Latvala devoted much of his resignation letter to contest the charges against him and went as far as claiming that the drive to oust him was a matter of opportunism even as a special master is recommending a criminal investigation.
Florida Legislature
In Startling Avowal, Rep. Renner Says State Will Attack Home Rule to Discipline “Rogue,” Leftist Cities
“The reason we think they’re going rogue is because it’s Bernie Sanders in charge of your local city government or county government in some cases,” Rep. Paul Renner, who represents Flagler, says.
Medical Pot Left Out of Scott’s Special Session Call, But Lawmakers Angle For Joint Effort
Florida House and Senate leaders may expand the special session to include medical pot since they failed to reach agreement on implementing the voter-approved amendment in regular session.
Only One Flagler Project Lands on Tax Watch’s $178 Million In Budget Turkeys
TaxWatch flagged 111 budget items as turkeys, among them a Bunnell road project, though the organization stresses that it isn’t making a value judgment.
Lawmakers Approve Budget With Tax Cuts, Severe Cuts to Medicaid, Minor Increase For Education and Big Boost to Charters
The budget package includes a modest increase in per-student spending through the state’s main education formula, $521 million in Medicaid cuts for hospitals and far-reaching changes to education across the board.
House Approves Medical Pot Measure That Would Allow Unlimited Number of Retailers
The measure would allow patients to use vaporizers or edibles, but would ban smoking of marijuana products, something critics complain violates the spirit of the constitutional amendment.
Senate Approves Constitutional Proposal That Would Increase Homestead Exemption to $75,000
The homestead exemption proposal would go before voters as a constitutional amendment in 2018, would save homeowners money but cost local governments millions in revenue.
Senate Budget Details Yet to Emerge as House Pushes Potential $2.2 Billion Tax Cut
Lawmakers pushed back against the idea that a deal that many believed had been sealed Tuesday had fallen apart, while House leaders placed tax cuts ahead of more money for per-student allocations.
House and Senate Move Close to Budget Deal But Visit Florida Would Be Cut
Gov. Rick Scott’s request for $100 million for Visit Florida appears a long distance from the $25 million lawmakers were working toward, absent a change of heart, as budget negotiations continued.
Senate President Joe Negron’s Shabby Response to Repeat Offender Frank Artiles
Even now Artiles doesn’t get it, and seemingly neither does Negron–they don’t understand how ugly racially charged language is to all people of good will, but especially when it comes from a state senator.