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Friday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Think housing is unaffordable? It’s only getting worse
Home price growth outpaced wage growth in most counties, RealtyTrac said. And the problem is getting worse: the number of metros that are growing less affordable according to their own historical standards grew. More from MarketWatch, Reuters, and National Mortgage News.
See also:
» Central Florida among affordable U.S. housing markets in Q1 2016
» South Florida housing market barrels toward unaffordability
» Full report from RealtyTrac
Perfect storm: Payday lenders harm Florida consumers despite state law
New CRL research confirms that over the past decade, a Florida law that was enacted to protect Florida consumers from the predatory harms of payday lending has done the exact opposite. Instead, since 2005 payday loan borrowers in the Sunshine State have spent over $2.5 billion in payday loan fees. Read the full story here and see more from the Tampa Bay Times.
U.S. manufacturing still weak; labor market flexes muscle
New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods fell in February as the sector continued to struggle with the lingering effects of a robust dollar and lower oil prices. The resilience of the labor market has helped calm fears the economy was heading into a recession. More from Reuters and Bloomberg.
Gov. Rick Scott signs 34 bills into law
Republican Gov. Rick Scott signed 34 bills into law today, including one requiring law enforcement agencies to adopt policies and training protocols for using officer-worn body cameras and another that makes it legal again for Floridians to carry concealed slungshots. Here is a list of 33 of the laws Gov. Scott signed yesterday. Also read a letter from the Governor to Sec. Kenneth Detzner regarding his authorization of HB 819, "Sunset Review of Medicaid Dental Services." See more at Times/Herald and WJHG.
Court: Florida doesn't have to pay fees despite losing case
A Florida appeals court says taxpayers don't have to pay attorney fees for groups that sued the Legislature over congressional districts. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Thursday that the League of Women Voters of Florida and a coalition of other groups cannot ask the state to pay their legal fees. [Source: AP]
› Kissimmee officials want to attract Puerto Ricans to medical corridor
As more Puerto Ricans leave the island in the midst of its financial crisis, Kissimmee city officials are delivering a simple message to them: "We are open for business."
› Scottish company announces Jacksonville as U.S. headquarters, 200 new jobs
Scotland-based City Refrigeration Holdings is opening its North American headquarters in Jacksonville, creating more than 200 new jobs.
› David Beckham group buys private land needed for Miami soccer stadium
David Beckham and his investors have purchased the private land needed for a new stadium in Overtown, the organization announced Thursday, marking the first time the celebrity athlete has actually acquired Miami real estate for his Major League Soccer franchise.
› Map: Florida population changes by county, 2014-2015
Most counties in the state experienced an increase in growth. For at least a second year in a row, some areas of North Florida and the Panhandle region had a decline in population. The greatest decline was in Lafayette County, which had its population decrease by 2.2 percent.
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