Tallahassee Keeps Telling Local Communities to Sit Down

This entry is in the series Florida Legislature
This entry is in the series 2026 Elections

There is a word in Florida politics that sounds dry enough to cure insomnia but is quietly reshaping life in our communities: preemption.

Preemption is what happens when Tallahassee tells local governments they are not allowed to solve local problems. In recent years, the Legislature has used it to block local worker protections, weaken local control over zoning and development, and shift more decisions away from the people who actually live with the consequences.

My latest article examines this growing pattern, including Florida’s ban on local heat protections for outdoor workers, recent development bills that override local planning, and the legislators who keep voting to shift power away from communities and into the state’s hands. This is not just a procedural fight. It is about whether local democracy still means anything when powerful interests want it out of the way.

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The High Price of “Nice”: What Karen Gonzalez Pittman is Actually Costing South Tampa

This entry is in the series 2026 Elections

Is your State Rep costing you money?

On paper, Representative Karen Gonzalez Pittman fits South Tampa perfectly. She’s polished, presentable, and active in the community. If you met her at a Palma Ceia mixer, you’d think, “Now, there’s a reasonable person.” But for the wealthy and aspirational residents of District 65, voting for Pittman has become an expensive illusion. You think you’re voting for stability, but you’re actually paying a premium for a representative who consistently prioritizes Tallahassee’s culture war performance art over your bank account.

The most glaring receipt is your property insurance bill. For years, the Republican supermajority, of which Pittman is a loyal member, has promised that if we protected insurance companies from lawsuits, rates would trickle down. Pittman voted for every one of those protections. Yet, while your premiums have doubled, she and her colleagues have spent the legislative session banning books and policing bathrooms rather than fixing the financial crisis that is actually threatening our property values.

There’s a high cost to the “anti-woke” agenda, and South Tampa homeowners are paying it. This is a clear example of Patrimonialism: the state is run for insiders, while regular people get worse service and pay more. It’s time to see what her “nice” image is really costing you.

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NO More Sitting During Break…because we need jobs

I’m trying to figure out the logic that must have been going through the twisted head of Representative Daphne Campbell, Democrat of Miami. She introduced HB 7131 which repeals a requirement that employers provide seats for employees who walk or work standing up during their breaks. Because, you know, God forbid those people get to sit down for 15 minutes twice a day.

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And You Thought The FL Legislature Couldn’t Get Crazier

Never sell the wingnut Replublicans in the Florida Legislature short. Last year they were busy saving us all from Automobile Testicles, and tried to eliminate daylight savings time (the logic being it would be less confusing for Senator Bill Posey). So now, two of our distinguished legislators have called for a Florida Constitutional Amendment to prohibit Floridians from participating in, an as yet non-existent, healthcare insurance reform.

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And You Thought The FL Legislature Couldn't Get Crazier

Never sell the wingnut Replublicans in the Florida Legislature short. Last year they were busy saving us all from Automobile Testicles, and tried to eliminate daylight savings time (the logic being it would be less confusing for Senator Bill Posey). So now, two of our distinguished legislators have called for a Florida Constitutional Amendment to prohibit Floridians from participating in, an as yet non-existent, healthcare insurance reform.

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The Battle in Florida is Joined-Amendment #2

This will be the first in what I expect will evolve into a series of articles related to the upcoming election and the vote on Constitutional Amendment #2. This is the krazy kristian kooks attempt to have a large conservative turnout in Florida, so instead of fielding a worthy candidate, they go for the devisive issue. Amendment #2 is, of course, a “marriage protection” amendment for the Florida Constitution.

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News Brief for the Week of January 11, 2008

It’s shaping up as an interesting week for odd ball news. So far we have a 71 year old carrying a night stick at the airport to keep away “fresh” hands, our Florida Legislature hard at work protecting us from bestiality and baggy pants, and a real life Weekend At Bernies….and that’s just for starters.

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