of Manatee and Sarasota counties. The pair (dubbed “Ebony and Ivory” by Lee) return with the rest of their…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

Tom Lee on Tallahassee budget impasse: ‘We don’t know how this is going to play out’

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

As state lawmakers prepare to complete unfinished business in Tallahassee in a special session slated to begin in 12 days, one of the most important members of the 120-member Florida Legislature said on Wednesday that he’s not exactly sure what to expect when the House and Senate return next month to the Capitol to hammer out a budget agreement. “We really don’t know how this is going to play out,” said Brandon area state Sen. Tom Lee, the Senate Appropriations Committee chairman. Lee was…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

ICYMI: Legislators agree to do budget, health care during session

in Statewide/Top Headlines by

Florida’s Republican-led Legislature will return to the state Capitol in June and try to do what they couldn’t do during their 60-day session that crashed to a halt. GOP legislative leaders announced late on Friday that they have come up with a long list of items they want to tackle during a 20-day special session, including a new state budget and even major healthcare changes. The most pressing item is the budget since state government could be shut down if…

Keep Reading

You might be interested in

1 … 23 24 25 26 27 … 33
Go to Top