SHARE:
Thursday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
DeSantis unveils Florida state budget with bonuses for teachers and police
Flush with booming tax revenues and billions in federal cash, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday unveiled a $99.7 billion budget that includes $1,000 bonuses for teachers and police and suspending gas taxes for several months next year. Calling it the “Freedom First Budget” to echo DeSantis’ political slogan, his proposed budget includes nearly $1 billion for the environment and no tuition increases for state colleges and universities. More from Click Orlando and the Tampa Bay Times.
More people are moving to Tampa Bay from South Florida. Why?
It’s no secret that the population in Florida, and Tampa Bay, is growing. But it’s not only northerners fleeing the cold who are flocking to Tampa Bay. A new feeder market is emerging from within the state — residents from South Florida are moving to Tampa Bay at a fast clip. South Florida — from Palm Beach to Miami — has had the three most populous counties in the state for decades. But the most recent surge of people into Tampa Bay may push Hillsborough into one of the top counties in the coming years. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Opinion: Why Florida’s workforce is embracing the flex labor economy
The pandemic has created a seismic shift in how workers look at their careers and jobs. And while many might be tired of hearing about it, the Harvard Business Review shows that the data remains consistent: Americans want flexible career options, to be paid fairly and to be taken care of. In fact, 88% of workers admit that when searching for a new position, they will look for one that offers complete flexibility in hours and location. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Florida-based cruise line rebrands as Margaritaville at Sea
Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville empire has found itself a party ship. The bar, restaurant and resort chain is launching Margaritaville at Sea, taking over control of the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s Grand Classica ship and rebranding it as the Margaritaville Paradise. “To me, the only thing better than being on a beach by the ocean, is to be on the ocean. Now you can follow in our wake,” said Buffett in a press release. More from the Orlando Sentinel .
New retailer that bills itself as the 'Whole Foods of pet supplies' coming to Sarasota
A pet retail store that bills itself as the "Whole Foods of pet supplies" is coming to Gulf Coast Florida, including Sarasota. Pet Evolution, based in Minnesota, said it has signed a franchise agreement to bring 20 locations to the Tampa area over the next 10 years. Franchise owners Teri O’Donnell and Gary Meyers are eyeing Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and as far south as Fort Myers and Naples as possible areas for expansion. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Florida Trend Exclusive
Employee pay
Median pay at some of Florida's largest companies.
Business Profile
Food company faces new challenges in market it helped define
Without a doubt, 2020, with a massive shift to takeout and delivery orders, was a year of reckoning for the restaurant and foodservice industry. And 2021’s supply-chain and labor shortage issues have only added to the complex new reality for companies such as Fitlife Foods, a 10-year-old Tampa firm with a foothold in both delivery and brick-and-mortar operations.
» Read more from the Business Observer.
In case you missed it:
