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Gov. Scott and FWC announce 40-day recreational red snapper season in Gulf state and federal waters

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Gov. Rick Scott are excited to announce a 40-day recreational red snapper season for both Gulf state and federal waters. A 24-day season was originally proposed.

Gov. Scott said, “Florida is a premier fishing destination and saltwater fishing in the Gulf of Mexico has a $7.6 billion economic impact in our state every year. Adding additional opportunities for anglers to enjoy Florida’s world-class fishing not only benefits our visitors but also our Gulf Coast communities. I am pleased to announce this extension today, and encourage visitors and residents to start planning their summer fishing trips.”

“Florida is an important access point throughout the nation and world for recreational red snapper fishing,” said FWC Chairman Bo Rivard. “With other Gulf states setting longer seasons than what Florida had initially proposed, it was important for us to find a fair resolution that would provide equal access to red snapper in Florida. FWC worked collaboratively with NOAA Fisheries to come up with a season that would provide access to all of those that choose Florida as their fishing destination. We appreciate the leadership from Gov. Rick Scott and U.S. Congressman Neal Dunn and we are excited to announce that extension today.”  

Florida will be setting the season in 2018 and 2019 in both state and federal waters through a fishery-management pilot program (also referred to as an Exempted Fishing Permit). The 2018 proposed season would open June 11 and close July 21.

This recreational season will include those fishing for red snapper from private recreational vessels. For-hire operations that do not have a federal reef fish permit are also included but are limited to targeting reef fish in Gulf state waters only.

This Exempted Fishing Permit will not apply to commercial fishermen or for-hire operations with a valid federal reef fish permit.

To share your comments or input on Gulf red snapper, visit MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.

Learn more about snapper at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Snappers” and don’t forget to sign up for the Gulf Reef Fish Survey via GoOutdoorsFlorida.com if you plan to target snapper or other reef fish from a private vessel.

Gov. Scott: United Technologies Creates 480 Jobs in Palm Beach County

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Opens New UTC Center for Intelligent Buildings

Governor Rick Scott today attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for United Technologies’ new UTC Center for Intelligent Buildings in Palm Beach County. This world-class facility showcases industry-leading building products, serves as a connected work space for employees, and is designed to be an environmentally sustainable building. The UTC Center for Intelligent Buildings has already created 380 jobs and, at the ceremony, Gov. Scott announced that UTC has committed to creating 100 additional jobs for a total of 480 jobs at this facility.

Governor Scott said, “I was proud to join UTC today to officially open its new Center for Intelligent Buildings, which has already created 380 jobs. I was also proud to announce that UTC will be adding to its many accomplishments in Florida and creating an additional 100 jobs for families in Palm Beach County. With Florida’s beautiful weather, low taxes and business-friendly policies, it’s easy to understand why UTC picked Florida over other locations in the Southeast for its new facility. In Florida, we’ll never stop fighting for jobs for families in our state. I look forward to seeing UTC’s continued success in the Sunshine State.”

UTC Climate, Controls & Security is a leading provider of heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, building controls and automation, and fire and security systems leading to safer, smarter, sustainable and high-performance buildings. The new 224,000 square-foot facility features innovative products, integrated systems and interactive displays from UTC brands such as Carrier, Otis, Automated Logic, Chubb, Edwards, Kidde and Lenel.

“The UTC Center for Intelligent Buildings is more than a world headquarters for our business – it’s the embodiment of our commitment to our customers,” said Bob McDonough, president, UTC Climate, Controls & Security. “This building was designed specifically to show our global customers exactly what is possible in the building technology space. That’s why we’ve chosen to openly display critical building technologies that are typically hidden in basements, closets and on rooftops. These solutions are vital to productive, safe and secure indoor environments, and our new building is a celebration of the modern life they enable.”

Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity said, “Congratulations to United Technologies on the opening of your Center for Intelligent Buildings. Your commitment to the state of Florida illustrates that our business-friendly policies are working and is a significant win for the families of Palm Beach County.”

Peter Antonacci, CEO of Enterprise Florida Inc. said, “UTC has chosen the best place in the country to grow their business. This expansion wouldn’t be possible without Governor Scott’s dedication to make Florida the jobs destination for America’s businesses.”

City of Palm Beach Gardens Mayor Maria Marino said, “The City of Palm Beach Gardens is honored the Carrier Corporation, an affiliate of UTC has made our City their home. Palm Beach Gardens strives to have industries bring knowledge, innovation and technology to our community. Carrier/UTC fits our goal of delivering economic development especially with the promise of 450 high quality jobs to our residents. The 5 year local economic impact is $660 million. Taking advantage of the City’s tools for economic development, Carrier/UTC received their building permits in a record 58 days using our expedited permitting process. It is every City’s dream to have this caliber of a corporation. We look forward to the success of Carrier Corporations Center for Intelligent Buildings.”

Rep. Rick Roth endorses Matt Spritz for State House

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Looks Forward To Working with Spritz in
the Palm Beach County Delegation Next Year

Matt Spritz announced today that Republican State Representative Rick Roth has endorsed his campaign for the State House. Notably, Roth is one of only two non-term limited Republican State Representatives from Palm Beach County currently serving in the Florida House.

“I proudly endorse Matt Spritz for State Representative,” said Roth. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Matt in Tallahassee for some time, and I’ve seen firsthand his dedication to our community and his tireless work ethic. The people of House District 89 will be well served having Matt represent them in Tallahassee, and I’m looking forward to working closely with him as part of our legislative delegation for the benefit of all Palm Beach County next year.”

“I’m honored to have the support of Representative Roth,” said Spritz. “He’s a local small business owner who understands our community, and why it’s so important to promote policies that shrink government, grow our economy, and create jobs. I’m really looking forward to continuing to work closely with him in the Florida House.”

Roth joins a growing number of current and former state and local elected officials who have endorsed Spritz, including former U.S. Senator George LeMieux, former State Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff, State Representatives Byron Donalds, Randy Fine, Jason Fischer, Joe Gruters, Tom Leek, Bobby Payne, and Bob Rommel, former State Representative Alex Miller, former Town of Palm Beach Councilman Bill Diamond, and former Town of Manalapan Mayor David Cheifetz.

Representative Rick Roth is a native of Palm Beach County, a husband, father and grandfather, a 3rd generation farmer, and a 32-year small business owner. He is currently serving his first term in the Florida House, as the Representative from District 85, which includes large portions of northern Palm Beach County.

Born and raised in South Florida, Matt Spritz graduated Phi Beta Kappa with high honors from Emory University and from New York University School of Law in New York. He practiced corporate and business law in New York and later in South Florida before committing himself to public service in the Florida House.

House District 89 covers coastal portions of Palm Beach County spanning from Singer Island to Boca Raton, which has the largest concentration of voters. Thirty-six percent of registered voters in the district are Republicans, while Democrats make up 33 percent, and voters with minor or no party affiliation, 31 percent.

Paid by Matt Spritz, Republican, for State Representative.

FWC to meet April 25-26 in Fort Lauderdale

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will meet April 25-26 at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott North, 6650 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. Both days are open to the public.

The FWC is committed to providing opportunities for public input at each Commission meeting. As standard practice, the Commission welcomes public input regarding agenda items using the approved speaker registration process and time limits. To accommodate as much input as possible from those attending, the Chairman reserves the right to designate the amount of time given to each speaker, including time donation to other speakers.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m., and the public will be provided opportunities to speak on agenda items each day. The Commission will also provide time for public comment on subjects not on the agenda at the end the first day, April 25. Those who wish to offer comments during this period will be asked to make sure their comments are not related to any agenda item.

For the full April 25-26 agenda and links to background reports, go to MyFWC.com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings.” Those who cannot attend may follow coverage at Twitter.com/MyFWC (@MyFWC) and join in the conversation by using the #FWC2018 hashtag. Check the Florida Channel for possible live video coverage at TheFloridaChannel.org.

Additionally, the Commission will be meeting separately for a marine fisheries management presentation at the same location on April 24 at 10 a.m. This session is open for public attendance, but there will not be time allotted for public comment. No regulatory decisions will be made.

ICYMI: Sunshine State News: Matt Caldwell Wins Straw Poll in Jacksonville

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Adam Putnam, Ashley Moody, Matt Caldwell Win Straw Poll in Jacksonville
Kevin Derby, Sunshine State News
April 14, 2018
To read the full article, click HERE.

Voters and candidates from across the Sunshine State gathered in Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon for a straw poll held by WBOB.
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Several statewide candidates, including … state Rep. Matt Caldwell, who is running in the Republican primary to be agriculture commissioner, spoke before the straw poll.
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Supporters for other candidates, including … state Sen. Denise Grimsley and former state Rep. Baxter Troutman, who are both running in the Republican primary to be Florida’s next agricultural commissioner, were also out in full force.
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Caldwell easily won the GOP agriculture commissioner straw poll with 81 votes followed by Grimsley with 33 votes and Troutman with 21 votes.
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The Duval County Supervisor of Elections team, which included former state Rep. Dick Kravitz, managed the straw poll.

CRC Approves Eight Revisions for the 2018 General Election Ballot

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Pursuant to Article XI, Section 2 of the Florida Constitution, the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) today voted to approve eight revisions to be placed on the 2018 General Election ballot for voter consideration.

CRC Chairman Carlos Beruff, said, “For more than a year, Commissioners have traveled across the state to speak directly with citizens about the changes they want to see in the Florida Constitution. After months of in-depth research and debate, the CRC has narrowed down thousands of comments and ideas into eight final revisions for voter consideration. From protecting our state and territorial waters from oil drilling to strengthening our ethics laws, I commend my fellow Commissioners for their hard work and leadership representing the people of Florida. We are grateful to the thousands of Floridians who participated in this historic process and look forward to letting voters have the final say in November.”

Proposed constitutional revisions on the ballot must secure at least 60 percent voter approval to become law. A formal report will be submitted to the Florida Secretary of State as soon as possible. A list of the final revisions approved by the CRC are provided below; the full text of each revision is available onflcrc.gov:

 

FDLE Agents arrest Tampa man on more than 100 counts related to child pornography

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Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Jesus Riol, 45, of 8619 Cottonway Lane, Tampa, on 100 counts of child pornography and 5 counts of transmission of child pornography.

During an investigation launched in the Fall of 2017, agents identified a residence in Tampa suspected of distributing child pornography. A subpoena was issued for the account and further investigation showed several file names consistent with child pornography. Upon executing a search warrant at the home, investigators conducted a forensic analysis of several electronic devices and found more than 1,100 files containing images or videos with child pornography. Most of the files were of infants and toddlers being sexually abused by adults.

Riol was taken to the Hillsborough County Jail on a $787,500 bond. He will be prosecuted by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.

CFO Jimmy Patronis: President Trump’s Tax Cuts Make it Possible to Phase Out State Business Tax & Attract More Companies to Florida

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Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis today released the following statement on his office’s continued analysis of President Trump’s tax cuts and how they will make it possible to phase out Florida’s corporate income tax because of expected increased revenue to the state through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “An analysis of President Trump’s tax cut shows that because of the way Florida’s tax code is written, businesses are expected to pay an estimated 13 percent more to the state in taxes over the next 10 years. Some of that increase is because the federal tax law got rid of corporate deductions and expanded the tax base while lowering the overall rate, which means Florida businesses will have higher ‘federal taxable income’ subject to state taxation. That 13 percent equates to an estimated $313 million increase in tax base for the state over 10 years, which paves the way for us to begin phasing out our business tax in Florida.

“One public study on the effects of the Trump tax cut shows that while Florida businesses would pay 13 percent more, our number one competitor for jobs – Texas – would have no similar increase in business taxes. This could put our state at a competitive disadvantage as we try to build off of Governor Scott’s success in making our state a top choice for businesses looking to relocate. We know many businesses are examining the tax climate in Florida and other states right now, as they plan to take advantage of President Trump’s new policy of a one-time tax assessment for companies who return off-shore revenue back to America.

“As businesses pay the state more in taxes, Florida is able to lower our tax rate accordingly. I have asked my staff to develop a plan that would strategically roll back our business tax over the next several years so it can eventually be eliminated, while finding a way to continue to support charter schools that are currently funded from corporate tax scholarships. We must work quickly to cut our business tax and make Florida the most competitive state in the nation for business growth and job creation.”

A copy of the study can be found here.

Destin man wins $3 million on Friday the 13th playing the $600,000,000 GOLD RUSH Scratch-Off game

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The Florida Lottery announces that Glenn Matthews, 32, of Destin, claimed a $3 million top prize in the $600,000,000 GOLD RUSH Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $2,157,504.35.

Matthews purchased his winning ticket from Tom Thumb, located at 3871 East County Highway 30A in Santa Rosa Beach. The retailer will receive a $6,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.

The $20 Scratch-Off game, $600,000,000 GOLD RUSH launched in September 2014. The overall odds of winning are 1-in-2.95.

Scratch-Offs are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, generating more than $784 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in FY 2016-17, and comprising approximately 68 percent of ticket sales.

Florida Forest Service to Send 20 Additional Firefighters to Battle Oklahoma Wildfire

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Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced today that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Florida Forest Service will deploy an additional 20 wildland firefighters as an Initial Attack Hand Crew to help battle a 247,000-acre wildfire in Northwest Oklahoma. The Incident Management Team of 28 wildland firefighters that deployed to Oklahoma last week has been reassigned to assist with this fire as well.

“Our wildland firefighters are part of the national firefighting community and integral to the wildfire suppression efforts in Oklahoma,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “We are committed to protecting lives, homes and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire both at home and across the country.”

The Initial Attack Hand Crew will assist with front-line firefighting for Oklahoma’s Rhea Fire burning 247,000 acres. They will use specialized hand tools to manually create a fire break or fire line around wildfire perimeter to contain the boundaries of the wildfire.

“Thanks to Florida’s currently lowered wildfire danger levels, we are able to continue to provide resources for our Oklahoma partners in need,” said Florida Forest Service Director and State Forester Jim Karels.

The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres.