Sunshine State News
“James Madison Institute Spreads Across Florida”
March 2, 2015
By Kevin DerbyRight-of-center think tank James Madison Institute (JMI) is ramping up its outreach with plans to expand beyond Tallahassee to other parts of the Sunshine State.On Monday, JMI announced the Coalition for Property Rights (CPR) in Orlando will move under JMI’s umbrella as the Center for Property Rights, giving the institute a larger presence in Central Florida. JMI is also raising its profile in Southwest Florida as Don Orrico was named the group’s Southwest Florida development director and will operate out of Naples. Back in Tallahassee, Sal Nuzzo, who joined JMI as the vice president of policy back in September after working for the Florida Chamber of Commerce, was named in charge of JMI’s Center for Economic Prosperity.“Population growth combined with Florida’s consistent high ranking on economic freedom indices provides ideal timing for the launch of these key policy centers,” said Bob McClure, the president and CEO of JMI, on Monday. “As new residents are added daily, Florida will face new challenges and increased pressure on the state’s budget and natural resources.“Intensifying our knowledge base in the essential areas of private property rights and fiscal policy will strengthen JMI’s impact in Florida,” McClure added. “Adding Don and Dan to the team will also increase our ability to build an even more robust network in Naples and Orlando.”Peterson and Orrico are no strangers to public affairs in the Sunshine State. Besides serving as the director for CPR, Peterson worked in Tallahassee as a legislative assistant in both chambers of the Legislature. He also worked as a public affairs manager for Sprint. Orrico worked for the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) and for U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., both in Washington, D.C., and in Florida. Fittingly, as a proud native of the Bronx, Orrico also worked for the storied New York Yankees.In his new post, Peterson will continue to focus on Floridians’ property rights. At his new assignment, Nuzzo will tackle fiscal issues, including taxes and the budget, and will work on public policy matters.McClure said expanding his team and branching out across the state will help JMI better fulfill its mission.“There’s no better time to increase our dedication to ensuring Florida remains one of the most economically free states in the nation,” McClure said on Monday. “And we’re excited to further our mission through these new developments and make a lasting imprint on the policymaking process in the Sunshine State.” Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSNArticle: http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/conservative-james-madison-institute-expands-across-florida
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