October 15, 2012 , Written by Rick Levinthall, Politico – The Citizens United decision gave corporations and unions new powers to spend money for political purposes, and organized labor is taking advantage of late. The United Auto Workers funneled more than $5.44 million this summer into its super PAC, the UAW Education Fund, a super PAC, new federal records show.
News Release Category: Industry News
Proposed Miami-Dade ordinance would require sick leave for employees
October 17, 2012, Written by: Paiva Cordel, The Miami Herald – In Miami-Dade County, many service workers punch a time clock despite having a cold or flu, back spasms or migraines. Without paid sick time, they can’t afford to stay home and lose wages — and possibly their jobs. A proposed county ordinance that would require all employers to offer earned sick time could change that. “In a community where tourism reigns supreme, it is important that we protect the workers who support one of our main sources of revenue,” said Miami-Dade Commissioner Barbara Jordan, who is sponsoring the ordinance and has asked that it be put on the commission agenda for preliminary approval on Nov. 20. Jordan spoke Wednesday, at a rally on the plaza outside Miami-Dade’s Government Center, amid more than 30 service workers who waved colorful placards with such sayings as “No Sick Time = Public Health Risks.” Brought together by a coalition of labor, community and faith leaders, the workers chanted “Paid Sick Days,” as the song Ain’t No Stopping Us Now, blared.
Absentee-ballot war: 500,000 Floridians have voted; Democrats slightly trail Republicans
October 17, 2012, Written by: Marc Caputo, The Miami Herald – In a sign of the intense interest in the presidential race, about 500,000 Floridians have already cast absentee ballots and that number is growing by the day.More than 1.8 million additional voters have requested the ballots, which are typically mailed in. The heaviest voting so far is taking place in Tampa Bay, Miami-Dade and the so-called Interstate 4 corridor in the center of the state. Generally, whoever wins the I-4 corridor — the swing area of the swing state — wins the election. Overall, Republicans lead Democrats in the number of voted absentee ballots so far, by a 45-40 percent spread. That’s despite the fact that registered Democrats exceed Republicans by a 4-percentage-point margin in the state.
Nelson, Mack meet in bitter Fla. Senate debate
October 17, 2012, Written by: Brendan Farrington, TBO.com – DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — The first and only debate between Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson and Republican challenger Rep. Connie Mack IV Wednesday came across almost like the old school-yard taunt, “I know you are, but what am I?” Both candidates accused each other of lying about the other’s records, both used the “there you go again” line made famous three decades ago by President Ronald Reagan and both strayed from the subject of questions to take shots at the other. The debate wasn’t so much a look at what the candidates will support if elected, but rather a lot of finger pointing about each other’s records to date.
Slots could bring jobs to Brevard, but are they legal?
October 21, 2012, Written by: Wayne T. Price, Florida Today – MELBOURNE — A few times a year, Janice Sidwa of Orlando drives to Tampa or Hollywood to play slot machines and stay a couple of nights at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casinos. She says she spends more than $500 on each outing for slots, meals, gas and a room. “I’d love to have something like that in this area. I hate having to drive that far,” said Sidwa, 66, as she prepared to board Victory Casino Cruises’ ship at Port Canaveral, which is for now Brevard’s only Las Vegas-style gambling experience
Five of 11 amendments on ballot give voters chance to put more tax breaks into state constitution
October 21, 2012, Written by Melissa E. Holsom, TC Palm – Among the 11 referendum questions put on the Nov. 6 ballot by the Florida Legislature, five give voters the opportunity to put more tax breaks into the state constitution. Like many Americans, Floridians love lower taxes and, even with the 60 percent approval required, the tax breaks are expected to pass easily. Only once in recent history have they opted not to reduce taxes, said Daniel Smith, a University of Florida political science professor who studies constitutional amendments and ballot initiatives. “Other than rejecting a constitutional amendment in 1998 that would have granted tax-exempt status to certain municipal properties and allowed a tangible personal property tax exemption for attachments to mobile homes, Floridians have jumped at the opportunity to cut their taxes,” he said.
Final debate turns focus to Florida
October 21, 2012, New York Times, Herald Tribuen – In Florida, which wrote the book on battleground states in 2000, “it’s going to be hand-to-hand combat all the way down,” a senior adviser to the Romney campaign, Brett Doster, said over the weekend. When Vice President Joe Biden visited Orlando on Saturday, he skipped a public rally in favor of dropping in on a campaign office, where he urged volunteers to canvass their neighborhoods — “the thing that matters the most.”
‘Wage theft’ law passes Broward commission
October 23, 2012, Written by: Brittany Wallman, Sun Sentinel – A controversial law that would empower workers to easily go after their employers for pay was approved Tuesday after two hours of debate by the Broward County Commission. The law was denounced by the business community, who over the course of months called it hostile, insulting and unnecessary. They won a consolation — the law’s terminology was changed from “wage theft” to “non-payment of earned wages.”
Florida early voting starts Saturday, with wide variations in hours across the state
October 23, 2012, Written by: Steve Bousquet, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau – TALLAHASSEE — Early voting in Florida begins Saturday, nearly a week later than past years — and with wide variations in hours from county to county. The majority of voters will have access to the maximum possible hours of 96, spread over eight straight 12-hour days. That’s because supervisors of elections in all large counties chose that schedule, seeking to maximize turnout and reduce chances of long lines on Election Day and confusion from the change in early voting days.
BP urges U.S. judge to approve US$7.8-billion oil-spill settlement
October 23, 2012, Laurel Brubaker Calkins and Margaret Cronin Fisk, Bloomberg News – BP PLC urged a U.S. federal judge to approve a proposed US$7.8-billion settlement of thousands of claims by coastal businesses and property owners who sued over economic damages from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. “The settlement will bring full compensation to all class members, including those on the Gulf Coast, while resolving a major component of the Deepwater Horizon litigation,” BP lawyers said Monday in an after-hours filing in New Orleans. “The alternative is all-out litigation that would last many years and have an uncertain outcome for class members.”