Infrastructure plan collides with Florida’s anti-tax fervor

President Donald Trump’s $1.5 trillion plan to upgrade the nation’s roads, bridges, airports and seaports over the next decade requires massive investments by states at a time when Florida is poised to make it harder to raise taxes and fees. For months, Gov. Rick Scott, a Trump ally, and Florida legislative leaders have advocated a voter-approved change to the state Constitution to require a super-majority vote of two-thirds of both houses to increase any state tax or fee. Passage of HB 7001 is considered likely. See the proposal, "Supermajority Vote for State Taxes or Fees," here. Also read more at the Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Times.

Florida’s solar industry sees sunny future despite tariffs

The long-range forecast for solar power in Florida is mostly sunny with periodic thunderstorms and occasional cloudbursts. The latest cloudburst is the Trump administration's tariff on solar panels, starting at 30 percent and declining over four years. [Source: US News & World Report]

State lawmakers seek to expand Florida’s fireworks market

A proposal to repeal Florida's longstanding restrictions on the sale of fireworks remains alive in the House after lawmakers Tuesday addressed some safety concerns raised by industry giants fighting the change. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Florida Trend Exclusive
The Florida Keys post-Irma

Tourism has rebounded strongly in the Keys since Irma, but the storm decimated the stock of housing where workers could afford to live. Rebuilding is accelerating the trend toward an upscale future — further worsening the housing crisis. Full story here.

Opinion: Level the playing field for Florida franchise operators

A large part of Florida’s thriving economy is fueled by franchised businesses, which provide some of our most common services – fast food, auto repairs, haircuts and so on. Without committed business owners who take on the responsibility of growing small local businesses associated with big national chains, we would miss out on countless staples of everyday life. [Source: Tallahassee Democrat]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Lockheed Martin to build new facility in Florida, hire 1,800 [News Release]
Lockheed Martin broke ground Tuesday on a new research-and-development facility in Orlando, Florida, where the Bethesda-based defense giant plans to hire 1,800 people to work on new weapons systems for the Pentagon.

See also:
» Gov. Scott: Lockheed Martin to expand in Orlando

› $100,000 Nielsen grant seeds Tampa Bay Wave accelerator for diverse startups [Tampa Bay Times]
Tampa Bay Wave will use a $100,000 grant from the Nielsen Foundation to create a 90-day accelerator program for tech startups owned by women, minorities, veterans or LGBT entrepreneurs.

› Business owners bullish on Southwest Florida economy [Naples Herald]
The Executive Business Climate Survey, which was sent to 645 executives and business owners, calculates a climate index number based on the average response to questions about current and future economic conditions.

› Is Florida on hook for $200 million to help feds finish Lake Okeechobee dike? [Palm Beach Post]
A Trump administration budget that appears to commit Florida to paying $200 million to expedite repairs on the Herbert Hoover Dike has some lawmakers scratching their heads and others critical of a project they said should be paid for with federal dollars.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› FWC: Floridians can no longer feed wild monkeys [News Release]
As of February 11th, a new amendment to a General Prohibition Rule in the state of Florida bans the public from feeding wild monkeys. Free-roaming, non-human primates join coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bears, pelicans and sandhill cranes as species included in this rule. Also read more at WFTX.

› One of state's largest shooting parks taking shape in South Florida [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Gunshots could start ringing out as early as the fall at one of the state’s largest shooting ranges, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

› Nursing students welcome new law in Florida [The FAMUAN]
The law went into effect Jan. 19 and it allows for licensed practical nurses and registered nurses who are licensed in one compact state to now practice in any of the other 28 compact states without having to obtain additional licenses.

› Online pet retailer Chewy seeks 400 'kind' people for customer service [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Online pet retailer Chewy already has hired 1,000 workers for its new 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, customer-service center in Hollywood — and it plans to hire another 400 within the next six months.