Last Call for 12.3.25 – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida

Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

Florida’s transportation chief says the state isn’t just keeping up with growth, but it’s cranking out “more with less.”

Speaking at the Florida Chamber’s Transportation, Growth & Infrastructure Solution Summit, Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue told business leaders the Department’s annual work plan has climbed from about $10 billion to roughly $15 billion over the past decade, even as the agency has cut staff and held its operating budget flat. 

“There’s something that is really unique about this. Our budget has gone up 50% and we’ve reduced our number of employees at FDOT by 600 positions,” Perdue said. “… We’re delivering 50% more product with less people and a constant operating budget. Who have you seen and who do you know in the private sector that has been able to do that?”

Perdue leaned into Florida’s status as a national and global hub. He highlighted record activity on the Space Coast, which held 93 rocket launches in 2024 and already has more than 100 this year, with the state on track for about 115 by year’s end. The launches have been helped along by FDOT capital in shared-use space infrastructure.

“It is absolutely a mode of transportation,” Perdue said of rocket launches. “Not only is it supporting a lot of different things in civilization, it’s going to move people and goods going into the future, and we need to be a big part of that.”

He moved further into future mode later in his presentation, touting recent legislation that formally recognizes “Advanced Air Mobility” as a form of transportation in Florida, calling it the beginning of the “age of flying cars” — electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that function like large drones for people and goods. Perdue said it’s not a pipe dream but something the state is actively working toward.

“We want to launch flying cars in the state of Florida, and our goal with public infrastructure is speed to market. What do we need to do with regard to public infrastructure so that all of this market capital that’s been raised and all of these manufacturers and operators can get into commercial service and earn revenues as quickly as possible,” he said.

FDOT is planning an “aerial highway network” and expanding its SunTrax facility into “SunTrax Ground” and “SunTrax Air,” with vertiports, an aerial test track and charging infrastructure. The goal, he said, is to make Florida the place where those flying cars get tested and certified.

Evening Reads

—”Billionaires find a way to give away money and make Donald Trump happy” via Ben Steverman of Bloomberg

—“🚨Tennessee is a flashing red light for Republicans🚨” via Chris Cillizza of Substack

—”The Trump administration wants immigrants to self-deport. It’s a shit show” via Vittoria Elliott of WIRED

—”‘Welcome to America!’ Captured drug lords choose: snitch or suffer” via Steve Fisher and Stantago Pérez of The Wall Street Journal

—”Electricity should be free at noon” via Leah C. Stokes of The Atlantic

—”From ‘Chuck Norris’ to Ron DeSantis’ denial: The fall of Jay Collins” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics

—“Florida House Committee votes to lower firearm purchase age back to 18 for fourth year in row” via Kaitlyn McCormack of Fresh Take Florida

—”DeSantis administration: We need another $50M to cover SNAP costs” via Christine Sexton of the Florida Phoenix

—”How college campus organizing has been upended in Florida’s political climate” via Lucy Marques of the Tampa Bay Times

—”The wild race for Florida Governor with 30-plus candidates” via Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel

Quote of the Day

“Missed me.”

— Gov. Ron DeSantis, after a Florida flag fell on the lectern in front of him.

Put it on the Tab

Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.

Gov. Ron DeSantis gets a Crystal Clear for announcing $112 million in grant money to help Florida’s Gulf Coast and other waters around the state.

Floridians are sipping on the wrong side of an Over & Under, according to a new study from the Florida Chamber, which shows the state missed out on $11.4 billion due to the 2020 Census undercount.

Another Session means another fight over the state bird … and another excuse to order a Pink Flamingo.

Breakthrough Insights

Tune In

Up-tempo Heat face Mavericks tonight

The surging Miami Heat travel to Dallas to face the Mavericks tonight (8:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV).

Miami has won seven of the last eight games to vault into first place in the NBA’s Southeast Division. 

The Heat used a 30-2 run to pull away from the Clippers in a 140-123 victory on Monday. In the game, Miami tied a franchise record with 24 3-pointers made. A shift to a more up-tempo offense has changed the team’s success. 

In the winning stretch, the Heat beat Dallas 106-102 as guard Tyler Herro made his return to the lineup on Nov. 24 in an NBA Cup group game. Herro scored 24 points in his season debut. He has scored more than 20 in each of his four games since returning to the floor and has made 17 of 24 3-point attempts.

If Herro can continue scoring as he has and the Heat keeps its up-tempo approach, they could be a dangerous team in the postseason.

Dallas has won consecutive games for the first time this season, beating the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets on the road. Before the winning streak, the Mavericks had lost eight of 11 games.

Miami is scheduled to continue playing in the NBA Cup in-season tournament on Tuesday when they travel to Orlando to face the Magic in the quarterfinals of the event. The winner of the game advances to face either the New York Knicks or Toronto Raptors in the semifinals a week from Saturday.

___

Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.