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Tuesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Fewer underwater mortgages in Florida, but challenges remain
Today, only 6.7 percent of Florida mortgages are underwater, according to a recent analysis from financial services company CoreLogic. While still among the highest rates in the country, the state has closed the gap on the 4.7 percent national average, thanks to big improvements in several cities. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
State gets win in tax dispute with Seminole Tribe
In the latest chapter in years of legal battling, a federal appeals court has rejected arguments by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in a dispute about whether the state should be able to tax electricity used on tribal land. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower-court decision that dismissed a lawsuit filed by the tribe against the Florida Department of Revenue. [Source: Gainesville Sun]
After six-month delay, Citizens Insurance proposes even higher rate hikes
Citizens Insurance rates are poised to rise even higher than the company proposed in June — despite a six-month delay meant to give the company time to figure out how to protect its customers. The 2019 rate proposal would raise homeowner insurance rates an average of 8.1. percent statewide. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Juvenile arrests drop to 43-year low in Florida
Juvenile arrests have dropped to a historic low, the Department of Juvenile Justice announced Monday. The department said the number of juvenile arrests continued to decline in 2017 and 2018, dropping to the lowest number of arrests in 43 years. [Source: WTSP]
Florida hops are making their way into more than just craft beer
Prior to 2015, there was no record of hop production in Florida. Now, in just three short years, Florida has found an ability to produce a crop that is critical to brewing craft beer twice a year, essentially doubling productivity. [Source: Growing Produce]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Orlando's utility to consider shuttering its coal plants
Global warming has triggered worldwide action for years, but the city of Orlando and its electric utility have never considered publicly whether to shutter a pair of coal-burning power plants — until now.
› Tampa cybersecurity firm expands to European market
ReliaQuest, a Tampa-based cybersecurity company, has opened its first international office, in Dublin, Ireland. According to a press release, fast-growing ReliaQuest plans to hire 700 people over the next three years, 100 of which will be based in Dublin.
› Manatee resort taxes may reimburse airlines for marketing new flights
A tourism advisory board wants Manatee County to invest more than $1.2 million from resort taxes in airline marketing incentives, a new concert series and an empowerment conference for women — all of which could lure more visitors. The County Commission will have the final say about the proposed expenditures.
› Miami's cruise ship port has 52,000 reasons to celebrate
PortMiami has a new bragging right. In addition to being the base for the cruise capital of the world, the port set a one-day record Sunday for passenger traffic. The port greeted a whopping 52,000 cruise ship passengers from nine ships, according to PortMiami officials.
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