Seeking Rents – The Podcast

Jason Garcia
  • 4.9 (52)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

"Rent-seeking" is a term in economics that describes when a corporation uses its political influence to twist tax laws and other public policy in its favor. Seeking Rents – The Podcast brings you the stories of how that's happening in Florida, where corporate interests like Florida Power & Light, Big Sugar, and Walt Disney World wield enormous influence everywhere from local city halls to the state Capitol. Hosted by award-winning journalist Jason Garcia, Florida's leading corporate-accountability reporter. jasongarcia.substack.com

  1. Same circus, different clowns

    4d ago

    Same circus, different clowns

    In this episode: Twenty years ago, Republican leaders in Florida raced to get a radical property tax plan onto the statewide ballot — a plan that was negotiated largely in secret, sprung on the public at the last minute, and approved during a lighting-quick special session in June. If that sounds familiar, it’s because that is, beat for beat, what just happened again in Tallahassee, where Ron DeSantis and GOP lawmakers just rushed a giant property tax cut onto the November ballot that they don’t even fully understand. The irresponsible legislating blew up in their faces two decades ago. Will this time be any different? Show notes The bills discussed in today’s show: House Joint Resolution 1F — Save our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes Senate Bill 4F — Property Tax Administration The stories discussed in in today’s show: A new tax break for Trump appointees Perez defends tax break for diplomats after Brazil ambassador nod from Trump Questions or comments? Send ‘em to Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com Listen to the show: Apple | Spotify Watch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

    44 min
  2. No way to run a railroad

    May 29

    No way to run a railroad

    In this episode: Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature has finally agreed on a new state budget, following a flurry of last-minute spending deals — most of them negotiated behind closed doors and sealed late on the Sunday night of a holiday weekend. The eleventh-hour additions to Florida’s $115 billion spending plan include provisions that could let the state buy more property from a big developer and donor; steer a $2 million education contract to a Koch-backed company; and pave the way for the use of artificial intelligence in an anti-hunger program that feeds nearly 3 million Floridians. Plus: Ron DeSantis signs a bill written by lobbyists for a mining company that recently donated $50,000 to his Super PAC. And the devolution of Florida’s public university system into a pure political patronage machine continues. Show notes Register here for the Seeking Rents + Welcome to Florida live event in Jacksonville The stories referenced in today’s show: A tour of Florida’s new state budget, from money for Mike Huckabee to tax cuts for casinos A last-minute budget measure could let Florida buy more land from a donor the state paid $83 million to last year A Koch-connected school choice contractor could get $2 million from Florida taxpayers Florida may hire an AI vendor to help decide which hungry families get grocery assistance Companies linked to a Trump appointee are seeking money from Florida taxpayers — and giving money to Florida lawmakers Florida is cutting funding for transit — and exposing the true cost of business tax breaks A management firm is poised to profit off plan to divert local property taxes to charter schools A right-wing news network lobbied Florida lawmakers to defund fact-checkers, records show Last-minute legislation could give more money to Publix, 7-Eleven and Circle K — but less to Florida students Questions or comments? Send ‘em to Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com Listen to the show: Apple | Spotify Watch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

    53 min
  3. Outsourcing prisons, selling lottery tickets and testing toilet water for drugs

    May 18

    Outsourcing prisons, selling lottery tickets and testing toilet water for drugs

    In this episode: Florida lawmakers might take more powers away from cities and towns, cut funding for a cross-state wildlife corridor, and start testing toilet water for drugs. They could give politicians more control over courses offered at public universities, let the attorney general dish out rich legal contracts with less scrutiny, and make taxpayers foot the bill for Ron DeSantis’ security even after he leaves office. And they may keep squeezing public employee unions, outsource more of the state’s prison system, and further expand the Florida Lottery. A look at some of the many projects and issues in play as Florida lawmakers meet in a special session to finalize a new state budget. Show notes Stories discussed in today’s show: Welcome to Florida, Episode 305: ‘Welcome to Florida’ x ‘Seeking Rents’ The budget shenanigans begin Budget update: Lawmakers may cut funding for the Florida Wildlife Corridor to pay for a small park in the Panhandle Amid a growing national witch hunt for abortion medication, Florida may fund testing for ‘contaminants’ in toilet water Questions or comments? Send ‘em to Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com Listen to the show: Apple | Spotify Watch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

    55 min
  4. Florida voters passed reforms. Florida politicians are undoing them.

    May 2

    Florida voters passed reforms. Florida politicians are undoing them.

    In this episode: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis just got the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature to pass new Congressional district maps that were intentionally drawn to violate an anti-gerrymandering constitutional amendment that was approved by nearly two-thirds of Florida voters. It’s a scheme meant not only to give Donald Trump and national Republicans an edge in the 2026 midterms — but also to give DeSantis-appointed courts an opening to eliminate those anti-gerrymandering amendments completely. But the governor failed to get lawmakers to go along with plans to regulate artificial intelligence and weaken school vaccine rules, as Florida’s GOP leadership quickly settled back into a year-long cold war. Plus: DeSantis marks International Workers’ Day by signing the single most anti-worker piece of legislation of the 2026 session. Show notes Stories discussed in today’s show: Florida lawmakers cede redistricting authority to executive power Counsel for DeSantis tells lawmakers they can ignore Fair Districts Amendments in approving new map Emails show right-wing group gave talking points to Florida GOP lawmaker on anti-union bill Did Florida’s attorney general break the law during a Martin Luther King Day legal stunt? DeSantis pushed lawmakers to purge Medicaid, records show Questions or comments? Send ‘em to Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com Listen to the show: Apple | Spotify Watch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

    30 min
  5. Cold war thaw

    Apr 24

    Cold war thaw

    In this episode: After more than a year of hostilities, Republican leaders in the Florida House and Senate reached a budget deal just days before Gov. Ron DeSantis hauls them all to Tallahassee for a special session that some people seem to want no part of. What happens next — on gerrymandering, vaccines, artificial intelligence and more — remains a mystery. Plus: Corporate donors who need favors from the DeSantis administration are flooding money into a federal super PAC supporting the governor. And a look at what the charter school industry has been lobbying for in the state Capitol. Show notes Links and stories discussed in today’s show: House, Senate call 18-day budget special session for May 12-29 The DeSantis decisions: Quiet wins for homebuilders and car dealers Lobbyists for a mining company wrote a bill to block lawsuits over radiation on former mines Ron DeSantis PAC took $250,000 from Florida Power & Light after record-setting rate hike ‘Schools of Hope’ charter operator is moving into 5 Miami-Dade high schools Lobbyists for a billionaire and a charter network pushed Florida lawmakers to expand a school privatization program, records show A management firm is poised to profit off plan to divert local property taxes to charter schools Register now: Seeking Rents + Welcome to Florida: Live Meet & Greet (St. Pete) Register now: Seeking Rents + Welcome to Florida: Live Meet & Greet (Winter Park) Questions or comments? Send ‘em to Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com Listen to the show: Apple | Spotify Watch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

    33 min
  6. DeSantis vs. Trump II

    Apr 17

    DeSantis vs. Trump II

    In this episode: As he looks ahead to another presidential run — and a potential showdown with a Donald Trump heir apparent like J.D. Vance or Marco Rubio — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is starting to pick some subtle-but-strategic fights with the Trump White House. Plus: Three years after promising to expand children’s health insurance, Florida leaders are utterly failing needy kids. And new records show that state lawmakers banked $14 million from special interests just before they started their 2026 legislative session. Show notes Stories discussed in today’s show: Coming soon: Seeking Rents on stage RFK Jr. launches midterm travel push to shore up MAHA support Florida’s special session could burnish DeSantis’ legacy — but pitfalls lurk Florida drops KidCare lawsuit, but expansion hasn’t happened Florida stalls as 42,000 Kids wait for affordable healthcare Florida lawmakers banked $14 million the day before session began How Florida became the national leader at denying health insurance to kids Questions or comments? Send ‘em to Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com Listen to the show: Apple | Spotify Watch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

    41 min
  7. Cracks in the foundation

    Apr 7

    Cracks in the foundation

    In this episode: Ron DeSantis has begun signing bills sent to him by state lawmakers during Florida’s recently concluded session — including new laws that will make it more cumbersome for some Floridians to vote, give state politicians the power to label civil rights groups domestic terrorists, and let a billionaire hotel owner build an unpopular water park in Miami Beach. At the same time, the Republican governor and GOP-controlled Legislature are preparing for special sessions to resolve a budget impasse and re-gerrymander the state’s Congressional districts. But Florida voters, it turns out, aren’t happy with them. Plus: A look at how politicians in Tallahassee are politically profiting off of earmarks in the state budget. Show notes A quick correction from the show: The special election for House District 87 (not 85) was won by Democrat Emily Gregory (not Holly Gregory) And the stories referenced during the show: The DeSantis decisions: Singling out university students and hoping they’ll just stay home The DeSantis decisions: A Friday afternoon favor for the Fontainebleau A river runs into it Industry leaders urge DeSantis to veto billionaire-backed insurance bill A startup got $5 million from Florida taxpayers and gave $500,000 to Florida politicians Florida’s budget stalemate takes on Cherfilius-McCormick probe-related twist A familiar face in Florida’s proposed budget Questions or comments? Send ‘em to Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com Listen to the show: Apple | Spotify Watch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

    41 min
  8. Florida Legislature 2026: When rhetoric met reality

    Mar 20

    Florida Legislature 2026: When rhetoric met reality

    In this episode: Florida lawmakers arrived in Tallahassee two months ago promising to focus on affordability and fix a growth-management mess they made last year. They did neither. They did, however, undermine the collective bargaining rights of public school teachers, shield a mining company from lawsuits over radioactive contamination, and pass a billionaire-backed bill that could force condo owners to pay higher prices for property insurance. They did some good things, too. A recap of Florida’s 2026 legislative session. Correction: This podcast used the incorrect bill number for Senate Bill 1028, the bill that could force some Florida condo owners to pay higher prices for property insurance. Show notes: For a links to all the bills mentions discussed in this episode — and the vote sheets for every one that passed — see this post on Seeking Rents: The Florida Legislature made a mess. The Florida House refused to clean it up. Questions or comments? Send ‘em to Garcia.JasonR@gmail.com Listen to the show: Apple | Spotify Watch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

    56 min
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About

"Rent-seeking" is a term in economics that describes when a corporation uses its political influence to twist tax laws and other public policy in its favor. Seeking Rents – The Podcast brings you the stories of how that's happening in Florida, where corporate interests like Florida Power & Light, Big Sugar, and Walt Disney World wield enormous influence everywhere from local city halls to the state Capitol. Hosted by award-winning journalist Jason Garcia, Florida's leading corporate-accountability reporter. jasongarcia.substack.com

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