Gov. Scott and state bonds chief fight for Visit Florida funding

Gov. Rick Scott has distributed a letter by Ben Watkins, director of the Division of Bond Finance, to the Florida House and Senate budget chairmen, warning that cutting Visit Florida could damage the state’s credit rating. “Even a 2 percent reduction in visitors would result in a loss of $2.2 billion in travel spending and $225 million in tax revenue,” Watkins wrote. The state House and Senate appeared to be nearing a budget deal that would cut Visit Florida's $76 million budget to just $25 million next year. Scott had called for $100 million for the agency to market the state. More from Florida Politics and the Tampa Bay Times.

See also:
» CEO of Visit Florida makes case why defunding agency will cost state thousands of jobs
» Letter from Ben Watkins to legislators on how cutting funding to Visit Florida will impact state bond rating.
» Memo from Christian Weiss to Gov. Scott: "Potential impact of Visit Florida reduction." (Weiss is a member of the Revenue Estimating Conference.)

More on the Florida's budget negotiations:
» House and Senate move close to budget deal but Visit Florida would be cut
» Budget outline is set, but details remain, Negron says
» So much for 'unprecedented openness' as Corcoran, Negron cut budget deal in secret

Emergency workers say Disney's fireworks causing more brush fires

Emergency workers say they have been battling more brush fires than usual caused by fireworks from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Brush fires are of particular concern right now because of extremely dry conditions. Like many counties, Orange County has put a burn ban into effect. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Keys tourism would suffer from federal shutdown

Florida Keys backcountry guides have not forgotten the lost days of 2013, when large parts of the the federal government closed due to the federal government not passing a budget. The possibility of another federal shutdown returned this week with Congress trying to come to terms on a federal budget extension. [Source: FL Keys News]

Florida voters may vote on new property tax break

Florida homeowners may get an additional $25,000 homestead exemption if voters go along with the proposal. The Florida House on Wednesday voted 81-35 to put a constitutional amendment on the 2018 ballot that would allow homeowners to shield an additional $25,000 of the value of their home from most property taxes. [Source: AP]

House agrees to give Miami new casino, other concessions

After years of impasse over how to update Florida's gambling laws to reflect the changing times, the Florida House agreed to a series of major concessions Wednesday, including bringing a new casino to Miami-Dade County. More from the Times/Herald and CBS Miami.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Insurance agents expecting to write more South Florida policies with state-run Citizens [Miami Herald]
Get used to the idea that more South Florida homeowners will be forced back to state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the so-called insurer of last resort.

› Florida's wounded veterans invited on free fishing trip [WJXT]
Florida's wounded veterans are being offered an official invitation to register for a free offshore fishing trip this June. It's through the state's program Operation Outdoor Freedom, which launched in 2011.

› Escambia County holds economic development summit [Pensacola News Journal]
After only a partial presentation by FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance about job growth in the Pensacola region, several members of the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners pressed the organization about its efforts to not only recruit new businesses but to also help those already in the area.

› What South Florida city is best for Hispanic entrepreneurs? [Miami Herald]
Sorry, Hialeah. It’s Pembroke Pines that is nirvana for Hispanic entrepreneurs, at least according to a new WalletHub report.

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› Florida business council looks to in-school programs for logistics talent [Supply Chain Dive]
The Beacon Council’s Trade and Logistics Committee in South Florida is creating opportunities for low-income/neglected communities to engage in the Miami-Dade logistics scene.

› Orlando airport rail service still a distant dream [Business Traveler]
There’s a big, shiny new train station being built at Orlando International Airport, but don’t get too excited about expanded ground-transport options just yet: officials say it will be several years before train service actually begins at the US$221 million station.

› Meet the new president of the Florida Democratic Party [Tampa Bay Times]
Florida Democratic Chairman Stephen Bittel is hiring the former top administrator of the Idaho Democratic Party, Sally Boynton Brown, to be the Florida party's new "president," which for some reason is the new term for executive director.

› Could Bright Futures become even brighter? [Florida Political Review]
One of the major components of the Florida Excellence in Higher Education bill, introduced by State Senator Bill Galvano, R-District 21, is the allocation of more funds for Florida high school graduates towards in-state tuition.