Florida Trend | Florida's Business Authority

Wednesday's Daily Pulse

Obama surges to second term; Florida vote still in limbo

Despite Florida's electoral votes still hanging in uncertainty, President Barack Obama claimed a climactic re-election victory late Tuesday night and a second term in the White House. Florida's results, which seesawed through a suspenseful night of counting, were still too close to call when Ohio put Obama above the 270 electoral votes needed to secure victory. Read more from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the Tampa Bay Times.

Related:
» Miami-Dade will not have full results until Wednesday
» Not all bad news for GOP in Florida
» Keep on job track, no matter who wins
» For Obama movement, the opportunity for a second act
» Voter turnout shaping up to be lower than 2008


Nelson wins reelection, easily defeating Mack

Sen. Bill Nelson Democrat Bill Nelson strolled easily into reelection for a third term Tuesday, demolishing Republican challenger Connie Mack IV by a wide margin in a bitterly fought and expensive contest. Nelson, 70, will return to Washington as the only Democrat in statewide office in Florida and with a goal, he said, of breaking the partisan gridlock that has marred progress for the past two years. [Source: Miami Herald]

See also:
» Democrats have a strong showing in Florida House races
» Supreme Court justices cruise to merit retention wins
» Dorworth, in line to be House speaker, now in danger of losing his seat altogether
» Reports: Allen West loses re-election bid
» GOP sweeps state House, Senate


Florida voters reject 8 of 11 constitutional amendments

The Florida Legislature loaded up this year's historically long ballot with 11 lengthy and confusing constitutional amendments — only to see voters reject almost all of them. Eight of the amendments failed to get the requisite 60 percent vote, including a massive property tax overhaul, new abortion restrictions and a "religious freedom" proposal. [Source: Times/Herald]
Florida's Constitution
Florida Trend's guide to the 11 proposed amendments (Those that passed are listed in boldface. Those that failed are struckthrough):

Amendment 1 - Health Insurance Mandates
Amendment 2 - Veterans Tax Relief
Amendment 3 - Budget-Taxes
Amendment 4 - Property Tax Breaks
Amendment 5 - Judicial Reform
Amendment 6 - Abortion Restrictions
Amendment 8 - Religious Funding
Amendment 9 - Surviving Spouses Tax Relief
Amendment 10- Small Business Tax Break
Amendment 11 - Senior Homestead Tax Exemption
Amendment 12 - Student Representation


Workers with side businesses dream of quitting their day jobs

It’s one of the biggest decisions that startup entrepreneurs must make — when to quit their day jobs. Chantale Trouillot has been debating that question for the last five years. She dreams of when she can permanently exchange her nurse uniform for a business suit. For now, she juggles caring for patients with selling decision makers on her innovative product, a more functional hospital gown. [Source: Miami Herald]


Home prices jump 5 percent over one year

A measure of U.S. home prices jumped 5 percent in September compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year increase since July 2006. The gain reported by the influential real estate data company CoreLogic Inc. offered more evidence of a sustainable housing recovery. [Source: AP]


ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Florida college students with undocumented parents to get tuition break
The Florida Board of Education voted not to appeal a Miami federal judge’s decision that found the state’s higher tuition policy for certain college students unconstitutional.

› South Florida's wages, benefits increased only 1.3 percent in year
South Florida's wages and benefits barely grew 1.3 percent in a year and fell behind the national average's 2 percent increase after nearly catching up just three months earlier, a federal agency reported Tuesday.

› Seafood sustainability becoming hot topic among customers
When customers walk up to the seafood counter at Randy's Fish Market in Naples, they are looking for more than just dinner. Often they are looking for answers.

› Black Diamond casino cruises are ready to go
Launch day is finally here for the Black Diamond casino cruise ship, which is expected to officially start service Wednesday at 7 p.m. from the Port of Palm Beach, a company official said Tuesday. The same-day cruise-to-nowhere gambling trips were expected to begin this summer, but the 'cast off' date was delayed because of extensive upgrades to the 160-foot vessel.


Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› IT 'palooza' to bring tech groups together
Looking for a job in information technology? Here's a great event to attend: "IT Palooza," an event to bring 50 tech groups in South Florida together for networking and holiday cheer, will be held Dec. 12 at Nova Southeastern University's Graduate School of Computer and Information Science.

› FARO Technologies regains some ground after stock tailspin
Its sales bitten by Europe's economic crisis and its stock buffeted by investors, Lake Mary-based FARO Technologies Inc. began to claw its way back this week as Wall Street recalibrated its financial prospects.

› Seven Tips for Writing a Press Release
When written correctly, a press release can pique a reporter’s interest and provide your organization valuable media coverage. Whether communicating information about a new product or service, an upcoming event or the hiring of a new staff member, a press release is an excellent way to gain free publicity for your organization.

› First bids are in to provide Jackson Health System ER services
In the first step of a process that has been heavily criticized by Jackson’s unions and some county commissioners, the lowest bid for the main contract — services for adults at Jackson Memorial Hospital — came from Paragon Health, a Fort Lauderdale company, which said it could supply physician services for three years for $20.4 million.