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Caldwell Raises Nearly $2 Million in Bid for Commissioner of Agriculture

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Caldwell leads in actual funds raised from donors in this race

In April, Matt Caldwell’s campaign and Political Committee raised a combined $164,275. After tallying another strong month of fundraising, the campaign and Political Committee has raised nearly $2 million – leading in actual funds raised from supporters across the state. This news follows four consecutive straw poll victories and the recent unanimous endorsement of the Florida Police Benevolent Association.

Representative Caldwell said, “I am proud to be running a true, statewide race, from the Panhandle to the Keys. Our hard work has resulted in a tremendous amount of support as we talk to voters across the Sunshine State and our grassroots campaign is rapidly growing. Momentum is on our side and supporters know the importance of electing a principled conservative to serve as Commissioner of Agriculture and on the Florida cabinet.”

Caldwell’s campaign for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture raised $50,224 in April, while Friends of Matt Caldwell, a Political Committee supporting his bid, brought in $114,050. After tallying another strong month of fundraising, the campaign and Political Committee has over $1.12 million cash-on-hand.

Since launching his bid for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture in May 2017, Representative Caldwell has traveled almost 65,000 miles across the Sunshine State talking to voters, sharing his conservative message and building support for his grassroots campaign. Caldwell continues to outwork his opponents and unite Floridians across the state. The campaign has gone 4 for 4 and won every straw poll in major media markets across Florida.

The campaign previously announced the endorsements of Republican House members from the Panhandle, Northeast Florida, Central Florida, Southwest Florida, and South Florida delegations. This is in addition to endorsements from of the Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA), Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, former candidate for Commissioner of Agriculture Paul Paulson, and a number of county constitutional officers.

Additionally, the campaign launched the #2LaneTravels webpage to highlight the campaign travels across the Sunshine State in his bid for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture.

Political advertisement paid for by Matt Caldwell,
Republican, for Commissioner of Agriculture.

Rutherford Statement on VA MISSION Act Passing Committee

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This landmark VA reform bill contains key Rutherford legislation

The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs today voted to advance H.R. 5674, the Department of Veterans Affairs Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks, or VA MISSION Act. This bill includes Congressman John Rutherford’s (R-FL) Veterans Affairs Physician Recruitment Act, which will strengthen the VA’s ability to recruit and retain quality providers through scholarships, attractive loan repayment plans, and a pilot program that will increase the number of providers who are veterans themselves.  According to a recent Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General report, the provider shortage at VA is already in a critical state and will only continue to get worse without changes to the system. This legislation gives VA the tools it needs to attract and retain physicians now and in the future, improving the quality and access to care for our nation’s veterans.

Upon the Committee’s passage of this legislation, Congressman Rutherford released the following statement:

“Taking care of our veterans is our duty as a Congress and as Americans,” said Rutherford. “The VA MISSION Act addresses the numerous requests from VA leadership, veteran service organizations, and veterans in my district who have asked Congress and the VA to urgently work together. Streamlining the VA’s Community Care programs, expanding the caregiver program, instituting a fiscally responsible asset review, and improving the VA’s ability to recruit and retain health providers makes good on promises we as a nation have made to our veterans.  I am thankful to Chairman Roe for his work on this bipartisan, bicameral package and for ensuring that we put our veterans’ care at the top of our priorities, and I look forward to Congress sending this bill to the President’s desk.”

The VA MISSION Act includes several pieces of legislation that would streamline the department’s duplicative community care programs into one cohesive program; create a non-partisan process for reviewing VA’s assets to ensure veterans can access the care they have earned; and expand the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Post-9/11 Caregiver Program to all eras.

The legislation also includes funding for the Choice Program that is expected to last until the new program authorized under the VA MISSION Act is implemented. In April, Acting VA Secretary Robert Wilkie informed Congress that the current account would run out of funds in early to mid-June, ending the Choice Program and potentially creating another access to care crisis.

Read the full text of the bill here.

Mast Statement On Withdrawal From Iran Nuclear Deal

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U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced that the United States will withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action:

“President Trump clearly understands the importance of many issues that the Obama Administration chose to ignore. The government of Iran, by their own admission, wants America and Israel destroyed. But this historically bad deal provided a clear pathway for Iran to expand its nuclear weapons program, and Iran has boldly declared that, despite the deal, they can kick-start and produce enriched uranium within two days.

“The sanctions lifted under the deal have emboldened Iran and given them access to more than $100 billion in previously frozen assets. With the help of that money, Iran is colonizing the Middle East through their terror arm Hezbollah. They have imprisoned U.S. citizens, taken our sailors hostage and fired rockets towards our Navy. And a parade of concessions by the Obama Administration empowered Iran to test-launch more than a dozen ballistic missiles and threaten to use those same missiles to strike U.S. military bases.

“President Trump’s decisive action today is a much needed first step in the long road to undoing the damage caused by President Obama, Secretary Kerry, Secretary Clinton and their foreign policy advisors. No deal with Iran is far wiser than a bad deal.”

FAIR Foundation Announces Installation of Board of Directors

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The FAIR Foundation (the Foundation), a leading Florida-based consumer advocacy group and champion for creating safer, stronger and more resilient communities through consumer education and empowerment, today announced the installation of its Board of Directors.

On May 1, 2018, the Foundation held a meeting during its Annual Industry Conference in Tampa, FL to install its inaugural Board of Directors. “Our board members bring an extensive amount of experience, executive leadership, and knowledge,” said Guy McClurkan, Executive Director for the FAIR Foundation. “I look forward to working with the board to continue creating safer communities and educating consumers.” The Board of Directors consists of the following:

Peter “Duke” DeLuca- Brigadier General United States Army (Retired), Former Commandant, US Army Engineering School

John Ellison- Senior Vice President and Treasurer (Retired), AARP

Mel Feinberg- President and CEO, Florida Home Improvement Associates

Ron Klein- Shareholder, Holland & Knight, Former United States Congressman

Kevin McCarty- President- Celtic Global Consulting, Former Florida Insurance Commissioner, Past President- NAIC

Jay Neal- President and CEO, FAIR Foundation, Florida Association for Insurance Reform

Sharon Romano Petrelli- Vice President, Co-Founder, Demotech, Inc.

Ron Sachs- CEO, Sachs Media Group

The board members will serve a three-year term. For more information about the FAIR Foundation, please visit FAIRFound.org.

About the FAIR Foundation

The FAIR Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, was conceived to create safer, stronger and more resilient communities by educating consumers on the risks of water, wind and other natural disasters, promoting wind and flood mitigation and reducing uninsured risk. The Foundation’s work enables and promotes practical solutions and protections by bringing consumers together with the best and brightest in industry and academia.

Commissioner Adam Putnam to Deliver Commencement Address at Palm Beach State College

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam will deliver the commencement address at Palm Beach State College’s graduation ceremony tomorrow, May 9.

Event: Palm Beach State College Graduation

Date: Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Time: 2 p.m.

Location: South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center
9067 Southern Boulevard
West Palm Beach, Fla.

UT Creates New Institute Focused on Sales Education for Students

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New institute will provide curriculum and events to prepare students for careers in sales; collaborate with Tampa Bay business community for training opportunities and networking

The University of Tampa has announced a new institute tasked with the primary mission of educating interested students of all majors in sales methodologies and preparing them for careers in sales.

The Institute for Sales Excellence, based in UT’s Sykes College of Business, will have four specific functions: (1) prepare students for careers in professional business-to-business sales, (2) encourage networking between students and businesses, (3) serve as a staffing resource for regional, national and global firms, and (4) provide learning resources for local and regional businesses.

[Read more…] about UT Creates New Institute Focused on Sales Education for Students

Florida PSC Reduces Pluris Wedgefield, Inc.’s Rate Request

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) today reduced Pluris Wedgefield, Inc.’s (Pluris) requested rate increase. Customers will benefit from lower than requested rates to recover costs for four projects intended to improve water quality and customer service.

Pluris installed new water softening equipment to further improve the hard water pumped from the Floridan Aquifer. Three other improvement projects included: Advanced Metering Infrastructure installation, an emergency wastewater main replacement, and maintenance building construction.

“The PSC approved the utility’s four improvement projects, but rejected some of the rate request,” said PSC Chairman Art Graham. “We approved only those costs genuinely needed to provide better quality water and wastewater service.”

Pluris passes the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) primary and secondary water quality standards and recently completed a pilot study to address concerns about elevated Total Trihalomethanes (a disinfection byproduct) in the water. As a result of the pilot’s success, DEP issued Pluris a new permit to continue its work to improve water quality.

The Commission approved incremental revenue requirement increases of $158,403 for water and $49,057 for wastewater, as opposed to the utility’s requested increases of $194,159 for water and $57,545 for wastewater. A typical residential bill for a water customer using 3,000 gallons per month will be $53.51, and a wastewater residential bill for a customer using 3,000 gallons per month will be $43.86.

The Office of Public Counsel (OPC) contested the utility’s rate of return calculation used to establish the revenue requirement. On April 24, OPC and Pluris filed a Settlement Agreement, approved today by Commissioners, setting an 8.26 percent rate of return for this proceeding. Pluris had originally requested a 9.21 percent rate of return.

A PSC customer meeting was held November 2, 2017, in Orlando, and 55 Pluris customers attended.

Pluris provides service to approximately 1,615 water and wastewater customers in Orange County and also provides irrigation service to approximately 33 customers. Water and wastewater rates were last established for Pluris in 2013.

Nelson, others question termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians

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U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) today led a group of a dozen U.S. senators in calling on the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to explain what they call a “deeply troubling and potentially politically motivated” decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians in the United States.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and USCIS Director Lee Francis Cissna, the senators point to an Oct. 2017 USCIS report that described current conditions in Haiti as “vulnerable to external shocks and internal fragility,” and further concluded that Haiti is “unable to adequately respond to a wide range of persistent humanitarian needs.”

Yet, despite its own assessment, one month later USCIS and Homeland Security rescinded TPS for 58,000 Haitians in the U.S and characterized the situation on the island as no longer needing the designation.

“The November 2017 decision to terminate Haiti’s TPS designation marked a stunning reversal of this assessment of the conditions in Haiti,” the senators wrote. “Moreover, in light of the president’s widely reported offensive comments about Haiti and African nations being ‘s***hole countries,’ these documents raise serious questions regarding whether the Administration’s decision to terminate Haiti’s TPS was based on the conditions in Haiti – as required by law – or whether the decision resulted from broader political concerns, including an animus towards the country and its nationals.”

The senators called for the immediate reconsideration of the administration’s decision to terminate Haiti’s TPS designation.

In addition to Nelson and Markey, the letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN) Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL).

The lawmakers’ letter can be found here.

Public Hearing on Proposed Improvements along S.R. 500/U.S. 441 in Lady Lake

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The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is conducting a public hearing to update interested persons on the State Road (S.R.) 500/U.S. 441 project from Lake Ella Drive to Avenida Central (at Griffin Avenue) in Lady Lake. The hearing will begin as an open house at 5:30 p.m. with a presentation at 6:30 p.m., followed by public comments, on Thursday, May 17, at the Lady Lake Town Hall’s Commission Chambers.

The purpose of this hearing is to present information and receive public input regarding the proposed design updates, which include widening from four to six lanes, adding bicycle lanes and sidewalks, and replacing the bridges over County Road (C.R.) 25 with an intersection. Other project features include: signing and lighting, access management updates, aesthetics, and a plan for maintenance of traffic during construction. Construction is currently funded, and is estimated to begin in early spring 2020.

FDOT representatives will be available to discuss the project, answer questions and receive comments. A court reporter will also be present to record the hearing, and available to participants. Written comments may be submitted at this hearing or sent to the department via email at [email protected], or mailed to FDOT District Five, MS 2-542, 719 S. Woodland Boulevard, DeLand, Florida 32720-6834. All written comments must be emailed or postmarked by May 29, 2018 to become part of the project public hearing record.

Persons with disabilities who require accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, or persons who require translation services (free of charge), should contact the FDOT by phone at 386-943-5551, or by email at [email protected]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact us by using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice).

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. Persons wishing to express their concerns relative to FDOT compliance with Title VI may do so by contacting the FDOT District Five Title VI Coordinator at [email protected].

Media inquiries should be directed to the FDOT Communications Office at 386-943-5479 or [email protected].

FDOT advises drivers to slow down and use extra caution in construction zones.

PSC Approves Need for Two Plants to Serve Seminole Electric Customers

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The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) today determined there is a need for two new natural gas plants in Putnam and Pasco Counties designed to meet future power demands for electric cooperative customers throughout Florida. Together, the projects are expected to save customers $363 million.

Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Seminole) will build a new 1,122 megawatt (MW) natural gas facility in Putnam County to begin service in December 2022. Shady Hills Energy Center, LLC (Shady Hills) will build a new 573 MW natural gas facility in Pasco County to begin service in December 2021, with Seminole purchasing all of the power generated at the plant. Both facilities will be built on current sites allowing the utility to save money by using existing transmission and water resource infrastructure.

“Seminole demonstrated that additional power generation will be needed to ensure reliable service, and the plan approved today to fill that need is the most cost effective alternative for customers,” said PSC Chairman Art Graham. “We also commend Seminole’s member utilities for using renewable resources and conservation programs to benefit customers.”

The PSC held a hearing March 21-22 for Seminole’s two determination of need requests. During the hearing, Commissioners heard testimony, reviewed evidence, and questioned parties to the case about the proposed plants.

Seminole provides wholesale power to its nine member distribution electric cooperatives throughout the state, serving 1.7 million Floridians.