Gov. Charlie Crist released a proposal this afternoon that relies on billions of federal stimulus dollars to boost state spending by $1 billion next fiscal year. ...more

February 20, 2009

Republicans are up in arms about Gov. Crist's support of the stimulus package. Many are also surprised that the governor is contemplating a Senate run rather than standing for re-election. A possible reason for both relates to something I have pondered for some time: Florida should raise the sales tax by one cent, at least temporarily. The stimulus package, manna for our charmed governor, will likely enable Florida to balance its budget this year. But unless the economy improves significantly, next year we will be back to where we are now, cutting into the marrow of our already bare bones state programs. Perhaps the governor sees raising taxes in the near future as the only logical way to maintain the modest quality of life the state provides to its citizens, while understanding that, as a Republican, raising taxes would likely end his political career. The smart thing is to let someone else do it. ...more

February 14, 2009

On tap today: Obama will promote $838 billion stimulus plan during a town hall session in Fort Myers. Gov. Charlie Crist will introduce the president. ...more

February 10, 2009

The misnamed Employee Free Choice Act would, among other measures helpful to union expansion, allow a shop to unionize before its owner knew a union campaign was being waged. ...more

February 10, 2009

Hundreds of people are lined up in Fort Myers today for tickets to a town hall meeting with President Barack Obama. ...more

February 9, 2009

A bipartisan group of senators took charge of the debate over the roughly $900 billion economic stimulus plan on Thursday, and was working furiously in backroom negotiations to cut the cost of the package. Senate Democratic leaders said they would await outcome of those talks before pushing for a final vote on the measure. ...more

February 6, 2009

Congress is giving consumers four more months to prepare for the upcoming transition from analog to digital television broadcasting. ...more

February 5, 2009

Congress has now decided to give people four more months to prepare for the upcoming transition from analog to digital TV broadcasting. ...more

February 4, 2009

President Barack Obama sought to dampen Republicans' complaints about the Democrats' massive economic revival package Friday with an offer to listen carefully to their ideas, too. ...more

January 24, 2009

Laws mandating stores sell only cigarettes that are slow-burning and fire-safe went into effect in five states on New Year's Day, and Florida will join the list next year. ...more

January 3, 2009