Gov. DeSantis rolls out $115 billion budget plan
Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking lawmakers to spend $510 million to combat illegal immigration and create a six-week sales tax holiday on gun and ammunition purchases as part of his proposed state budget for the next fiscal year. In his recommended $115.6 billion budget, DeSantis would spend nearly $590 million to continue a popular home-hardening program and resume back-to-school and disaster preparedness sales tax holidays. More from the Tampa Bay Times, the Orlando Sentinal, and the Miami Herald.
Suburban sites score high in Citizens' search for office location
The closely watched decision by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. on whether it will stay in downtown Jacksonville or move to the suburbs is headed into the home stretch after an evaluation team spread its top scores to three Southside office buildings and Citizen's current home in EverBank Center. The highest-ranked proposals in the Southside were for office space in the building formerly used by Florida Coastal School of Law, the Florida Blue campus off Butler Boulevard and another multi-building campus whose big tenant is Citigroup. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Brevard seeks $130 million from Space Florida for improvements to Sykes Creek wastewater plant
Brevard Commissioners are asking Space Florida to pay for $130 million in upgrades to a Merritt Island water treatment plant to help handle increased demand from the commercial space industry. Space Florida is pursuing a significant expansion of wastewater treatment capacity at the Merritt Island Sykes Creek treatment plant, requesting that the county increase the plant's capacity to handle an additional 300,000 gallons per day by 2027. More from Florida Today.
Live Local Act backlash growing in Fort Lauderdale. But some say give state’s affordable housing law a chance.
Neighborhoods all over Fort Lauderdale now say they have something new to worry about — high-rise towers built in the name of affordable housing, rising in places they were never meant to rise along commercial corridors all over town. Another worrisome detail: The towers will be approved administratively, with no public input from the city’s elected officials or the residents they serve. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Hillsborough voted to extend its sales tax 15 years. Here’s what’s planned
In November, Hillsborough County voters approved a renewal of the Community Investment Tax for 15 years — extending the half-percent sales tax that funds major public construction projects through 2041. The renewed tax, most commonly known as the CIT, will begin Dec. 1, 2026 and work mostly the same as it does now. Since the tax began three decades ago in 1996, the county has generated $2.77 billion to fund or partially pay for 784 capital projects, everything from schools and fire stations to Raymond James Stadium. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Sports Business
Southwest Florida celebrates 100 years of hosting MLB spring training
When the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays report to work mid-February, they begin six weeks of practices and Grapefruit League games, honing their skills and preparing for Major League Baseball’s regular season. As the 2025 season nears, so does the 100th anniversary of Southwest Florida’s spring training tradition. The exhibition games, which quickly began boosting the surrounding area’s retail and restaurant businesses, started in 1925. That economic engine since has grown, as has the area surrounding the baseball parks.
» More from Gulfshore Business.
Media and Entertainment
Florida's last public-access television station
The last public access television station in Florida is located in the University area at the University Mall. Tampa Bay Community Network is a non-profit organization that trains people in video production and provides five cable channels and six streaming apps to Tampa Bay.
» Read more from WFTS.