Seeking Rents – The Podcast

In this episode: Two weeks ago, the administration of outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded a $4 million contract to a consulting firm touting new artificial intelligence tools. And earlier this week, incoming Gov. Byron Donalds revealed a key leader of his transition team. The contract and the appointment may seem, on the surface, to be unrelated. But they are the first tremors in a major looming policy fight — a fight that will directly impact the cost of food and groceries for more than 2 million Floridians. And similar battles are on the horizon over health insurance and housing.Show notesTo make a donation to Seeking Rents, click here.Stories discussed in today’s show: Florida may hire an AI vendor to help decide which hungry families get grocery assistanceIncreasing SNAP error rates could be good news for Florida (really)Florida Gov.-elect Byron Donalds taps founder of right-wing think tank for transition teamA billionaire-backed think tank keeps sabotaging Florida workers. More attacks are coming.Trump Administration Moves to Further Limit SNAP Eligibility, Affecting MillionsDeSantis pushed lawmakers to purge Medicaid, records showQuestions or comments? Send ‘em to [email protected] to the show: Apple | SpotifyWatch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode: Florida Republicans’ red sea wall held as a blue tsunami washed across the nation. But there was lots of localized flooding: Democrats made their biggest state House gains in at least a generation and virtually every Republican on the ballot was swept away in Orlando, which has become the most important blue stronghold in what is now the nation’s biggest red state. But the top story is the passage of Amendment 3, which promises big tax cuts for homeowners — without any plan to pay for them. A look at some of the battles ahead as everyone from local town councils to the Florida Legislature begins to confront the fallout. Show notesTo make a donation to Seeking Rents, click here.Questions or comments? Send ‘em to [email protected] to the show: Apple | SpotifyWatch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode: Election Day is finally here and Florida voters have a rare chance to completely reshape their government in Tallahassee — with competitive races for governor, attorney general, chief financial officer, and a host of seats in the state Legislature. In today’s show, we run through some of the big issues hanging in the balance. Show notesTo make a donation to Seeking Rents, click here.Stories discussed in today’s show:An election-eve look at some of the donors funding state campaigns across FloridaA developer wants to build a giant data center in Palm Beach — after lobbying for a tax break in TallahasseeHow Byron and Erika Donalds’ wealth hinges on millions in state education dollars A management firm is poised to profit off plan to divert local property taxes to charter schoolsGun money in the Florida LegislatureFlorida just approved the largest electric rate increase in history. Here’s how it happened.How home insurance companies in Florida sidestep rules meant to prevent excess profitsHow Florida fights to hide insurers’ finances DeSantis grants tax favor for Philip Morris after $500,000 giftDeSantis pushed lawmakers to purge Medicaid, records showFrom abortion to rural boundaries: What’s at stake in the race for attorney general (podcast)The sickness infecting Florida state government (podcast)Questions or comments? Send ‘em to [email protected] to the show: Apple | SpotifyWatch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode: Though the job doesn’t get nearly as much attention as governor, the Attorney General is one of the most important figures in all of Florida politics. The state’s highest-ranking lawyer has the power to investigate, litigate and prosecute — powers that have been used in the past to challenge electric utilities and phone companies but also to defend cruise lines, car dealers and Donald Trump. In today’s show, we take a closer look at two important ways that current Attorney General James Uthmeier is using the office: Backing developers that want to build subdivisions on rural land — and controlling what women can, and cannot, do with their own bodies. Show notesTo make a donation to Seeking Rents, click here.Stories discussed in today’s show:Florida counties may be breaking law when classifying areas as rural to manage growth, AG saysAttorney general questions legality of rural boundaries in Orange, SeminoleRural boundaries spared, but lawmaker to try again to curtail themFlorida AG letter undercuts Sarasota County in Live Local legal fightThey gave Uthmeier’s campaign $25,000. Then his office stepped in to help.Florida AG James Uthmeier pushes for fetal personhood and an end to all abortions in stateFlorida AG James Uthmeier On Fighting For Life In The Sunshine State Florida AG made sweeping claims in confidential abortion caseSurrogacy is akin to slavery, Florida AG says, with big implications for familiesUthmeier files $354 million lawsuit against Planned Parenthood for alleged racketeering, deceptionTexas, Florida sue FDA over abortion pill approvalFlorida's attorney general is trying to help Elon Musk's Tesla get out of a $243 million verdictAttorney General James Uthmeier is raising hundreds of thousands from firms he hiredThe bipartisan plot to take out Florida’s best senator (update)Questions or comments? Send ‘em to [email protected] to the show: Apple | SpotifyWatch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode: Early voting has begun in Florida. So, too, have the eleventh-hour election schemes — particularly in the campaign for Attorney General, which just may be the most important race on the ballot in Florida this year. Allies of incumbent Attorney General James Uthmeier are trying to censor TV commercials that spotlight Uthmeier’s role in the $10 million Hope Florida scandal. At the same time, some of the same consultants behind the infamous “ghost candidate” plot are once again trying to take out challenger José Javier Rodriguez. Meanwhile, another statewide elected official on the ballot — Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia — is running a double-barreled campaign in which he’s using taxpayer money to boost his own name ID and special interest money to attack his opponent. And the Florida Realtors are lying about Amendment 3. Show notesTo make a donation to Seeking Rents, click here.Stories and previous podcasts discussed in this show:Republicans want Hope Florida story silenced and jail for anyone who talks about itThe bipartisan plot to take out Florida’s best senator (update)Florida AG made sweeping claims in confidential abortion caseSurrogacy is akin to slavery, Florida AG says, with big implications for familiesBlaise Ingoglia is spending millions in taxpayer money on advertising as he runs for electionAmendment 3 could increase home prices across Florida — and real estate agents love itData center interests have put $30 million into Florida campaigns as Election Day approachesThe investors behind the “Blue Ribbon Projects” bill are pouring money into state Senate racesThe races that will decide the fate of the supermajorities in the state LegislatureRon DeSantis took money from you and gave it to businesses. And you didn’t even notice.Questions or comments? Send ‘em to [email protected] to the show: Apple | SpotifyWatch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe