Florida ends sales tax on commercial leases
Florida businesses pay a 2% sales tax on their rent or lease for commercial spaces, whether in a downtown office building or a suburban strip mall. But not after Oct. 1. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 7031 on June 30, officially ending Florida’s business rent tax. In place since 1969, the tax gradually dwindled from 6% to 2% after 2017. Florida is the only state that charges a statewide sales tax on commercial leases, though some cities across the U.S. have similar local taxes. More from Gulfshore Business.
Hurricane center increases chance system could develop off Florida coast
The National Hurricane Center on Thursday upped its prediction a system could form off the coast of Florida and develop into the season’s next tropical depression or storm. In its 8 a.m. tropical advisory, the NHC said an area of low pressure is forecast to develop by the weekend off the Atlantic coast of the southeast U.S. along a weakening front that was moving into North Florida. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
‘Wild Wild West of illegal boat charters’: Pandemic fueled lasting problem in South Florida
Renting a boat is perfectly legal. The problem arises when recreational boat rentals run afoul of the seven specific requirements in order to be in compliance as a true, legitimate bareboat charter. The laws are confusing even to many of those in the boating community, local captains say. Something as seemingly minor as a contract missing a signature is enough for the Coast Guard to say its an illegal charter voyage, even if everything else is in compliance. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Tampa-based optometry chain announces mass layoffs
A Tampa-based optometry company with 43 locations across Florida, including 14 locations in Greater Tampa Bay, will lay off up to 116 employees by this fall. Gulf Coast Optometry, P.A., which operates as Global Care Optometry, filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) with the Florida Department of Commerce and the City of Tampa on July 1. According to the WARN notice, the massive layoffs resulted from a contract loss. The company expects the layoffs to be permanent. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
City of Gainesville, Alachua County respond to vetoes in state budget
Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed more than $8 million in funding for Gainesville and Alachua County projects as he signed the state's $117 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-25. Major funding requests vetoed include $4.9 million for renovating the Doyle Conner Building — the headquarters for Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Plant Industry. City of Gainesville requests nixed included $1.17 million for the Gainesville Southwest Public Safety Services Center and $350,000 for the Gainesville Police Department Property and Evidence Building. More from the Gainesville Sun.
Tech Trends
Tampa General nurses are now using AI with their patients
As a nurse specializing in neuroscience at Tampa General Hospital, Renee Albert spends a lot of time updating charts. The process involves writing down exactly what they did with patients and when. It can eat up a lot of time - some nurses spend up to 15% of their shifts documenting interactions with patients. In an effort to cut down on that, Tampa General Hospital implemented a pilot artificial intelligence program.
» More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida Nature
Can super-corals from a neighborhood in Honduras save Florida’s reefs?
Marine biologists have been struggling to save Florida’s corals as climate change and pollution have decimated reefs in recent decades. One solution just might come from a rough coral neighborhood in Central America. Researchers at the University of Miami have successfully bred extremely hardy elkhorn corals from Honduras with critically endangered local elkhorns.
» Read more from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.