Florida Business News

• Florida’s unemployment claims hit another pandemic low despite COVID-19 surge

  Florida’s first-time unemployment claims dropped to another COVID-19-era low as 20,787 workers filed for jobless benefits during a holiday-shortened week ended Nov. 28.

• Florida power shutoffs are up slightly from last year as pandemic continues

  This fall, as power companies around the state began to announce that they would resume disconnections, several advocacy groups brought a legal challenge before the Florida Public Service Commission to try and halt the shutoffs.

• Facing $2.7 billion budget shortfall, Florida lawmakers again will ponder ‘e-fairness’ legislation

  Florida is one of seven states that does not require remote retailers to collect and remit sales tax from online purchases, placing an honor system on residents to pay the state’s 6 percent sales tax.

• Orlando ranked in top 5 of cities where expenses are rising

  Costs went up this year in Orlando despite the COVID-19 pandemic pushing the area unemployment rate over 10%. What’s more, it was the only city in the top 10 to have increased in every metric surveyed.

• Tony Robbins puts money behind Cape Canaveral space balloon business

  A start-up business that wants to send people into space on board balloons from Kennedy Space Center has a famous investor in the form of motivational speaker Tony Robbins.

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