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Thursday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
A billion here, a billion there ... Budget tussle begins at Capitol
Florida lawmakers began the annual tussle over spending at the Capitol Wednesday as House and Senate committees worked on competing budget proposals. The two chambers’ bottom lines are similar but their priorities differ. The Senate budget is $87.3 billion and the House’s is $87.2 billion. [Source: Times/Herald]
From Florida Trend:
» Florida Legislature 2018: The issues and the players
Castro freezes Cuban private sector, throws future in doubt
Two years after taking office, President Raul Castro widened the niche for private enterprise in Cuba's state-dominated economy. Capitalism came pouring in. Eight years later, on the verge of leaving office, Castro has thrown the brakes on private enterprise in Cuba again, warning of the rapid pace of change and criminal activity. [Source: AP]
Measuring the economic impact of immigrants in Florida
With immigration reform remaining one of the biggest policy issues in 2018, a new study shows just how much economic impact immigrants have on the Florida economy. The WalletHub study compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 19 key metrics and concluded that Florida ranks 11th for the biggest economic impact from immigrants. See more detail from the study as it pertains to Florida, here.
Movement to open Florida’s primary-election system faces test
More than 3 million Floridians did not participate in the primary elections of 2016 because they are part of the growing number of “no-party affiliation voters,” those who choose not to be associated with either of the two major parties. Where many states have opened up primary elections to voters, Florida’s remains closed. [Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal]
Related quick poll:
» Should Florida's voter information be kept secret? (personal info such as home address, DOB, etc.) (quick poll)
Maria influx comes with more Puerto Rican cuisine
Marisol Santos and her Achiote Restaurant in Orlando have found a silver lining after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in September and drove thousands of residents to Central Florida. She’s finally been able to hire chefs skilled in cooking traditional Puerto Rican cuisine, like mofongo or arroz con gandules. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Spirit Airlines, pilots cut tentative contract deal with pay hikes, union says
Miramar-based discount carrier Spirit Airlines has reached a tentative contract with its 1,800 pilots that includes pay raises, job security provisions and a lift in insurance benefits, the pilots’ union announced Wednesday. Also read more at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
› Palm Beach County state attorney to lead group in fight against opioid crisis
The state attorney for Palm Beach County has been tapped to lead a group of prosecutors from 30 states in fighting the opioid crisis. Dave Aronberg will lead the group within the National District Attorneys Association and help develop policy proposals.
› Tupperware loses $375 million on new tax law
Kissimmee’s Tupperware Brands took a $375 million loss from the tax bill Congress passed in December, wiping out, at least on paper, any profits during the fourth quarter.
› Brightline owner offers to develop Miami-Dade County courthouse
With an unsolicited proposal from the developers of All Aboard Florida’s Brightline to build a Miami-Dade civil courthouse on the table, plans seem to be hitting another snag as the administration and Chief Judge Bertila Soto differ on the project’s scale and cost.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
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