Last Call for 5.13.26 – 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 —

About to kick-off — Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly joins HD 58 candidate Bryan Beckman tonight for a Clearwater town hall focused on affordability, rising costs, and holding the government accountable. Both will deliver brief remarks before a moderated Q&A with questions submitted by attendees. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the event running 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Artz4Life Academy, 1751 Kings Hwy.

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As budget conference negotiations rolled into Wednesday afternoon, budget negotiators in the Agriculture, Environment, and General Government silo had fully closed out three agencies and aligned on several major state operations and technology items.

The Office of Financial Regulation, the Division of Administrative Hearings and the Public Service Commission were all listed as fully closed in the Senate offer that dropped late this afternoon.

The offer also brought the chambers together on several high-dollar modernization and back-office government projects tied to the state’s aging financial infrastructure systems.

Among the closed items were roughly $39 million tied to the state’s Florida PALM/FLAIR replacement effort, along with another $1.28 million for a coverage plan intended to maintain portions of the legacy FLAIR system during the transition.

Other closed issues included funding tied to fiscally constrained counties, SUNCOM/CENTREX telecommunications services, the SUNTAX transition project and a rehabilitation and liquidation claims system.

The latest offer sheets also showed agreement on a number of local projects and smaller appropriations spread throughout the silo, though several proviso and policy-language items remained unresolved as of Wednesday evening. The silo-wide gap, however, now stands at just $7.1 million. 

— Evening Reads —

—”Donald Trump and Xi: Beneath the pomp and niceties, a geopolitical rivalry” via Luke Broadwater of The New York Times

—”Trump’s China policy is nearly the exact opposite of what everyone expected” via Joshua Keating of Vox

—”How the U.S. became the world’s greatest energy exporter” via Ryan Dezember, Max Rust and Peter Santilli of The Wall Street Journal

—”The gerrymandering wars are here to stay” via Amber Phillips of The Washington Post

—”The Democrats can’t let go of racial preferences” via Richard D. Kahlenberg of The Atlantic

—”Ed Hooper to resign from Senate, Chris Nocco to run to succeed him” via Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics

—”Ron DeSantis on ‘Alligator Alcatraz’: ‘We’ve saved taxpayers money’” via Liv Caputo of the Florida Phoenix

—”Can Dems get more power in the Florida Legislature this year?” via Shauna Muckle of the Tampa Bay Times

—“Stress test” via Peter Schorsch, Janelle Irwin Taylor and Drew Wilson of FloridAI

—“We love Delta. We hate Delta.” via Ben Ryder Howe of The New Yorker

— Quote of the Day —

“The results speak for themselves.”

— DHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner, on Florida’s decline in drug deaths.

— 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.

An Adieu for Senate Appropriations Chair Ed Hooper, who announced he is resigning from office and retiring from politics, effective Nov. 3.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was forced to serve an Awkward Pause in sloth imports in the wake of 55 sloths dying ahead of the ill-fated Sloth World attraction.

As it did during the Regular Session earlier this year, the House is pitching a Payday for Assistant Public Defenders and Assistant State Attorneys, but the disparity could pose problems.

— Breakthrough Insights —

— Tune In —

Messi, Miami continue title defense

Inter Miami travels to face FC Cincinnati tonight in a key Eastern Conference matchup (7:30 p.m. ET, Apple TV).

Miami, led by Lionel Messi, sits two points out of the top spot in the East behind Nashville SC and level on points with New England Revolution. Messi leads the team with nine goals this season and has added four assists through 11 matches. His goal total is the third-best in Major League Soccer. 

The last time out, Inter dominated Toronto FC 4-2 with Messi providing the fourth goal to make it 4-0. Miami then conceded twice in the final 10 minutes. The win was cathartic for Miami after it squandered a three-goal lead in a 4-3 loss to in-state rivals, Orlando City, in the previous game.

Last season, when Miami traveled to Cincinnati in the playoffs, Messi scored the opening goal and then assisted on three more in a 4-0 win that launched Inter into the Eastern Conference final. Miami went on to win the MLS Cup, defeating Vancouver in the finals.

FC Cincinnati sits six points behind Miami in sixth place in the Eastern Conference table and is unbeaten in the last six matches, with two wins and four draws in the stretch.

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