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Lobbying compensation: Capital City Consulting takes No. 3 with $6.87M earned in Q4 of 2024

The firm’s year-end total is $26.83 million.

Capital City Consulting notched nearly $7 million in the fourth quarter and the No. 3 spot on Florida Politics’ lobby firm rankings along with it.

New lobbying compensation reports show CCC collected $6.87 million during the closing quarter of 2024. Legislative lobbying revenues surpassed $3.55 million last quarter, and executive branch income also topped the $3 million mark by $220,000.

Florida Politics estimates lobbying pay based on the middle number of the per-client ranges firms listed on their compensation reports. Contracts are reported in $10,000 increments up to $50,000. Using median estimates, Capital City Consulting still has an iron grip on the No. 3 spot in Florida Politics’ Lobby Firm Rankings — there’s nearly $4 million in daylight between CCC and the No. 4 firm in Q4.

CCC’s legislative compensation report listed more than 250 clients, several of which paid sums exceeding the cap on range reporting, meaning the listed amounts are concrete and not estimates. That set included USAA at $68,000, Advocating for Seniors at $63,000, CVS Health at $56,000, Neal Land Development Group at $56,000 and Lennar Homes at $54,000.

Fort Meade Commission votes 4-1 to hire Alis Drumgo as interim city manager

The Fort Meade City Commission has formally appointed Alis Drumgo as interim city manager.

Commissioners voted 4-1 during a special meeting Thursday night to approve a contract with Drumgo, with Commissioner James Watts casting the only no vote. The commission had voted 4-1 a week earlier to make an offer to Drumgo.

The actions come as City Manager Edward Walker Dean has been absent from city meetings for about a month. Commissioners have not explained his absence, though talk has circulated in the city of health issues.

Federal law prevents the sharing of anyone’s medical information without permission, and Mayor Samuel Berrien quickly shut off any discussion about Dean during Thursday night’s meeting.

A copy of the contract signed by Drumgo and city officials shows that his term starts Monday and runs through July 23 and may not be extended or renewed. As an independent contractor, Drumgo will receive payments of $10,500 a month, or $52,500 over the five-month period.

Gov. DeSantis rolls out DOGE Task Force, eyes workforce cuts and AI-aided audits

Agencies, local governments can look forward to audits of budgets, contracts.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is promoting a state version of the Elon Musk-led spending slash in Washington that will reach into all areas of state administration and local governments.

“We were DOGE before DOGE was cool,” DeSantis said in Tampa. He praised the Department of Governmental Efficiency in Washington while noting that Florida has already been on a similar track in terms of reining in government to make sure state administration is as “lean and efficient as possible.”

But there’s still a long way to go, DeSantis noted.

To that end, he’s creating a state “DOGE Task Force” that will sunset later this year.

Time is of the essence, per the Executive Order (EO-25-44):” The EO DOGE Team shall report any legislative recommendations to the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than September 30, 2025.”

Florida ports to evolve with changing policy, technology and environment

Tariff policy, food security and automation all could impact Florida's docks and logistics infrastructure.

Port leaders in Florida say technology will continue to change logistics in the state, but that doesn’t mean jobs will be lost.

Hydi Webb, Port Director for PortMiami, said her docks would actively resist a degree of automation that would result in sidelining longtime employees.

“We’re a strong union port and we don’t believe in replacing jobs through AI,” she said.

The comments were made to the House Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee at a Thursday hearing chaired by Republican Rep. Chip LaMarca. Webb discussed the potential labor impact of AI fewer than two months after U.S. longshoremen unions reached a tentative deal and averted a strike at ports across the country. Webb said she was grateful any stop in work was avoided.

She did say automation could improve port security, and other officials discussed changes in the market and how they could affect Florida’s ports.