Florida Trend Exclusive
Legislative preview | Tallahassee tussle
There’s so much rancor in Tallahassee in recent weeks, you might think post-election partisanship was running amok. But the name calling is coming from inside the House (and the Senate), which are both home to Republican supermajorities. The tensions became public after Gov. Ron DeSantis — whose past calls for a special session to deal with skyrocketing condominium assessments triggered by state-mandated safety inspections were ignored by legislative leaders — ordered lawmakers to Tallahassee in January. [Source: Florida Trend]
State lawmakers could slash sales tax, saving Floridians billions
Florida’s House speaker said his chamber will recommend cutting the state’s sales tax from 6% to 5.25%, resulting in “the largest state tax cut in the history of Florida.” In a surprise announcement Wednesday, Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said cutting the state sales tax will save Floridians nearly $5 billion each year. “This will not be a temporary measure, a stunt or a tax holiday,” Perez told lawmakers. “This will be a permanent, recurring tax reduction.” More from the Tampa Bay Times and Click Orlando.
Column: Florida small businesses have a lot at stake in affordable health care debate
Unless Congress acts soon, health insurance costs will rise sharply next year for millions of Americans, including more than 4 million working Floridians and their families. For people who buy coverage through the individual marketplace, health care has been more affordable thanks to enhanced premium tax credits. However, these credits are set to expire at the end of this year. If that happens, premiums will skyrocket, which in turn will force many small businesses to cut back on benefits — jeopardizing both economic mobility and public health. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida housing market crash warning issued for three cities
After years of booming, the Florida housing market is now experiencing a slowdown, as the influx of out-of-state newcomers has shrunk considerably since the pandemic, and affordability issues still stand between aspiring buyers and their dreams of homeownership. While the higher number of homes for sale in the state's market is giving buyers more options, stubbornly high mortgage rates are still making it hard, if not impossible, for many to afford to purchase a property. [Source: Newsweek]
Want to follow a bill through Florida's legislature? Here's how to do it
Florida lawmakers filed more than 1,900 bills and resolutions in 2024. But only a fraction of those became law. With the high number of proposals introduced each year, it can be challenging to keep track of how bills move through state legislature. But the State House and Senate websites offer tracking tools to make it a little easier. [Source: WUSF]
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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Coke Florida shuffles C-suite as president steps down
Coco-Cola Beverages Florida President and COO Thomas Benford is stepping down from the Tampa company at the end of the year and will transition into an advisory role to chairman and CEO Troy Taylor. Benford has been with Coke Florida, the sixth-largest Coca-Cola bottler in the U.S., since its inception in 2015 and has been instrumental in the business’s growth and transformation since then.
› Google funds Miami’s AI experiment with automatic zoning letters
A $250,000 donation from Google is funding a three-month pilot program using artificial intelligence to automate zoning verification letters while the City of Miami explores broader uses of the technology to optimize municipal services. The city commission approved a March 13 resolution from Mayor Francis Suarez accepting the donation from Google to utilize its C3 Generative AI for Government Program.
› Jacksonville Jaguars could get $10M from Orange County to play in Orlando in ’27
Orange County may sweeten Orlando’s invitation to the 2027 Jacksonville Jaguars to play at Camping World Stadium with a $10 million incentive to the team. Camping World is considered a finalist along with Gainesville’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to serve as the field for the Jaguar’s 2027 slate of home games, as the team will have to vacate EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville amid a massive renovation.
› Thousands in Central Florida struggle to find rental units they can afford
Eric McCullough spent months looking for an affordable place of his own but then moved into an apartment with his daughter, his only option to make ends meet. McCullough, 59, lives on disability insurance and said he could not find apartments or houses for rent that he could afford on those payments alone. Nearly 900,000 Floridians struggle with the same issue, and many end up spending too much on rent, meaning more than 30% of their monthly income goes to housing costs.
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› Olé! Miami meets the world at Startup Olé’s global tech showcase
On Monday, more than 1,000 attendees, 240 speakers, 30 investors, and 90 startups came together under one roof. Beyond pitches and panels, the event served as a reminder of Miami’s growing role as a connector between innovation hubs across the Atlantic and the Americas.
› PIE expansion gets multimillion-dollar boost from Pinellas County
The Pinellas County Board of Commissioners has agreed to an amendment to provide St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport with $6 million in grant money from the Florida Department of Transportation. The funding builds on a previous FDOT grant for $1.9 million, bringing the total to $7.97 million.
› Foundation plans job-mentoring program for farmworker children
Plans to construct 119 affordable apartments in Immokalee have been scrapped to allow a nonprofit to build an after-school program that will offer job training, mentorships and internships — enabling farm workers’ children to pursue other careers. Collier County Planning Commission unanimously approved plans by The Immokalee Foundation to rezone 7.44 acres as the Immokalee Senior Housing Mixed-use Planned Unit Development.
› Former motocross track in Leesburg sold for housing
Dix Developments has acquired the 74-acre Blake Ridge property in Leesburg from retired motocross professional Blake Baggett for $4.875 million. Formerly known as El Chupacabra Ranch, a nod to Baggett’s nickname during his racing career, Blake Ridge is set to contain 216 single-family lots, with earthwork expected to begin in September.