Tenure in legislature Marco Rubio

rubio s official portrait state representative

at time rubio took seat in legislature in tallahassee in january 2000, voters in florida had approved constitutional amendment on term limits. created openings new legislative leaders due many senior incumbents having retire. according article in national journal, rubio gained advantage in regard, because sworn in due special election, , take advantage of these opportunities join gop leadership.

majority whip , majority leader

later in 2000, majority leader of house, mike fasano, promoted rubio 1 of 2 majority whips. national journal described position typically requiring lot of arm-twisting, said rubio took different approach relied more on persuading legislators , less on coercing them.

fasano resigned in september 2001 majority leader of house due disagreements house speaker, , speaker passed on rubio appoint more experienced replacement fasano. rubio volunteered work on redistricting, accomplished dividing state 5 regions, working individually lawmakers involved, , work helped cement relationships gop leaders.

in december 2002, rubio appointed house majority leader speaker johnnie byrd. persuaded speaker byrd restructure job of majority leader, legislative wrangling left whip’s office, , rubio become main spokesperson house gop.

according national journal, during period rubio did not entirely adhere doctrinaire conservative principles, , colleagues described him centrist sought out democrats , groups don’t typically align gop . co-sponsored legislation have let farm workers sue growers in state court if shortchanged on pay, , co-sponsored bill giving in-state tuition rates children of undocumented immigrants. in wake of september 11 attacks, voiced suspicion expanding police detention powers, , helped defeat gop bill have required colleges increase reporting state foreign students.

as state representative, rubio requested legislative earmarks (called community budget issue requests in florida), totaling $145 million 2001 , 2002, none thereafter. additionally, office in executive branch compiled longer list of spending requests legislators, including rubio, did non-profit group florida taxwatch. many of listed items health , social programs rubio has described kind of thing legislators attacked on if didn t fund them. 2010 report tampa bay times , miami herald said of rubio’s spending requests dovetailed personal interests. example, rubio requested $20 million appropriation jackson memorial hospital subsidize care poor , uninsured, , rubio later did work hospital consultant. spokesman rubio has said items in question helped whole county, rubio did not lobby them approved, hospital money necessary , non-controversial, , rubio limited-government conservative ... not no-government conservative .

house speaker

on september 13, 2005, @ age of 34, rubio clinched speakership after state representatives dennis baxley, jeff kottkamp, , dennis a. ross dropped out. sworn in on year later, in november 2006. became first cuban american speaker of florida house of representatives, , remain speaker until november 2008.

then speaker-designate rubio, challenging house colleagues write 100 innovative ideas florida s future , september 2005

when chosen future speaker in 2005, rubio delivered speech house in asked members in desks, each found hardcover book titled 100 innovative ideas florida’s future; book intentionally blank, because had not yet been written, , rubio told colleagues fill in pages of ordinary floridians. in 2006, after traveling around state , talking citizens, , compiling ideas, rubio published book. national journal called book centerpiece of rubio’s speakership . 24 of ideas became law, while 10 partially enacted. among items 2006 book became law multiple-year car registrations, requirement high schools provide more vocational courses, , expanded voucher-like school-choice program. rubio s defenders, , critics, point out nationwide economic difficulties overlapped of rubio s speakership, , funding new legislative proposals became difficult.

at time rubio took office speaker, jeb bush completing term governor, , bush left office in january 2007. rubio hired 18 bush aides, leading capitol insiders speaker s suite governor’s office in exile. article in national journal described rubio s style being different bush s; bush assertive manager of affairs in tallahassee, article says, rubio s style delegate powers, relinquish others, , invite former political rivals inner circle. incoming speaker, decided open private dining room legislators, said give members more privacy, free being pursued lobbyists, though expense of doing led public relations problem.

rubio chairman of house select committee on private property rights, october 2005

in 2006, florida enacted law limitations upon authority of state government take private property, in response 2005 supreme court decision in kelo v. city of new london took broad view of governmental power take private property under eminent domain. state legislation had been proposed special committee chaired rubio prior speakership.

jeb bush succeeded charlie crist, moderate republican took office in january 2007. rubio , crist clashed frequently. sharpest clash involved governor s initiative expand casino gambling in florida. rubio sued crist bypassing florida legislature in order make deal seminole tribe. florida supreme court sided rubio , blocked deal.

rubio critic of crist s strategy fight climate change through executive order creating new automobile , utility emissions standards. rubio accused crist of imposing european-style big government mandates, , legislature under rubio s leadership weakened impact of crist s climate change initiative. rubio said crist’s approach harm consumers driving utility bills without having effect upon environment, , better approach promote biofuel (e.g. ethanol), solar panels, , energy efficiency.

rubio introduced plan reduce state property taxes 2001 levels (and potentially eliminate them altogether), while increasing sales taxes 1% 2.5% fund schools. proposal have reduced property taxes in state $40–50 billion. proposal passed house, opposed governor crist , florida senate republicans, said increase in sales tax disproportionately affect poor. so, rubio agreed smaller changes, , crist s proposal double state s property tax exemption $25,000 $50,000 (for tax reduction estimated crist $33 billion) passed. legislators called largest tax cut in florida s history until then. @ time, republican anti-tax activist grover norquist described rubio pro-taxpayer legislative leader in country.

rubio conferring democratic leader dan gelber in 2007

as speaker, rubio aggressively tried push florida political right, according nbc news, , clashed florida senate, run more moderate republicans, , then-governor charlie crist, centrist republican @ time. although conservative, behind scenes many democrats considered rubio whom work, according biographer manuel roig-franzia. dan gelber of miami, house democratic leader @ time of rubio s speakership, considered him true conservative not reflexive partisan, saying: didn t have objection working other side because other side. put bluntly, wasn t jerk. gelber considered rubio severe conservative, far right, talented spokesman severe right ever hope for.

while speaker of florida house, rubio shared residence in tallahassee florida state representative, david rivera, 2 co-owned. house later went foreclosure in 2010 after several missed mortgage payments. @ point, rubio assumed responsibility payments, , house sold.

house speaker rubio , senate president ken pruitt embrace after house s unanimous approval of senate s resolution formally express deep regret slavery. march 2008

in 2007, florida state senator tony hill (d-jacksonville), chairman of state legislature s black caucus, requested legislature apologize slavery, , rubio said idea merited discussion. following year, supportive rubio said such apologies can important albeit symbolic; pointed out in 2008 young african-american males believe american dream not available them . helped set council on issues facing black men , boys, persuaded colleagues replicate harlem children s zone in miami neighborhood of liberty city, , supported efforts promote literacy , mentoring black children , others.

in 2010 during rubio s senate campaign, , again in 2015 during presidential campaign, issues raised media , political opponents items charged rubio republican party of florida american express card during time house speaker. rubio charged $110,000 during 2 years, of $16,000 personal expenses unrelated party business, such groceries , plane tickets. rubio said paid american express more $16,000 these personal expenses. in 2012, florida commission on ethics cleared rubio of wrongdoing in use of party-issued credit card, although commission inspector said rubio exhibited level of negligence in not using personal mastercard. in november 2015, rubio released party credit card statements january 2005 through october 2006, showed 8 personal charges totaling $7,243.74, of had reimbursed, in instances next billing period. when releasing charge records, rubio spokesman todd harris said, these statements more 10 years old. , people ask them today liberal media , our political opponents. releasing them because marco has nothing hide.