Friday's Afternoon Update

Posted 3/27/2015

Updated 9 yearss ago

Florida's jobless rate drops slightly

The state added 19,700 jobs over the month, slightly better than its January performance, with more than a third of the gain coming in trade, transportation and utilities, a broad category that includes lower-paying retail jobs. More at the Tampa Bay Times and the AP.

$4 billion dollars separate Florida's House and Senate budget proposals

A more than $4 billion dollar difference between the House and Senate budget proposals is detailed in the latest Budget Watch from Florida TaxWatch. The nonpartisan taxpayer watchdog group's annual analysis of the initial budgets shows that the largest point of contention between the chambers is in funding the health and human services portion of the budget. Read the full piece from Florida TaxWatch.

Florida may be first to achieve pay equality -- in two decades

Taxes
Florida More Expensive for Tax Preparation

You're not alone if you're low on cash after paying someone to prepare your federal income taxes.

Florida is one of the least affordable states to get tax help, according to a new study

Florida is projected to become the first state in the nation to close the wage gap between men and women — but it will take more than two decades. The long-sought goal of equal pay for equal work won't be achieved until at least 2038. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Florida conference attendee had measles

State health officials say an international attendee at a conference in Central Florida last week was infected with measles. The Florida Department of Heath said Thursday that the person stayed at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center on March 16 and 17, but also visited Miami-Dade, Orange and Sarasota counties. More at the AP and the Orlando Sentinel.

Optimism high as Palm Beach Boat Show opens

Since the recession hit in 2008, crippling business, the marine industry in Palm Beach County has been recovering at an ever faster speed. It brought more than $1.8 billion in economic impact in fiscal 2014, about double the level in 2010. More at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Technology
Technology Alone Won’t Solve Our Collaboration Problems

Skype, FaceTime, and similar desktop videoconferencing tools are connecting us everywhere. Every week a vendor introduces a new gadget, system, or service that promises to make us communicate and collaborate better, faster. But they don’t provide all the contextual information we need.