TaxWatch urges Florida legislature to rein in project spending

Governor Rick Scott’s $89 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year has received its yearly report card from the nonprofit research institute TaxWatch. And, the group has recommendations. According to the TaxWatch report, the budget contains 517 member projects, which are worth more than $560 million. More from WFSU, Florida Politics, and WTXL.

» See the full report from Florida TaxWatch.

More foster parents needed as opioid epidemic surges in Florida

The number of kids entering Florida's foster care system has grown nearly 14 percent in the past two and a half years. Child welfare experts say the spike is likely due to the state's opioid epidemic, which is affecting many parents. More from First Coast News and WTXL.

Florida senators urge USDA to speed up relief to Florida farmers hurt by Hurricane Irma

Florida’s two U.S. senators are pushing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide relief for farmers impacted by Hurricane Irma last year. Irma caused around $2.5 billion in damages to Florida farmers and the federal government is expected to provide around $2.36 billion to them in relief. [Source: Space Coast Daily]

See also:
» Rubio blames ‘bureaucracy’ for the wait on federal Irma funding
» Florida Keys Residents Still Struggling To Rebuild After Hurricane Irma

Florida's known for palm trees — how about solar trees?

Brevard County’s solar tree “forest” is a bit larger now. Officials from Port Canaveral and representatives of Florida Power & Light dedicated five new solar trees Wednesday. Juno Beach-headquartered Florida Power & Light is progressing with one of the largest solar expansions ever in the eastern United States. [Source: Florida Today]

Seminole Tribe says it will keep paying state

Despite a legal right to cut off the money, the Seminole Tribe of Florida has decided to continue paying the state its share of Indian casino gambling revenue each month. The Tribe “confirmed” its decision Tuesday night, according to its outside counsel, Barry Richard of the Greenberg Traurig firm, who participated in a conference call. [Source: Florida Politics]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› First Brightline train arrives at Miami station during final stage of construction [Palm Beach Post]
A Brightline train pulled into the MiamiCentral station for the first time last week, as construction on the building enters its final stage, the company announced Wednesday.

› Tampa Downtown Partnership names Lynda Remund acting president and CEO [Tampa Bay Times]
The nonprofit Tampa Downtown Partnership on Wednesday named Lynda Remund to a one-year term as acting president and CEO. Remund joined the partnership in 2000 as director of district operations. She succeeds Christine Burdick, who last fall announced plans to retire.

› Millennial homebuyers spurning Sarasota-Manatee [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Millennials rank as the key target in the economic development world setting sights on future prosperity. A new study casts a pall over efforts to build the Sarasota and Manatee population of this prized demographic.

› Central Florida faces psychiatrist shortage [WFTV]
Central Florida will only have about 50 percent of the psychiatrists needed to treat patients in the next seven years. It's not because of a lack of interest by budding medical students at UCF. Plenty want to be a psychiatrist, but federal funding cuts mean there's a cap on the number of residency spots.

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› Demotech Affirms ‘A’ Ratings of Florida Insurers [Insurance Journal]
Demotech will not downgrade any of the 16 Florida homeowners insurers that it said earlier this year could face financial stability ratings (FSRs) adjustments because of hurricane losses and assignment of benefits litigation during 2017.

› Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh to run for Florida House [Bradenton Herald]
Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said Wednesday she will resign her seat in June to focus on the race for the District 73 seat in the Florida House of Representatives.

› Orange Lake, Diamond Resorts sue timeshare cancellation attorney [Orlando Sentinel]
Orange Lake Resorts and Diamond Resorts, two big timeshare companies, are entrenched in a legal fight with Florida attorney Michael Finn, whose work is devoted entirely to canceling timeshare contracts.

› Business effort to bring Tampa Bay Rays to Ybor City ballpark takes shape [Tampa Bay Times]
Advocates of a proposed Tampa Bay Rays move to a new stadium in Ybor City are unveiling the Rays 100, a group of executives and civic leaders willing to serve as ambassadors for the effort.