Wednesday's Daily Pulse
Florida debt falls for 4th year in a row
Florida's amount of debt keeps dropping and has now fallen to $24.2 billion. That's according to an annual report presented Tuesday to Gov. Rick Scott and members of the Cabinet. [Source: Florida Today]
Job openings point to sustained employment gains
The number of available U.S. jobs rose in October to the second-highest level in 14 years, and companies kept hiring at a healthy pace, adding to evidence of an improving economy. More from the AP, Bloomberg and Reuters.
Gambling's value to Florida debated
A group representing the commercial casino industry says gambling is big business in Florida, even though the state ranks easily in the lower half of 23 states documented. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
 Lee Sandler [Photo: Daniel Portnoy] |
Florida Trend Exclusive
How policy changes will impact international trade in Florida
International trade expert Lee Sandler talks about how changing trade policies affect Florida. “The trend to go to China or Asia isn’t over. There are strong economic reasons for doing that,” Sandler said. Access full article.
Citizens Property Insurance revamps criticized program
Reacting to harsh criticism, Citizens Property Insurance is revamping the way it pushes homeowners policies into the private market. The move comes a month after a Tampa Bay Times article detailed consumer complaints over how state-run Citizens was letting private insurers take policies out. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Sentinel.
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› NY firm iQor moving its international HQ to St. Petersburg [Tampa Bay Times]
iQor U.S., a New York-based firm that acquired Jabil Circuit's aftermarket services business earlier this year, is moving its international headquarters to downtown St. Petersburg.
› Miami Worldcenter subsidy negotiations under way [Miami Herald]
Only days after announcing that construction would begin soon on the first phase of a sprawling commercial and residential complex just west of downtown, the developers of the Miami Worldcenter have quietly begun negotiating a public-subsidy package potentially worth tens of millions of dollars.
› Central Florida students learn to code through global program [Orlando Sentinel]
Hour of Code, tied to Computer Science Education Week, encourages students to spend at least one hour this week learning to code. The effort began as a way to help students develop problem-solving skills and give students early exposure to programming skills.
› Hope for 64-ounce growlers in Florida [Florida Times-Union]
Each year, Florida's craft brewers try to get the law changed to allow 64-ounce growlers. After all, the state is one of only three in the country to ban that most popular size of refillable jugs. But each year, the changes get shot down.
» See also: 2014 was another big year for craft beer
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
› Taxpayers out $307,000 so far in fight over welfare drug tests [Orlando Sentinel]
Taxpayers are on the hook for at least $307,000, and perhaps much more, to cover legal expenses in Gov. Rick Scott's failed efforts to convince courts that a campaign pledge to drug test welfare recipients is constitutional.
› Small company thrives with Women’s Business Center help [Florida Today]
Headquartered in Melbourne, Kegman Inc. is an Economically Disadvantaged, Women-Owned and Veteran-Owned Small Business that began with a part-time Security Division in 1999 providing commercial and residential security services.
› In Wynwood, a fine line between art and vandalism [Miami Herald]
In Miami’s Wynwood, where art and vision have turned a once-blighted collection of warehouses into a thriving community, spray cans and concrete go together like peanut butter and jelly. But art is in the eye of the beholder.
› Q&A: What happens if the Tampa Bay Rays leave Tropicana Field? [Tampa Bay Times]
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and the Tampa Bay Rays have reached a "memorandum of understanding" to let the team explore new stadium sites in Tampa. If the team finds a location outside St. Petersburg, they would then ask to terminate their current contract on Tropicana Field and the provisions of the memorandum would kick in.