Monday's Afternoon Update

New Property Laws Taking Effect

There are a couple of new laws property owners should keep in mind as the 2010 property tax season kicks off. If you've added buildings, additions or other improvements to your property, you can be spared from the standard retroactive taxes that have been charged in the past. Also, if your home is severely tainted with Chinese drywall, your property should be valued at $0, because of a law passed this year in the state Legislature. [Source: Miami Herald]

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» Tax News Unlikely to Be Happy

Port Becomes Part of Water 'Highway'

The Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration has selected Port Canaveral to be part of the East Coast Marine Highway Initiative, which could clear the path for additional funding and bring more revenue to the port. The program is a partnership between Port Canaveral and ports in New Bedford, Mass., and Baltimore to develop a service that will use a fleet of existing and new U.S. vessels to transport goods to destinations along the Interstate 95 corridor, thus easing the reliance on over-the-road transportation. [Source: Florida Today]

Workers Turn to Graduate-Level Business Certificates

Want more earning power without paying big bucks for an MBA? Get a business certificate, some South Florida employers say. More advanced than a bachelor's degree but not quite a master's, the certificate bills itself as a tool for promotion in today's competitive job market. And employers value certificates in the workplace, where experience used to trump education in certain fields. [Source: Miami Herald]

Brevard's EDC Faces Pressure to Perform

Just a few months after contentious meetings at the Brevard County Commission over funding, and about midway through a three-year campaign to create 2,250 jobs, leaders of the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast acknowledge they're under considerable pressure this year to show results. "It's a critical year for the EDC," said Bill Cunningham, the Economic Development Commission’s chairman. "But it’s a critical year for the EDC, the economy and all of us. It goes well beyond the EDC." [Source: Florida Today]

Despite Tough Times, Some Workers Still Looking to Change Jobs

Hemmed in for years by the recession, some workers are beginning to seek out new career opportunities, even though the job market remains anemic. A few weeks ago, Erin Cook of Orlando quit a steady job in the marketing department of SeaWorld Orlando after working there for five years. Like SeaWorld, her new employer, Publicis Meetings USA, a conventions organizer, is well-established and international. And her new post as an associate director of business development there is a promotion. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]