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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida's general revenue tops projection
State general revenue collections came in slightly above projections in January, despite sales taxes failing to meet expectations for the first time since July 2020. The Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research on Tuesday released a report that showed net general revenue in January totaled $4.106 billion, which was $30.1 million more than projected in a forecast released in mid-January. General revenue taxes are closely watched because they play a key role in funding education, health care and prison programs. More from the News Service of Florida.
How onePulse broke Orlando’s heart
In late 2019, Orlando’s onePulse Foundation unveiled a soaring design for a memorial and museum to the Pulse nightclub massacre, drawing international acclaim. Mere months later, its key players were grappling with a startling revelation. The project it had pitched – and was struggling to fund – at $45 million was now estimated to cost a staggering $100 million. The plan was headed for failure from the start. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Lower fuel costs to reduce FPL bills
Pointing to lower-than-expected costs of natural gas, Florida Power & Light on Wednesday asked state regulators to approve a proposal that would reduce customer bills in May. If approved by the Florida Public Service Commission, the reduction would come after FPL customers also will see bills trimmed in April because of the end of charges stemming from storm-related costs. More from the News Service of Florida.
Miami-Dade County may yank Miami’s power to OK mega-billboards downtown
Miami-Dade is moving to yank from the City of Miami the power to erect huge billboards that have been contentious among downtown residents. Meanwhile, the city is to act on its sign ordinance created under powers the county seeks to rescind. The county last week passed 11-0 a preliminary vote to “reassert county jurisdiction over signage within the City of Miami urban core and to remove authorization for the city to opt out of the county sign code.” More from Miami Today.
High-tech Pasco company earns $160,000 job creation bonus
Over the last two years, international microchip-testing company Global ETS has created more than 100 new jobs, purchased two new buildings and leased an additional location in the West Pasco Industrial Park. This week the company got a special thank you from the Pasco County Commission in the form of a $160,000 job creation incentive to recognize its plan to add of 32 new full-time jobs within the county at an average annual wage of $95,548. That incentive is performance based and paid out as the jobs are created. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida History
Can you guess which Florida city hosted the first American St. Patrick's Day parade?
The Sunshine State is lucky! The first ever St. Patrick’s Day celebration in America actually took place in Florida in the 17th century. In 1601, St. Patrick’s Day obviously wasn’t a day for drinking green beer, pinching people and wearing leprechaun hats and “Kiss me, I’m Irish” shirts. Historians say that the first St. Patrick’s Day parade “was held on March 17, 1601, in a Spanish colony under the direction of the colony's Irish vicar, Ricardo Artur.”
» More from the Gainesville Sun.
Out of the Box
Airbus Beluga super transporter returns to U.S. in Sanford arrival
The Airbus BelugaST, one of the world’s largest transport aircraft, returned to Orlando Sanford International Airport, Monday, March 11, 2024, carrying a Eutelsat E36D satellite that is headed to Kennedy Space Center. The BelugaST first flew to Central Florida in 2022.
» Read more from the Orlando Sentineland WOFL.
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