Thursday's Afternoon Update

Florida may use federal COVID relief money to cut unemployment taxes for businesses

After a year when millions of Floridians lost their jobs to the coronavirus pandemic, the state’s Republican legislative leaders want to use millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief money to cut unemployment taxes for businesses. Under state law, businesses’ unemployment taxes automatically increased on Jan. 1 to replenish the state fund used to pay unemployment benefits to laid-off Floridians. Over 2.3 million Floridians displaced by the pandemic filed claims last year, shrinking the fund from more than $4 billion to less than $800 million. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Florida might limit local government control over new home designs

With the sponsor saying the proposal would help hold down housing costs, a House panel Wednesday approved a bill that would reduce the authority of local governments to place design restrictions on new homes. The House Local Administration & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee voted 12-6 along party lines to approve the bill (HB 55), sponsored by Rep. Toby Overdorf, R-Palm City. The bill would prevent local governments from placing restrictions on a variety of design issues on new single-family and two-family residences in what Overdorf described as “open lots.” More from the News Service of Floriida.

Wealthy Keys enclave received COVID vaccines in January before much of the state

As Florida’s eldest residents struggled to sign up to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, nearly all those aged 65 years and older in a wealthy gated enclave in the Florida Keys had been vaccinated by mid-January, according to an emailed newsletter obtained by the Miami Herald. The management of Ocean Reef Club, located in north Key Largo, also acknowledged in the Jan. 22 message to residents that the rest of the state was grappling to get its hands on the vaccine. More from the Miiami Herald.

Orange County offered Universal Orlando $100,000. Universal turned it down

Orange County was willing to cut Universal Orlando a $100,000 break — but the giant resort turned it down. The episode involved a $10 million “economic incentive” program that Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and county commissioners launched last summer, in which the county’s building department agreed to slash permit fees. The hope was that the discounted permits would spur residential and commercial construction work, and help soften the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. More from the Orlando Sentinel.

JTA approves $1.21 million bid for Brooklyn Skyway station

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority awarded a $1.21 million contract to Superior Construction Co. Inc. to build a Skyway station in Brooklyn. The board voted 5-0 on Feb. 25 to approve Superior’s bid for the elevated platform on 0.11 acres at 725 Leila St. Brooklyn Station will connect to the adjacent Skyway staging tracks that JTA will convert to support passenger transit. More from the Jcksonvlle Daily Record.

Tags: Daily Pulse, Afternoon Pulse

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