Central Florida’s Democratic state legislative delegation blasted Gov. Rick Scott Wednesday for vetoing a bill intended to make it easier for children of undocumented immigrants to obtain a Florida driver’s license – even though the effect of the veto is likely to be more symbolic than real. On Tuesday, Scott vetoed HB 235, which had been approved…

Former Orange County Property Appraiser Bill Donegan’s office improperly used a public record database to look up information on political opponent Rick Singh, an audit by Comptroller Martha Haynie has found. The review looked at how the Property Appraiser’s Office used the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ database known as DAVE, or…

The Florida Democratic Party knows it needs Nan Rich. And, perhaps, so does former Gov. Charlie Crist, who could face her in next year’s Democratic primary for governor if he decides to run against her. A long-shot for governor, Rich’s background is an inverse of Crist’s: a committed liberal and a longtime Democrat, but a…

Gov. Rick Scott continued to pound against university tuition increases on Friday, saying in a column published on a conservative news website that raising tuition is the same as raising taxes. “We owe it to the families in our state who are paying tuition today and those planning to pay tuition for the next generation…

Sen. Darren Soto is asking questions about the departures this month of four Department of Environmental Protection lawyers, one of whom suggested the firings and resignations were made to the detriment of conservation goals. The Orlando Democrat sent a letter to DEP Secretary Herschel Vinyard Wednesday asking for documents related to attorneys Christopher T. Byrd, Kelly L. Russel, Teresa Mussetto, andChristopher…

Florida voters send 160 of their fellow citizens to the Capitol in Tallahassee for 60 days each year. But power and wisdom aren’t apportioned equally among Florida lawmakers. Usually only a handful of them shape events, for good or ill, during legislative sessions, including the one that ended earlier this month. Today we’re grading the performance of…

Longtime Orange County Clerk of Courts Lydia Gardner has died. According a source with the Clerk of Courts, Gardner died Wednesday night at Winter Park Hospital. She was 68. Gardner had battled breast cancer for years, the source said. Gardner was first elected to the Clerk’s Office in 2000. She was sworn in for her…

Potential/likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist is taking some heat for having backed a Florida gay marriage ban during his 2006 Republican primary for governor. Tonight he posted the following on Facebook: Some great news: On Tuesday, Delaware became the 11th state to allow marriage equality. And just a few days ago, Rhode Island adopted a similar…

Pressure is mounting on Florida Gov. Rick Scott to call a special session to end the Legislature’s impasse on Medicaid expansion. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and the 14 Democratic members of the Florida Senate sent separate letters Monday making the request, following House Democratic leader Perry Thurston’s request for one Friday. Scott isn’t likely to…

A leading group behind the push for mandatory paid sick time in Orange County is starting an online petition to urge Gov. Rick Scott to veto a bill that would block local governments from adopting such measures. Organize Now started the petition over the weekend using the SignOn.org website, which is run by Moveon.org, a progressive advocacy…