Photo: Bob Croslin
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Tuesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida Trend Exclusive
Floridian of the Year: Kiran Patel
Tampa entrepreneur Kiran Patel has made hundreds of millions of dollars growing and selling health care companies. Together with his wife, Pallavi, he has given more than $240 million over the years to support the arts, education and health care in Florida. His business and philanthropic activities in 2017 alone would be lifetime accomplishments for many. Patel says, "First, I give to charity..." Read the full story here.
Some Florida charities see bump in giving to beat tax law changes
According to academic projections, the new tax code could cost the nation’s charities from $13 billion to $20 billion a year, roughly 3 percent to 5 percent of the record $390 billion donated in 2016. But the calculations assume people give mostly for tax purposes, which is a source of debate. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Population gains expected to boost Florida's clout in Congress
Florida’s clout on Capitol Hill is projected to keep growing. The 2020 census is still a couple of years away but new population estimates show power in Congress could continue to shift to the South and the West and away from the Northeast and the Rust Belt. [Source: Fort Myers News-Press]
Earlier, from Florida Trend:
» Florida's population is 20 million strong
Legislation targets human trafficking in Florida's hotel industry
New bills heading to the Florida Legislature would allow victims to sue hotel owners and staff as facilitators for human trafficking if they either knowingly or through willful blindness allow traffickers to rent rooms. See full text of HB167, the "Civil Action for Victims of Human Trafficking and Prevention of Human Trafficking Act," here. Also read more at the Orlando Sentinel.
Minimum wage workers get 1.85% hourly raise
The state’s minimum wage increased to $8.25 an hour Monday, 15 cents higher than the previous rate of $8.10. Under a state constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2004, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity adjusts the wage each year based on changes in a federal consumer price index. [Source: Miami Herald]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Florida's capital adds solar farm to city's energy grid
Florida's capital city will start the new year with solar power. The solar farm is the size of 92 football fields. Officials say it will produce up to 2 percent of the city's total power supply. That's enough to light up 3,400 homes.
From Florida Trend:
» Green developments around the state
› Port Canaveral chief financial officer to head Port of Galveston, Texas
The ship is sailing for Port Canaveral's chief financial officer, Rodger Rees, who is leaving Brevard County to take a job heading the Port of Galveston in Texas. Rees — who also was one of Port Canaveral's two deputy executive directors — will take over Jan. 15 as the port director/chief executive officer in Galveston.
› Texting ban may soon be enforced on Florida's deadly roads
Florida, with some of the nation's deadliest roads, is one of the last states to not fully ban texting while driving, but the Legislature will soon consider a bill that would. However, studies conflict over whether such bans have any effect.
› FTC charges Orlando-based Montano Enterprises with false marketing
The Federal Trade Commission has charged the operators of an Orlando company, Montano Enterprises, with false advertising about sales of generic software. See the news release here, and read more at the Orlando Sentinel.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
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