The Hope Florida charity created by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration took in more than $867,000 in donations in its first year, mostly from companies regulated by the state or doing business with it, according to the organization’s first tax filing.
In the year leading up to Tampa Electric asking state regulators for a hotly contested rate increase, the utility gave $123,408, more than any other private company.
Centene, the Medicaid contractor that was later “directed” in a settlement agreement to donate $10 million to the charity, gave $95,223. Disaster-management and technology firms that receive hundreds of millions of dollars in state contracts also contributed…