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How Do Florida's Coastal Windstorm Costs Compare?

April 15, 2010 - 6:00pm

Hurricanes are a constant threat when you live on a Southeastern U.S. coast. But so are high wind-insurance premiums. Wind premiums can prove just as damaging to an insured's bank account as a high-powered windstorm can be to a home and family -- even for residents protected by state-sponsored insurers of last resort.

And in Florida, where June marks the start of crowded beaches and hurricane season, statistics in neighboring states show coastal wind-insurance for older homes is no bargain.

Washington Week

Elizabeth Letchworth

April 15, 2010 - 6:00pm

The Senate worked late into the evening Thursday to wrap up spending $18.2 billion to pay for 60 more days of unemployment benefits and COBRA health benefits, and also to ensure doctors don't face a 21 percent cut in their reimbursement payments from the government. The price tag for the bill is being added to our debt, thanks primarily to the Democrats in Congress.

House, Senate Still Looking for Budget Bottom Line

John Kennedy News Service of Florida

April 15, 2010 - 6:00pm

Talk of the Legislature heading toward overtime emerged Friday as House and Senate leaders struggled to reach agreement on how much money they have to spend in the 2010-11 budget.

With a mid-afternoon deadline looming for setting the start of negotiations this weekend, the two sides remained snagged over whether to include $880 million in long-anticipated Medicaid cash from the federal government.

Political Bits and Pieces

Kevin Derby

April 15, 2010 - 6:00pm

Fresh after vetoing a bill to implement a teacher performance pay standard, Gov. Charlie Crist spent Saturday on the campaign trail for his U.S. Senate bid. Crist was stumping in the district of Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, the chief champion of performance pay in the Legislature

Ash Williams Looks at Florida Public Pension Investments

Kevin Derby

April 15, 2010 - 6:00pm

The wizard behind Florida's investments drew back the curtain Friday to reveal some details of how his office operates.

Ashbel Ash Williams, executive director and chief investment officer of the Florida State Board of Administration (SBA), spoke to the Economic Club of Florida, focusing on how Florida public pensions measure up to other state retirement programs.

Republicans To Crist: Kill That Rubio Ad

Submitted by Anonymous on April 16, 2010 - 2:56pm

The best political ads are hard-hitting, but Gov. Charlie Crist's TV spot attempting to link U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio and disgraced Rep. Ray Sansom went over the top, says a group of Florida Republicans.

In a letter to Crist, nine current and former GOP office holders -- all of whom have supported Crist in the past and now back Rubio -- called on the governor's campaign to stop airing the ad.

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Crist's Choice: Go Rogue or Get Out

Kenric Ward

April 15, 2010 - 6:00pm

A day before unconfirmed reports surfaced that Gov. Charlie Crist will bow out of the U.S. Senate race and let George LeMieux and Marco Rubio duke it out for the Republican nomination, Crist considered one of his defining acts as chief executive of Florida.

Losing his political clout amid sinking polls, a beleaguered Crist did the calculus.

FL Unemployment Continues to Grow

Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 16, 2010 - 10:34am

More bad news from the Florida Department of Workforce Innovation. While the national unemployment rate remained at 9.7 percent for the second month in a row, Floridas unemployment continues to creep up, moving from a record high of 12.2 percent for February 2010 to 12.3 percent for March 2010. In March 2009, unemployment stood at 9.6 percent, meaning almost 150,000 Floridians lost their jobs in the last year.

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No Performance Pay Resurrection by Thrasher This Session

Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 16, 2010 - 10:07am

Sen. John Thrasher, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, told Sunshine State News on Friday morning that he does not intend to resurrect his teacher performance pay bill this session.

"Right now, we've got two weeks left, and I've got a budget to do," Thrasher said only moments before the Senate legislative session convened.

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Republicans Abandoning Crist Senate Campaign

Submitted by Kevin Derby on April 16, 2010 - 9:37am

With Gov. Charlie Crist vetoing the teacher performance pay bill, prominent Florida Republicans have started abandoning Crists bid for the U.S. Senate. Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, who takes over as speaker next year, and Rep. John Tobia, R-Melbourne, withdrew their endorsements of Crists Senate bid, and the Capitol is abuzz that there are more to come.

Former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack resigned as chairman of the Crist campaign last night. In his letter to Crist resigning the position, Mack wrote that Crists veto was the chief reason.

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