JD Alexander Parkway

LAKE PLACID - Blue Head Ranch is flat, parched grassland split in two by a stretch of blacktop called U.S. 70. But this dusty outpost could become one of Central Florida's hottest real estate commodities if a mammoth toll road wins approval by the state. Nearly all of Blue Head Ranch lies within a large swath where a $7-billion expressway could go.

The 62,000-acre ranch belongs to a company headed by J.D. Alexander, a powerful state senator with Florida royalty in his blood. Alexander has been instrumental in pushing for the road by helping to form a lobbying group stocked with some of the most storied real estate dynasties in Florida. They, too, own thousands of acres along the toll road route.

The road campaign comes at a time when Alexander's businesses, and those of some of his relatives, are shifting from farming and ranching to land development. Their plans could be aided by a fast expressway through half a dozen rural Florida counties. More here.

Comments

Betcha' they require you to buy biofuel made from THEIR oranges if you drive on the road. That Ben Hill Griffin family knows how to make (and occasionally loose) money!

JD would be a nobody if not for his relatives

I guess the years of mass subsidies (millions of dollars) to the citrus industry that Alexander and Troutman have gotten still isn't enough - now the state must subsidize their development. Another example of a Senator using his position for personal gain. If he becomes president of the senate in 3 years like the article says maybe we can just move the Capitol down there to help economic development.

Isn't he the chairman of the committee that decides how much money goes to roads and citrus? Aren't they in the same group and he is chairman of both?

Under this theory dozens of people are linked. Nancy Watkins works for all kinds of people and groups. Typical slash and burn media story where the "links and facts" are worked in later to justify the story.

Watkins has done work for Tom Lee, Tom Lee hired Dabbs firm and he's a developer so he a suspect too!!!

Victory group has done work for the republican party, watkins has done work for the RPOF maybe the whole party is in on this shaddy deal to relieve traffic conjestion.

Oh think of the possibilities!!!! It could bring down the whole government suspects at every corner.

Didn't Dabbs firm work for Giuliani.....maybe this leads all the way to his white house effort!!!!!

"if he avoided discussions with government decisionmakers on a subject that affects him financially"

Haha - Alexander is Chairman of General Government Appropriations that decides how much money the citrus industry gets, and chairman of Agriculture that decides what happens to citrus. The web site says he has 6 bills filed just on Agriculture - i'm sure he won't be discussing things that affect him financially with the government - he is the government!!!!!

How can they say he can't talk to government decision makers on stuff that affects him financially if he's chairman? If you catch him talking to himself, better tell him to be quiet!!!

9:40 He can't talk about it, so this is how it works....

You create some group with a nice sounding name (HEART) and get your political consultant (Goodman and Victory Group) to staff it and spin your message. You get your attorney to meet with the public officials and say everything you want, you have your CPA do the finances for it, and of course you chair the committees is goes through. Hmmmm, then you can say you haven't spoken to any government officials about it!!!

This stuff will only get worse if he becomes Senate President - does this guy have the votes yet? Are there enough Ben Hill Griffin relatives in the legislature to make him President?

You guys don't know JD - he's only bought and paid for by the insurance industry, he's only with citrus most of the time!!!

now i see why Polk County got away from this whole Bay Area regional ransportation bill...it would've messed up JD's plans!!!

[outsider]

remember, this guy will control the citrus budget in general gov. app. then he will pass the ag bills that he wants, and will do it all thru someone else. wake up florida, alexander runs a big business, they use others to do the dirty work. whats his guy kotas doing. kotas worked for the victory group, now he is working for jd, and lobbying for the heartland. But trust him, he said there was no conflict.....

[Joe from Philly]

What do you mean, "Florida royalty in his blood?" This is the kind of journalism that encourages people to slaver for Bush and encourages a rubber-stamp water carrier like Adam Putnam to think he is a princeling. These are people who own some land. Big deal. If news people would stop genuflecting maybe these Polk County mediocre-men like Alexander and Putnam could read a little and recognize that they are not ROYALTY anymore than Jeb or George. But if you just feed their egos calling them Florida royalty, then they feel they are above the common man or woman.

Careful, careful bloggers. You're going to cause JD to throw a tantrum. And that's bad just ask his buddy Pruitt.

What's wrong with a state which values growing houses on farmland more than growing crops on farmland?

These new expressways are meant to facilitate sprawl, not organize it.

Weak reporting. They missed the Dockery's connection with the land that Doc owns on the path as well. They also missed Paula's connection with her meetings with DOT to get the road done after JD stopped meeting with them.

Paula's connection? She wouldn't help JD if her were on fire. Her only connection is working with Galvano to get this article written in the first place.

She and Galvano fed this piece to the Trib as well trying to get an article written.

What the heck does Kotas have to do with this? He doesn't work for Sen. Alexander. Get off the blog Ramba.

Boy, when JD sees this, there will be a tantrum royale. Just wait till hge gets his friends (I guess staff) responding. How did he ever get where he is?

Why would Galvano want this written?

kotas and ramba are friends - alexander and bennett will cut and deal and both will do just fine. All four will be seen having dinner together with jd and his net worth of $5m plus picking up the tab.

[shocked]

jd alexander must be the most corrupt, dishonest, lowlife in florida politics. kids need better schools, retirees need meds. but screw em jd needs another 10 million.

Why doesn't he go by John David anymore?

What happened to the JD/Paula D. alliance? is that old news? Is she still aiming for SenPres? These people disgust me; want someone conservative in the slot

Can Bennett be Senate Pres?

Alexander and Dockery have had their share of ethical questions. Shocked that nobody brings them to light, or is it 'yet'

Bennett can be Senate President if he and JD cut a deal - Bennett has the most pledges and most Senators (R & D)like him but Villanobos and his crazy women. Webster is most qualified to be Prez if he didn't term out in 2008. He brought the whole Senate together this year and should be commended.

I think Dockery and Alexander would both have their ethics issues come out if they got close to being Senate Prez. Especially Alexander - there's millions that have gone from the government to the citrus industry through him - this road thing is just the latest adventure.

Just like they tried to insinuate everything on Pruitt, whoever gets close the press tries to shoot down.

2008 Senate Pres - Atwater
2010 Senate Pres - Alexander (Bennett Reapportionment Chair)
2012 Senate Pres - Haridopolos
2014 Senate Pres - Gaetz

All a done deal.

Good point, 4:09
And too bad for Webster's term
Just want a good, solid policy guy, not someone tied to too many industries

4:10-
I am not sure it is a done deal. Haridopolos can't do it in '12, and I believe Gaetz wanted '10, but will settle for '12.

JD is only easy pickings because he's near the top. Face it, folks, he's going to be a gazillionaire with or without his position in the legislature.

And, by the way, give Kotas a break. The man is trying to make a living and is apparently smart (and tolerant) enough to hook his wagon to a strong horse.

Dan Webster??? pleeeeze!

Haridopolos already received an opinion from Senate Counsel that he can be Pres in 2012. Take it to the bank: Atwater '08, Alexander '10, Haridopolos '12 and Gaetz '14

Ben Hill Griffith and that family have made a ton off the legislature. How about that Gulf Coast University? People think it was so nice of them to "donate" the land to build it. That land was nothing but swamp land that they could have done nothing else with. By convincing the legislature to build the university, they turned all the land around it (which they owned) into million dollar property...

www.tomrooney.com

If you don't like it, run for office!

[topsy kretts]

That's the point, 8:40, they can't. None of us common folk, can run for office, when all the offices are bought and paid for by the likes of the citrus heiresses, insurance moguls, and the like. it's too rich for our blood. they might as well go back to the days when you had to own property to vote . . .

6:21 no way does it happen that way. JD will have an ethics charge real soon, and Alico will also get fined for having alobbiest (JD) and dockery will blow the whistle. And she lobbied the FDOT as much as he did. they deserve each other.

Dockery won't have any ethics issues come out. She and Alexander are nothing alike.

As for Kotas, whatever Alexander wants, Kotas does.

JD won't make Senate Prez - it'll go Atwater, Bennett, Gaetz. Haridopolis will take a real job soon, and JD will have yet another meltdown this session.

This is all about the Bennett/Dockery/Villalobos deal.

Crook

Nice title Adam. Don't worry, no one will ever accuse you of being FOX.

Nice one Villalobos.

I'd blame Argenziano but this one took too much creativity. Looks like Paula does do some work still!

LOL, good one Ramba and Galvano!

This dude tried to tie together a nothing story with abstract details. Even his editorial page didn't back him up.

Weak attempt at a smear article by Dockery. Still, score 1 for her.

Alexander 357
Dockery 1

In response to "None of us common folk, can run for office, when all the offices are bought and paid for by the likes of the citrus heiresses, insurance moguls, and the like. it's too rich for our blood"
I give you:
Fredericka Wilson
Nancy Argenziano
Charlie Justice
Carey Baker
Larcenia Bullard
Aaron Bean
Steve Wise
Andy Gardiner
Sandy Adams
Thad Altman
Tom Anderson
Anitere Flores
Mary Brandenburg
Dave Murzin
Ray Sansom
Faye Culp
Julio Robania

Just to mention a few.
Get over yourself!

Haridopolos as Senate president? I just lost my breakfast. He's lucky to be in the same chamber as leaders like Pruitt and Webster.

blah blah blah blah. Another attempt at "gotcha" reporting. Even Shirish would think this one's weak.

Haridopolos will be Pres, just wait. He's cunning, smart, CONSERVATIVE, and very strategic. He'll let Alexander & Bennett fight it out and then take his spot right next to and behind them.

Corruption at it's finest...where there's smoke, there's fire. The FBI can't be too far behind.

FBI? LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Get back to spending Docs money Paula.

You're giving Paula Mockery way too much credit. While her hatred for Alexander may be unparalleled, this is way above her head.

Where there's lies, there's Bennett. You still working that deal with Villalobos?

Wow, has any of the opponents of this toll road on this blog looked at the growth predictions for southwest florida for the next 20-30 years and considered the traffic impacts to I75 and how stalled and slower traffic on this roadway will hurt the environment more than if an alternative roadway is created to lessen the impact of accident impacts and general overcrowding on the highway? Also, if some taxpayer money is going to be spent on this roadway(which you know if such a road is built, taxpayers will for sure use it) shouldn't the legislature try and get the biggest bang for your buck, well lets see, deal with fewer land owners in the middle of no where florida where the land is certainly cheaper or perhaps spend tons more money in trying to revamp I75 while at the same time screwing up traffic due to construction. Lets not forget about hurricanes, all those residents in southwest fl in 2020 0r 2030 will need adequate evacuation routes. Do you think that I75 will handle that load. Well you just keep dreaming. Face it, the "big money" roalty of the state didnt get where they are today by being stupid, sure this helps them out but before you go knocking the idea, try and be smart about it. Most likly you are not going to be a member of one of these rich families so you might as well think ahead about what actually affects you! Crowded roads, the environment, and your ability or your fellow member of society when they have no quick way out of a storms destruction or potential destruction. Face it quit being stupid, there is no good option for FL or as i like to call it the new California. This is one of floridas best options!

This just smells so bad. It is the same stench that keeps coming at us from Tallahassee. How can this even be happenning. Alexander or anyone else, as a state senator, should not have any self interests like this happenning. Get out of the elected position and see if you can manage the same deal. How appalling.

Mockery is a venegeful woman with lots of her husbands money. Bennett has to sell his soul for the money Mockery could raise to get her in the higher position. He could easily burn out way before she could. Both are planning to toss out Atwater, They will be cutting the deal soon. For now, they will be fighting to see who lands on top.

Why don't all these wanna be leaders just quit and go home. Let true public servants have the opportunity to truly serve the people. Please Alexander, Dockery, Haridopolis, Bennett, GO HOME. You are all very wealthy, go home and live your lives another way. Weeed true public srevants to help us and this state. All you people want is power or to beat each other out of hate and spite. GO home.

Argenziano is too smart to get involved in this kind of petty crap. She at least knows how and when to pick her fights. This is the greedy bunch. These are the people who should get out of public service. You would think they would all be satisfied with all they have. Alexander is using his influence to get the state to buy his property. Just terrible.

#1 thing you can't say with a straight face:
"Argenziano is too smart to ____". Fill in the blank, anything will work.

When will Haridopolos get the crown?

Has the FBI interviewed Doc yet about the highspeed rail boondoggle?

Nancy is smarter than the entire Pruitt team. How else would she have the stature she enjoys with stronger constituent support than any of the boys?

I'm sure Mikey has already been crowned. Probably got a pearl necklace with it.

Sure, Nancy's REAL smart. That whole PSC thing is really going well for her.

I see none of you read my post. Just shows that you are too wrapped up in BS to see what the ultimate goal for a "better" Florida is. Thats fine, continue to complain over the type of people that are and will always be in office. Its your tax dollar, your environment, and your safety thats ultimatly at stake. You people are so power hungry its pathetic!