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Friday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
› July saw another dip in Orange County tourist taxes
Tourist-tax revenues fell in July from a year ago, the fourth straight month that collections were lower year-over-year, according to figures released Thursday morning by Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond. July collections totaled $27.1 million, down about 5% from $28.4 million in July 2022 and down from $30 million in June, but total collections for fiscal year 2022-23 are still tracking ahead of last year’s record pace.
› FIU partners with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce to survey business owners about needs, challenges
Florida International University and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) today launched a survey of South Florida business owners and hiring decision-makers to identify and raise awareness of the challenges they face to meet current and future workforce needs.
› Sarasota's growing number of short-term rentals has long-term impact on affordable housing
Noise, traffic and changes to community character are the topics that tend to dominate recent debates about the area’s booming increase in short-term vacation rentals. But Cicely Hodges at the Florida Policy Institute is more concerned with short-term rentals' severe impact on affordable housing. Hodges is the institute’s new housing and community development policy analyst, adding her statewide expertise to a special focus on Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties.
› Idalia kills at least five million chickens in Florida
Almost a week after Hurricane Idalia hit Florida, the livestock body count is climbing higher, especially in poultry operations. The Messenger says estimates say as many as five million chickens died from the Category Three storm. Winds were around 125 mph when the storm hit land, and the hurricane tore apart barns and fence lines and killed livestock from cattle to chickens.
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