Responding to the crisis, DeSantis left Lawson nominally in place. Im following up though on any better guidance than just keep waiting. of Economic Opportunity, Florida Gulf Coast University, A.A., 2003; University of Florida, B.A. Ron DeSantis to head the Department of Economic Opportunity. Former Florida Representative Dane Eagle (RESIGNED) (R). Florida homeowners who believe they may be eligible are encouraged to register. Ron DeSantis to lead the beleaguered Department of Economic Opportunity on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. People should be able to learn and know the risks as well as any benefits and whether they are effective or not., I think there needs to be someone looking out for everyday people, Eagle tells The Florida Standard. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff to (then-Republican) Gov. DeSantis said the money will help accommodate new . No word on when the family, including a three-year old golden retriever will be relocating to Tallahassee.. Hes now petitioning his former colleagues to provide enough funding to increase staffing and fund technology upgrades. We wish you the best in your next endeavors.. Adding frustration is that some say theyve been waiting months to receive benefits owed, without any knowledge of why their claims are stuck or when theyll finally get paid. He truly has everyones best interest at heart and puts others before himself. Dane Eagle, secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, has announced he will resign on Dec. 30. DEO, in turn, works directly with those homeowners to determine their eligibility for the program and provide assistance. St. Petersburg, Florida 33704. For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visitwww.FloridaJobs.org. Our customers remain our top priority. Putting freedom first and not giving in to the tides, Eagle told The Florida Standard. State Representative Dane Eagle of Cape Coral was appointed Wednesday by Gov. Eagle, a former Majority Leader in the House, joined the administration shortly before the end of his eight years in the Legislature. Extends special . [4], Eagle won election to the Florida House of Representatives in 2012, at age 29. He was apologetic for his mistake and says he has learned from it. "We then put a stop to another 700,000 other . Lee County said operators are working through a database to call everyone between the hours of [], Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is resigning effective Monday, becoming the highest-ranking member of President Donald Trumps administration to resign in protest after the pro-Trump insurrection at Capitol. Under your leadership at @FLDEO, you helped to strengthen our communities and nation-leading economy. The agency is also working to ensure its not losing money to fraud. Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Theres literally thousands of people in the state more qualified for this job. Dane Eagle, a Florida State representative and House Majority Leader, has been appointed as the new executive director of the DEO. DEO has stepped up its marketing and awareness campaigns addressing fraud. However, the Governor charged Satterwith rehabbing the failed website. [15] Nevertheless, the News-Press went on to endorse Eagle for reelection later that year, stating, "We know he cares about his job. Former Secretary of Economic Opportunity & House Majority Leader. Dane Eagle is a Head of the Department at Economic Opportunity based in Savannah, Georgia. The office of Florida Secretary of Economic Opportunity is vacant. Events like SRQs Where The Votes Are workshops made Ogles one of Southwest Floridas most respected political analysts, and outlets like WWSB ABC 7 and WSRQ Sarasota have featured his insights. When I joined your administration in September 2020, that states unemployment rate was 8.7%, which was quickly rebounding from the 13.9% rate a few months earlier due to the global pandemic. Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182 For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visit, Appeal Decision of Referee to the Commission, File an OnlineAppeal with the Commission, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Contact Your Local LIHEAP Provider for Help, Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program, Contact Your Local Weatherization Office for Help, Contact Your Local CSBG Provider for Help, Community Development Block Grant Program, Accessing Comprehensive Plans and Plan Amendments, Local Workforce Development Area WIOA Plans, Workforce Program Materials and Information, Community Planning Development & Services. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has been under siege the past year, as it tries to tend to an understaffed, out of date, and overwhelmed unemployment system. Reveal Join Facebook to connect with Dane Eagle and others you may know. The Melbourne area mom and out-of-work merchandiser is not alone. As far as call centers, yes, those are trained staffers and some of them are contracted staffers that can assist with some of the claim processing issues, Eagle said. Gov. Hes putting an unqualified political hack in charge of a big agency experiencing a crisis of operations and morale. Come on, man, this is an unforced error. This is another important step forward to continue helping Florida homeowners who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through no fault of their own, said Secretary Dane Eagle. Dane Eagle's Personal Email Address, Business Email, and Phone Number are curated by ContactOut on this page. Our historically low unemployment rate of 2.7% is an entire point below the national rate of 3.7% and has remained below the national rate for 23 consecutive months. Critics called the decision premature, given the persistent backlog of claims and the failure of CONNECT, the state's antiqued online system, to effectively facilitate claims. Notably, Eagles last months of service took place as his home community of Lee County bore the brunt of Hurricane Ian, which many experts predict will be the most expensive storm in U.S. history. These funds will help the states homeowners become current on their mortgages and other homeowner expenses and will help prepare Florida families for future financial stability.. I cant wait to get started., POLITICO Floridas Matt Dixon was first to specifically speculate that Eagle was in line for the position, tweeting Tuesday evening, If I were a betting man, Id put my money on @DaneEagle to replace Ken Lawson at @FLDEO. Businesses and families move to Florida because they know our state is the best place to grow. He was there to speak on job growth in Nassau County. Under your leadership at @FLDEO, you helped to strengthen our communities and nation-leading economy. When I joined your administration in September 2020, the states unemployment rate was 8.7%, which was quickly rebounding from the 13.9% rate a few months earlier due to the global pandemic, Eagle said. and discover candidates outside of LinkedIn, Trusted by 400K users from 76% of Fortune 500 companies, Find anyone, anywherewith ContactOut today. Eagle also highlighted the multiple disasters that he oversaw, touting the work DeSantis and his team did to help Floridians recover. Thank you, Secretary @DaneEagle, for your outstanding service to Floridas businesses and workforce. An employee with a municipality in Brevard County shared with Spectrum News documentation showing nearly a dozen city workers receiving notifications and/or unemployment checks from DEO, even though none of the employees ever applied for unemployment benefits. In a resignation letter to Gov. I predicted he would be a failure at that job. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. [4][1] He started as a travel aide to Crist during the latter's 2006 gubernatorial campaign. DEO, under Eagles guidance, worked with News 6s Mike Holfeld to help recover millions of dollars in unemployment benefits for people across Florida through Make Ends Meet. Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. Twitter:@PeterSchorschFL Im angry at the same time because assistance is supposed to be there for people like me who are struggling and its not helping, Priebe said. Whether your client is a big business, environmental interest or youre fighting for families or special health needs everyone needs someone fighting for them, says Eagle. If I could not make that payment, I would have been in default with my mortgage, said Linda T., a homeowner assisted by the Homeowner Assistance Fund pilot program through Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. [1] After Crist won the election, Eagle became "special assistant to the governor"[1] before being elevated to deputy chief of staff. Eagle spoke highly of his time in the administration, and parted with high praise for DeSantis. I fell and broke my hip and was unable to pay for my homeowners insurance. More recently, he has shown very poor judgment by driving intoxicated while in Tallahassee on the public dime. Dane Eagle's Professional Skills Radar All rights reserved. The outgoing House Republican Leader lost a chance to represent CD 19 last month. Eagle was a state representative from Southwest Florida and the outgoing Florida House Majority Leader when he took on the job in September 2020. DeSantis sidelined Lawson in April after COVID-19-related closures brought the economy to its knees and record-breaking joblessness buckled the states unemployment compensation system, CONNECT. ARY Digital, Enjoy unlimited access Former Executive Director Ken Lawson stepped down from his. Dane is committed to doing that, and he also understands, look I said this is a big bureaucracy, its a big state. If you have any questions, please contact me at (850) 245-7413 or via email at [email protected] or Richard Evans, Policy & Guidance Supervisor, at (850) 245-7410 or via email at [email protected]. A recent independent audit, commissioned by DEO, found the agency would likely need upwards of $244 million over the next five years to fully replace the CONNECT system itself. This registration process will help to ensure that eligible Florida homeowners receive assistance as quickly and efficiently as possible. Its frustrating because a system should be designed to work, said Mindy Weiss of Orlando. Some, however, have described even issues with the chat feature. TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Dane Eagle, former Secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, joins Ballard Partners, a bipartisan lobbying firm working to help clients navigate complex political and governmental matters. Term Limits, 2019. That congressional primary was going to produce a congressman and the next head of DEO. 20, 2021. Every week when I go in to look at the payment history I claimed it says disqualified, Weiss said. Yes, I see this. The bill revives supplemental federal pandemic unemployment benefits but at $300 per week through March 14 instead of the $600 per week benefit that expired in July. Former Executive DirectorKen Lawson stepped down from his position Monday, embattled for months as the states unemployment system struggled under a surge of applicants this spring. Ron DeSantis about people like Wendy Bean and Mindy Weiss. If I could not make that payment, I would have been in default with my mortgage,, It helped me a lot because I had gotten an extension on my electricity bill, but it had come due and I did not know how I was going to pay it,, Learn more and register to participate by visiting, The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity combines the states economic, workforce, and community development efforts, expediting economic development projects to fuel job creation in competitive communities and promote economic resiliency. Both he and Department of Management Services Secretary Jonathan Satter will lead the states unemployment claims effort until Eagle completes his transition. Gov. Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Secretary Dane Eagle (right) speaks at a news conference in Marathon on Oct. 28, 2022. In the 2012 Republican primary, Eagle defeated former Cape Coral City Councilman Chris Berardi,[7][8] winning 10,026 votes (70.6%) to Berardi's 4,183 votes (29.4%). This is another important step forward to continue helping Florida homeowners who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through no fault of their own,, Duke Energys collaboration with the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has been instrumental in connecting our customers to financial assistance through the Homeowner Assistance Fund pilot program,, With the pandemic continuing to affect so many, we understand some folks are experiencing financial hardship,, We are looking forward to the opportunity to work with DEO to connect customers with critical relief in their time of need,, Florida homeowners who are eligible for the program include those who have experienced a financial hardship after, or that continued after, January 21, 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, meet the income qualifications, and are homeowners requesting assistance for their primary residences. They're concerned about losing their home and possessions. [" * Hel ow vas we.= ee a ei vi ashe io RE a ve eee pere oil = 3 \u2014 oo = == es a 3 a Aye \u2014 Po lage mn ini es wrt i \u2014\u2014 wir sor $ + rte mdash . You have these Nigerian princes looting some of these systems and so we didnt want that to happen in Florida, so we maintained integrity of it that ended up saving taxpayers a lot of money, said DeSantis. Mr. Eagle has the perfect qualification to be appointed by Gov. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. He says the agency is doing everything in its power to make sure all eligible claimants receive their payments. To date, DEO has provided more than $1 million in assistance to 137 Florida homeowners through the pilot program to mitigate financial hardships following the pandemic. The state's unemployment rate remains low, while private sector employment and job growth continue to soar," said Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) Secretary Dane Eagle. In a resignation letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis later that day announced he could name a replacement as soon as Tuesday but he did not in his two public appearances. Weve done a lot in the last four years. STAFF LOGIN. Rep. Dane Eagle will replace the former head of the Department of Economic Opportunity, the Governors Office announced Wednesday. The agency has hundreds of additional workers. [33] Under Eagle, the state tightened requirements for workers to receive benefits. Even a year later, problems still persist. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. St. Petersburg, Florida 33704. Ron DeSantis tweeted to thank Eagle for his work as DEO secretary. Nearly a year since the start of a surge of unemployment claim troubles - many people are still having problems. A Republican, Eagle was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis as Secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity in September 2020. What is Dane Eagle's role at Florida House of Representatives? But some say more needs to be done. Something to know: https://t.co/DBJde2RfoO pic.twitter.com/dhbnBpXRPS, My message to them is we hear you, Eagle said. This next phase of the state of Floridas Homeowner Assistance Fund program comes on the heels of the United States Department of the Treasurys (U.S. Treasury) approval of the states Homeowner Assistance Fund Needs Assessment and Plan on February 9, 2022. When other states were locking down, you lifted people up, and as a result, Floridas economy is beyond resilient, leading the nation by virtually every measure, Eagle added. Once a homeowners registration has been reviewed and the homeowner is determined as potentially eligible, an email with detailed information will be sent for the homeowner to complete the next step of the application process. You have selected a link to a website that is outside of the floridajobs.org domain. Ron DeSantis. DEO head Dane Eagle, at a news conference held on a sidewalk in front of a downtown Tallahassee deli, urged the jobless to rejoin the workforce. Thank you, Secretary @DaneEagle, for your outstanding service to Floridas businesses and workforce, he said on Twitter. It came in at the right time for me, thats for sure!, It helped me a lot because I had gotten an extension on my electricity bill, but it had come due and I did not know how I was going to pay it, said Leah B., a homeowner assisted by the Homeowner Assistance Fund pilot program through Duke Energy. Get today's headlines in. Montral-matin. Dust off your resumes, Dane Eagle says it's time to hit the bricks. . Be alerted to legislation that matters to you, your clients or your members as they move through the state's fast-paced process. Eagles lost by 777 votes. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. On Wednesday, new property insurance prompt-pay laws go into effect, getting you your money faster and more efficiently. I think the media is ridiculously biased against DeSantis. Eagle said 1,800 DEO employees are working 'night and day' to address the backlog . Christie joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021. These economic headwinds also contributed to a growing crisis with the states reemployment assistance system operated by DEO, requiring an all-hands-on-deck effort to secure funding to modernize the system and swiftly help hard-working Floridians get back on their feet.. I thank the Governor and the First Lady for their friendship and well wishes. Phone: (727) 642-3162 Ive known Brian Ballard for 17 years, and it seemed like a natural fit. I am extremely grateful for the dedication and focus that you all have given to the people of Florida., In comments to media Monday, the Governor criticized the difficult system Lawson administered, crediting Satterwith getting it going.. This has been then [sic] honor of a lifetime, Eagle wrote above the letter. address is d*****@eaglerealtyflorida.com. In the spirit of moving forward and turning the page, I have resigned from DEO, Lawson wrote in an email to staff. It was a great experience not only leading DEO but leading under the governors leadership., Dane Eagle is one of the most personable, caring, and hard-working people in state government, James Uthmeier, Governor DeSantis Chief of Staff tells The Florida Standard. Chart, Frequently Asked Questions about Dane Eagle, Dane Eagle works for Florida House of Representatives. We wish you the best in your next endeavors. Additionally, we have responded to multiple disasters, in luding Hurricane Ian which devastated my home community, and awarded over a billion dollars in long-term disaster recovery funds to homeowners and communities across Florida, Eagle said. Dane Eagle, head of Florida's unemployment agency, told the Senate Select Committee on Pandemic Preparedness and Response on March 1, 2021, that retaining the current system is "not an option." Hundreds of thousands of Floridians, a number that eventually surpassed 1 million, were met with a website that locked them out of applications and glitches that made the process unnavigable. 1963-7-10. mercredi 10 juillet 1963. We wish you the best in your next endeavors.. I was wrong. Then the HAF funds came in just in time. Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. These are only a few of the many examples of how, under your leadership, the exceptional people at DEO are assisting in advancing Floridas economy by helping citizens, businesses and communities thrive, he wrote of DeSantis. This required a massive effort to bring in workers to handle applications and an effort to modernize the unemployment system. Many Florida homeowners have already experienced the positive impact that this fund can offer other eligible participants in the program, I fell and broke my hip and was unable to pay for my homeowners insurance. Copyright 2000-2023 Lobbytools, Inc.Increase your Legislative Intelligence with LobbyTools - Florida's most powerful research, monitoring, news and analysis service. Following the announcement, DeSantis thanked Eagle for his service. The couple has a new-born son, Ronin. After being furloughed in Spring 2020, then called back to work for a few months, Weiss was eventually laid off permanently from her waitressing job at a pizza restaurant in Orlando. Florida will have an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 travel trailers available for families in need of short term shelter, the state says. Problems, however, persisted, with arguments now that a system band-aided by a patchwork of temporary solutions simply needs to be replaced. 14 on the list of Tampa Bays Most Powerful Politicians: Janet Long, Think tank: Expanding school choice costs billions more than House estimates. Joining DEO marked a return to the executive branch for Eagle. Im excited to come to the Capital halls to help fight for those causes., When we asked Eagle what he learned while leading DEO, he said, the government is a big bureaucracy. His work has appeared nationally in The Advocate, Wired and other publications. Nearly 2.5 million people have gotten benefits paid since March of 2020 but many others have issues. Eagle, who graduated from the University of Florida, was first elected to the House in 2012 and has served as majority leader during the past two legislative sessions. Well, good luck finding Eagle and his $144,200-a-year salary to ask him anything. Eagle took the reins after a tumultuous run by former DEO Executive Director Ken Lawson, who stepped down in September 2020 amid intense criticism that an unemployment system had been overwhelmed during the early months of the pandemic. Governor Ron DeSantis will begin hissecond term withoutSecretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) Dane Eagle after he announced his resignation on Monday. Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL. Twitter:@PeterSchorschFL High temperatures will reach the 80s under mostly sunny skies. [34], In May 2021, DeSantis and Eagle also withdrew Florida from the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which offered a $300 weekly increase to state unemployment benefits. We pushed against the tides and found ways to foster freedom, allowing people to make their own choices., I think were going to continue to see that trend, Eagle says. We had to do a lot of things to fix the system. Eagle then drove 45 mph in a 35-mph zone, struck a curb and ran a red light before he was stopped, police said. With a second child on the way, Eagle says he stepped away from state government to focus on his family, but he believes he can still make an impact in the lives of Floridians in his new role with Ballard Partners. I surrounded myself with the right people we had a great team at DEO., Finding efficiencies and following the governors lead and being bold enough to say what can we do better? while not caving to the bureaucracy was the goal, Eagle tells The Florida Standard. He attended Florida Gulf Coast University before graduating from the University of Florida, where he earned a bachelors degree in Economics. I asked @FLDEO Executive Director @DaneEagle about issues like this. Sometimes we address something and the CONNECT system gives us another problem weve got to deal with, but people are working night and day, Dane Eagle, Executive Director of DEO told Spectrum News this week. DeSantis for unemployment improvements made during his tenure. Today, we welcome Cape Coral Police Department's newest officers and thank them for the sacrifices they are making and will continue to make as they serve their community," said Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) Secretary Dane Eagle.