Critics urge Gov. Scott to veto schools bill and education budget

Gov. Rick Scott faces mounting pressure from school superintendents, teachers unions and parent groups to veto $23.7 billion in base funding to K-12 public schools next year — as well as a controversial $419 million education policy bill that lawmakers unveiled and passed in the span of just three days at the end of their annual session. See the full 278-page Education Bill, here (PDF). Also read more from the Times/Herald.

See also:
» Central Florida educators join calls for veto of education bill, budget
» Gov. Rick Scott blasts budget as tourism numbers rise
» Association of Florida Colleges statement on the Legislature's looming budget cuts

Opinion: Florida's private flood insurance market is a template for the country

Thanks to these aggressive actions, Florida’s state-run insurer has shed more than 1 million policies and its risk exposure declined from about $500 billion to $142 billion since 2012. Today, Florida consumers enjoy a robust private insurance market that coexists with Citizens, which has reverted back to an insurer of last resort. [Source: The Hill]

Getting old: Florida’s golden opportunity

Florida is getting older. Whether trends driven by the state’s aging population prove to be good or bad for the economy largely depends on our ability to adapt. Two recent assessments suggest the Sunshine State appears ill-prepared to meet the shifting expectations and needs of Floridians in their Golden Years. One study, "Best Cities for Successful Aging," from the Milken Institute, did put Gainesville in their Top 20 Small Metros list, saying:

Gainesville is the only Florida metro on our Top 20 list, despite the state’s reputation as a retirement paradise. Older people benefit from a quality health-care system, linked to University of Florida amenities, and plenty of services focused on that age group. Older workers find some opportunities in the service-driven job market, but stronger economic growth would improve the locale’s employment picture.

The second report, "America's Health Rankings - Senior Report," from the United Health Foundation, dropped the state from 24th to 30th in 2017 due to excessive drinking, low flu vaccination coverage, and limited availability of home health care workers. Read more at NewsTalk Florida.

Column: Putting the Everglades reservoir into context

Now that Gov. Rick Scott has signed the bill to construct a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee, it is time to put what just happened into context. For 17 years, federal and state lawmakers and bureaucrats alike have dragged their feet on this project. [Source: TCPalm]

Florida suffers hottest four months in 122 years

Florida’s average temperature was the highest on record for the first four months of 2017 as the state suffers widespread brush fires and drought. Florida wasn’t alone in the setting a heat record. Fourteen states stretching from the southwest to the mid-Atlantic also reached their highest average temperatures. [Source: Palm Beach Post]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› SpaceX Falcon 9 delivers Inmarsat satellite to orbit [Florida Today]
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket delivered its heaviest satellite yet to orbit on Monday evening after the company's second blastoff from Kennedy Space Center in two weeks.

› Top aide to Gov. Rick Scott resigns [Orlando Sentinel]
Gov. Rick Scott’s chief of staff Kim MacDougal is resigning, effective July 1, his office announced Monday. McDougal, 54, is leaving the post as Scott’s top aide after little more than a year on the job to pursue private sector opportunities.

› Judge upholds Brevard charter cap limiting tax hikes [Florida Today]
Brevard County's charter cap that limits property tax increases is legal, Circuit Court Judge Tonya Rainwater ruled. The voter-approved charter cap was challenged by the Brevard County Professional Firefighters Local 2969 and its president, Richard Pierce.

› Examining redevelopment in Florida's capital city [WCTV]
In its infancy, Tallahassee was a more rural community. It then began to grow, with the downtown marked by local business. Now, downtown is filled with state government buildings and office space and the community is growing and expanding upwards and outwards.

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› Tampa International Airport has best spring break season ever [Tampa Bay Times]
Tampa International Airport had the busiest spring break travel season in its history during the months of March and April, surpassing its previous record from 2007 by more than 50,000 passengers.

› Longtime Florida Keys magician sues company over blindness [AP]
A longtime magician who regularly performed in a Key West bar claims in a lawsuit that his blindness was caused by a popular household cleaning product.

› Florida floats near top of ranking of states with most breweries [South Florida Business Journal]
Breweries seem to be bubbling up everywhere across South Florida, and the trend could be raising the state's profile for serving up craft beer aplenty.

› Fair? Or outrageous? Bad credit can add 26% cost to cover Florida home [Palm Beach Post]
Whether you know it or not, having your credit score go from excellent to poor can cost you 26 percent more to insure your Florida home, a new study shows.