When are Florida sales tax holidays for hurricane, school supplies? What might change

Finally, a $1.3 billion tax cut package is before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature. That's welcome news for Florida residents used to a two-week tax holiday on disaster supplies. Hurricane season started June 1. While the tropics have been quiet so far, residents are used to two tax holidays as the season begins and a second near the peak of the season in September. Another holiday Florida residents are used to is the back-to-school tax holiday to help save money on school supplies. But if DeSantis signs the tax cut package, some things will change, not only for those two tax holidays holidays, but some others residents are used to. [Source: Florida Times-Union]

Business Beat - Week of June 20th

Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.

Florida new unemployment down last week to fewer than 7,500

Initial unemployment claims dropped by more than 1,000 for the week ending June 14 in Florida. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reports there were 7,415 first-time jobless filings last week, down by 1,371 claims from the 8,785 for the week ending June 7. The previous week’s number was the single largest increase in those claims this year and the first time in 2025 new filings exceeded 8,000. [Source: Florida Politics]

Companies invest millions in Florida higher education to shape future talent pipeline

In Florida’s major metros, businesses play a big role in partnering with colleges. From philanthropic funds to serving on advisory boards for course content, executives and companies get involved to help create the workforce they need. Many companies are providing education, both through internships and other hands-on learning opportunities outside the classroom. [Source: Orlando Business Journal]

Scallop season opens in Florida

Florida bay scallop season has started, and seafood lovers from across the state are already venturing off the coasts of Taylor and Dixie counties, where recreational harvesting is permitted now through Labor Day. Harvesting in other Gulf Coast counties will follow as the summer progresses. A newly revised "Ask IFAS" guide presents valuable information about this family-friendly activity, including boating safety tips and an overview of state laws. [Source: Gainesville Sun]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Wynwood pushed artists out. A neighborhood arts complex wants to build them a home [Miami Herald]
Nearly 40 years ago, the fading working-class neighborhood of Wynwood landed its first cadre of artists when a group fleeing rising rents in Coconut Grove moved their studios into a ramshackle Art Deco-era former commercial bread factory in the shadow of Interstate 95. Now, as the artists and galleries who helped turn Wynwood into Miami’s hippest urban district all but disappear under a tsunami of redevelopment, the Bakehouse Art Complex remains a funky, thriving oasis of creativity. But the people who run it want to do much more.

› Tampa Bay companies raised over $650M in the first half of 2025 [Tampa Bay Inno]
Deal flow in Tampa Bay over the first six months of the year has proven that big money isn’t reserved for billion-dollar brands. Cybersecurity giant ReliaQuest commanded headlines with a raise of more than $500 million in March, but other startups and growth-stage companies quietly pulled in funding rounds of $1 million or more, totaling over $100 million on their own. That figure is still climbing as filings emerge.

› Sleeper buses for the homeless? Apopka approves mobile shelter program [Orlando Sentinel]
A nonprofit group is offering shelters on wheels as a first step in addressing homelessness, and Apopka, Orange County’s second-largest city, wants in. The Apopka City Council approved an agreement Wednesday night that would allow Matthew’s Hope to park a special sleeper bus at a series of rotating locations in the city, providing at least 20 overnight shelter beds. But the proposal still has obstacles to overcome.

› Jacksonville extends Four Seasons completion deadline [Florida Times-Union]
The wait for getting a taste of the Four Seasons brand of five-star accommodations in downtown Jacksonville could take at least one more season's worth of construction than previously expected. The city extended the deadline for completion of the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Jacksonville by six months to the end of December 2026.

More stories ...

› Proposed 120-mile trail would link Sanford to Lake Okeechobee [Orlando Sentinel]
A proposed 120-mile trail from Lake Monroe in Sanford to Lake Okeechobee in South Florida could give Floridians another car-free place to bike and walk and could even help the endangered Florida panther, advocates say. The Lake to Lake Regional Trail, which would be Central Florida’s longest trail, is gaining momentum but still faces hurdles, including what will likely be a steep price tag.

› Florida court hits Citizens Property over blocked roof damage claim [Insurance Business Magazine]
A Florida appeals court has reversed a win for Citizens Property Insurance Corp. in a dispute over roof damage, saying the state-run insurer wrongly avoided a homeowner’s claim by relying on policy fine print. The decision, handed down June 18, reopens the door for two policyholders to argue for full repair costs - setting a tone insurers may want to pay attention to.

› You're not a winner: Florida Lottery warns of scams stealing dreams and dollars [WPEC]
The Florida Lottery is sounding the alarm as scammers ramp up fake prize calls, duping unsuspecting Floridians into handing over cash and personal information in the name of bogus lottery winnings. Officials say fraudsters are posing as lottery representatives, claiming victims have won large sums — but must first pay "taxes" or fees to collect.

› Government-backed loans fuel private equity takeover of Florida mobile home parks [Click Orlando]
Federal mortgage giants are helping corporate investors acquire mobile home communities across Florida, leading to dramatic lot rent increases, a News 6 investigation revealed. Florida leads the nation with 235 private equity-owned mobile home parks containing nearly 56,000 lots, according to data from the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a nonprofit research organization.