Florida Trend Exclusive
Legislative preview | Spending scrutiny
With an eye on future revenue projections, budget restraint is a priority for this legislative session. Florida’s population and economy should continue to grow, but that growth is expected to slow significantly in the next four years. Florida’s GDP expanded at a healthy 4.5% in 2023-24, but by 2026 it is projected to be only about 2%. [Source: Florida Trend]
Canadian snowbirds selling Florida properties amid soaring insurance costs
For many Canadians who once enjoyed affordable winters in Florida, the financial strain has become untenable. On top of soaring insurance costs, property taxes and condo fees have risen, particularly in popular retirement communities. Some homeowners report that their total expenses have doubled in recent years. [Source: Insurance Business Magazine]
DeSantis announces $389 million in grants to improve Florida's water quality and supply
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $389 million in state grants Tuesday to improve Florida water quality and supply. The water projects primarily focus on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus into the Indian River Lagoon, Caloosahatchee River, Biscayne Bay and other state coastal waters. Those two nutrients can trigger harmful toxic algae blooms. Combined, the projects are expected to remove 1.1 million additional pounds of nitrogen and 286,000 pounds of phosphorus. [Source: Florida Today]
Lawmakers advance bill easing child labor restrictions to help fill employment gaps
A year after lawmakers relaxed the state's child labor laws, a divided Florida Senate panel on Tuesday gave initial approval to a measure that would further roll back work restrictions for kids as young as 14. The proposal, which builds on the 2024 law, sparked heated debate, with critics of the plan saying it would lead to exploitation of children and proponents calling it a "parental rights" issue. [Source: WESH]
Report: Florida has the most dangerous beaches in the U.S.
As spring break continues across South Florida, a new report outlined that the most dangerous beaches in the U.S. are in the Sunshine State. According to Tideschart, Florida beaches made it in their top 10. To figure out what makes a beach dangerous, researchers focused on three main factors: surf zone fatalities, shark attacks and hurricanes. Over 528 beaches across the U.S. were analyzed using these factors. [Source: NBC Miami]
| Florida Trend Mention |
|
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Meet the VC duo shaking up Miami’s tech scene
If you’ve been to a Miami startup event lately, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Justis Mendez and Pablo Casilimas. The founders of OneSixOne Ventures are everywhere – hosting networking events, making introductions, and diving deep into Florida’s startup ecosystem, with Miami in focus. But beyond the social scene, they’re building something serious: a venture firm that’s grown rapidly and is now preparing for a major expansion.
› Logistics company to close Orlando location, cut jobs
A logistics company in Orlando plans to close its location here and cut up to 73 jobs. National Distribution Centers LLC — part of Camden, New Jersey-based NFI Industries — said it will be closing its location at 901 W. Landstreet Road, according to a March 20 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice. The company said it may be able to place some employees at other locations in the region, while those who are not will be laid off in two phases between May 19 and June 30.
› Naples’ Hoffmann takes step to buy national newspaper chain
The Hoffmann Family of Cos. has reached out to the Iowa newspaper group Lee Enterprises in hopes of beginning negotiations on purchasing the company and possibly taking it private. Hoffmann, based in Naples and Chicago, is Lee’s second largest shareholder owning a 9.7% of the company's shares as of late last year.
› JEA board gives final approval to rate increases
JEA ratepayers, including many businesses and industrial customers, will pay more for electric, water and sewer service after the city-owned utility’s board approved rate increases March 25. JEA says the rates, which were developed by staff working with consultants, are designed to cover the utility’s rising costs of providing service. JEA is a not-for-profit organization.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
› Premier Jacksonville shopping center remains booming destination even 20 years later
Nearly 5,000 parking spaces filled within hours on the day St. Johns Town Center opened 20 years ago, prompting the need for overflow parking by 11 a.m., according to a Times-Union article from its March 20, 2005, opening day. Anyone who has been to Town Center around the holidays can attest to the shopping center’s persistent popularity in the community.
› The Bradenton Shuffleboard Club will soon be displaced for development
Bradenton officials plan to flip a desirable tract of land near downtown for redevelopment, but it will cost the Bradenton Shuffleboard Club its longtime home. The club has operated in Bradenton for over a century, and for many of those years it has served as a hub for shuffleboard players from across the state.
› Orlando Brick Convention gathers Lego enthusiasts this weekend
Lego fans of all ages, interests and backgrounds will congregate at Osceola Heritage Park this weekend for a celebration of brick creations, minifigures and imaginative artistry. The Orlando Brick Convention returns to Central Florida for its third year March 29-30, gathering thousands of Lego enthusiasts to see creations made by professional builders, buy rare sets and meet their favorite artists.
› Port Authority approves extra $346.7M to finish terminal expansion project at RSW
Not everyone gets a second chance, but the Lee County Board of Port Commissioners granted it to the original companies contracted to build the Terminal Expansion Phase One project at Southwest Florida International Airport. The project is now more than four years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget. Commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to spend $346.7 million more for a project that originally was budgeted for $307.6 million and would have been completed by now. The project will expand the terminal by remodeling 164,000 square feet of space and adding 117,000 square feet.