Rent tax rankles Florida businesses

Florida stands alone as the only state charging a business-rent tax on rent and utility expenses. Earlier proposals from Gov. Rick Scott to cut the tax lacked legislative support. But now, state business lobby groups, such as the Business Rent Tax Coalition, have been rallying companies in Florida to support an overhaul of the 6 percent tax. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Publix tops the list of Florida's most valuable brands

Publix is Florida's most valuable brand according to Brand Finance, a brand valuation and strategy consulting firm that ranked the top 500 most powerful and valuable brands in the country. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Data Mine: Key economic indicators show Florida's economy is strong

Key economic indicators -- nonfarm payroll employment, average hours worked in manufacturing, the unemployment rate, and wage and salary disbursements deflated by the consumer price index -- show Florida's economy made improvements across the board in May, 2016. The only decline was in new home permit activity. See all the stats here.

Invasive whitefly species spreading through Florida, could threaten crops

The Q-biotype whitefly, a significant pest that could damage agriculture, has spread from Palm Beach to seven other Florida counties, according to a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher. Crops that could eventually be affected include tomatoes, squash, beans, watermelons and many other vegetables and ornamentals, said Lance Osborne, an entomology professor at UF/IFAS. See the full story from UF IFAS here. The story contains tips to thwart the spread, and who to contact if you find whitefly.

Are Florida’s utilities ready for the next big storm?

As the director of energy studies at the University of Florida’s Public Utility Research Center, Ted Kury helps utility providers and policymakers decide how to best prepare for severe storms. With the first storm of the 2016 hurricane season in the books, Kury weighed in on how well utility companies have prepared. See the Q & A interview with Kury, here.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› FWC invites communities to submit proposals for $825,000 in bear-conflict reduction funding [MY FWC]
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites counties and other local governments to submit proposals so the agency can effectively distribute state funding for reducing bear conflicts in Florida communities.

› South Florida borrowers could get mortgage loan reductions [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Nearly 1,500 South Florida borrowers may be eligible for reductions of their outstanding mortgage loan balances under a federal program announced in April.

› Indiana firm moves headquarters to Tampa [Business Observer]
Supplemental group health insurance firm BeniComp Insurance Co. relocated its headquarters from Fort Wayne, Ind. to Tampa.

› Thales expansion takes off: 500 new jobs in Central Florida [Thales]
Thales USA, a tech company focused on airline in-flight entertainment systems, has added to its local expansion plans with a new announcement on the Space Coast. Thales InFlyt Experience is targeting 500 net-new jobs between Brevard County and Orlando by the end of 2020.

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› Sunrise-based Pet Supermarket merges with Pet Valu of Ontario [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Sunrise-based Pet Supermarket has merged with Pet Valu of Ontario, Canada, the companies announced Monday. Pet Supermarket, which has 165 stores in the southeastern U.S. and 43 in South Florida, will continue to be based in Sunrise.

› New UNF poll shows mixed feelings about pension tax plan [UNF]
A new poll of likely voters in Duval County by the Public Opinion Research Laboratory (PORL) at the University of North Florida shows that support for the pension tax plan is not universal.

› Boat-wash business eyes Florida [Fort Myers News-Press]
Does a clean boat bottom appeal to you? Leaders of a boat-wash business new to the United States visited marinas in Southwest Florida last week in an effort to land new customers.

› Sarasota Lionfish Derby puts 'a hurtin'' on invasive lionfish [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
A captain of one of six teams entered in the third annual Sarasota Lionfish Derby said the invasive species is becoming more difficult to hunt. Team We Be Dreamin’ won the derby’s $1,000 top prize with 349 lionfish.