Politics

Nearly 2 in 3 Deerfield Beach voters support renewing contract with Broward Sheriff’s Office

Published

3 months ago

September 17, 2025

As Deerfield Beach leaders weigh whether to renew the city’s long-standing contracts with the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), new polling shows that despite rising costs, a supermajority of voters want to keep the existing arrangement.

Nearly 2 in 3 Deerfield Beach voters — 63% — support renewing the city’s BSO contracts for police and firefighting services with requested cost increases, a survey by Frederick Polls found.

That preference is constant across party lines.

Thirty-four percent of voters would rather toss the BSO contract in favor of something new, while 3% remain undecided.

When voters heard several pro-renewal statements and additional information about alternative options — including Deerfield Beach potentially re-establishing its old Police Department, which the BSO absorbed in 1990 — support for keeping the current contract jumped to 75%.

The poll, which Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony’s political committee commissioned, also found that a significant share of Deerfield Beach voters hold the quality of BSO services in high regard.

Overall, 82% of respondents gave the BSO a positive job rating. When broken down by department, BSO deputies received 69% positive ratings compared to just 8% negative, while firefighters scored 79% positive marks, 60% of which were “very positive.”

“Clearly, this satisfaction with the status quo drives support for BSO’s position in the contract renewal process,” pollster Kenneth Frederick wrote.

The new survey, conducted Sept. 11-15 with 365 registered Deerfield Beach voters, couldn’t be timelier. BSO negotiations dominated a City Commission meeting Monday, with residents and officials expressing frustration over the impasse between the agency and municipality.

Tony has sought increases of a 9.4% for Fire Rescue and 10.1% for policing, well beyond the 5% limit stipulated in the BSO’s agreement with the city.

The added cost, not counting the increase contractually contemplated, would be roughly $2.4 million.

Notably, 58% of voters polled said they’d be willing to pay higher taxes to adequately fund police and firefighter salaries.

Seventy-two percent said Deerfield Beach could find the extra funding the BSO wants to cover competitive pay raises for its first responders if the city reduced other spending.

The deadline to decide is fast approaching; on Sept. 30, the BSO’s contracts with Deerfield Beach are set to lapse.

While based in Salt Lake City, Frederick Polls has done ample work for Florida clients on both sides of the political aisle.

The BSO-Deerfield Beach poll has a 5.2-percentage-point margin of error.

Post Views: 0

Source link

Politics

Ashley Moody, Rick Scott diverge on rescheduling pot

Published

4 hours ago

December 17, 2025

May Greene

Florida’s U.S. Senators are split on President Donald Trump potentially rescheduling cannabis.

While Rick Scott signed a letter opposing the move with GOP colleagues, Ashley Moody did not.

“Rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III drug will undermine your strong efforts to Make America Great Again and to usher in America’s next economic Golden Age. The only winners from rescheduling will be bad actors such as Communist China, while Americans will be left paying the bill,” the letter claims.

The Senators argue that changing cannabis’ classification would harm America’s attempts to reindustrialize, would have health consequences, and would give a “massive tax break” to companies in the space.

“While supporters of rescheduling argue that extending tax benefits to marijuana businesses will create economic growth, the costs of workplace and vehicular accidents caused by increased marijuana usage far exceeds any perceived benefits—not to mention the moral costs of marijuana advertising that could reach kids.”

Scott has called marijuana a “gateway drug” and says his own brother died after a lifetime struggle with drugs that began with it, so his opposition to relaxed laws continues.

While Attorney General, Moody opposed legalization initiatives in Florida. However, rumors are that the White House is considering rescheduling to Schedule III, which would permit medical research but wouldn’t immediately make it more commercially available.

12.17.2025-Letter-on-Marijuana-Rescheduling-

Source link

Politics

Florida military installations to divvy up nearly $1B in federal funding act

Published

6 hours ago

December 17, 2025

May Greene

10 military installations in the Sunshine State will get a cut of the funding approved by Congress.

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody is touting approval by Congress of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which will bring nearly a billion dollars in funding for several military installations in Florida.

The measure passed along bipartisan lines in the Senate and covers defense funding for the next fiscal year. It authorizes about $900 billion in total for defense spending across the U.S. The House signed off on the measure last week.

The act earmarks about $851 million for Florida installations. It will also fund expanded shipbuilding and prioritize development of the “Golden Dome” missile defense system.

“The passage of this year’s NDAA is a victory for the strengthening of our national security and Florida’s military bases. It is vital for the protection of our great nation that our military has the resources needed to deter evil and stay mission ready. Sadly, just this week we lost two National Guardsmen and an interpreter far too soon at the hands of an apparent ISIS attack in Syria. My heart breaks for their families’ unimaginable loss. It is a stark reminder that we must continue our efforts to secure peace through a robust national defense,” Moody said in a news release Wednesday.

“Florida is proud to be the home of three combatant commands, including SOUTHCOM, CENTCOM and SOCOM, as well as 21 military installations which all play a highly important role in the United States’ military strategy. I will always fight for their interests, because a strong military is essential for a strong nation.”

Ten different military installations in Florida will get a partial cut of the funding including, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Eglin Air Force Base, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Hurlburt Field, MacDill Air Force Base, Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island, Naval Air Station Key West, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Tyndall Air Force Base.

Florida is home to more than 90,000 active military personnel in the state, and about 1.5 million military veterans reside here.

Source link

Politics

New College Foundation announces $1M gift for ‘Socratic Stage’ program

Published

6 hours ago

December 17, 2025

May Greene

The New College Foundation has announced a $1 million donation from Dr. Michael C. and Ling Z. Markovitz to establish a new campus program centered on debate, classical learning and public discourse.

The donation, made directly to the New College Foundation, will help the college establish the Markovitz Socratic Stage, a signature forum dedicated to revitalizing civil discourse, classical learning and the free exchange of ideas on campus.

“We believe deeply in the power of ideas — and the courage it takes to explore them openly,” Michael said in a statement. “New College is leading a movement to bring back real dialogue, real debate, and real education. We are honored to support this mission and help build a program where students learn to think for themselves, speak with conviction, and engage with the world in meaningful ways.”

The donation will support a series of debates, lectures and discussion-based events meant to bring together students, faculty, visiting scholars and community members for debates, dialogues, books discussions, lecture series, public forums, intellectual events open to the community, and student-centered opportunities.

The program will be integrated into New College’s Logos/Techne curriculum and is expected to launch as a recurring campus initiative open to the public.

College President Richard Corcoran called the gift a “defining moment” for the institution, saying it aligns with New College’s emphasis on classical education and intellectual freedom.

“Michael and Ling Markovitz have made a profound and visionary commitment to New College,” he said. “Their gift strengthens our mission to revive rigorous classical education and restore the humanities as a force for intellectual freedom. The Markovitz Socratic Stage will impact generations of students by giving them a place to think deeply, debate boldly, and seek truth fearlessly.”

Source link