Hurricane costs could drench Florida’s budget

The hurricane impact and factors showing slower economic growth are enough for state analysts to now project that a potential $223 million budget surplus for 2019-2020 — outlined in a September report — "has likely disappeared." Read more from the Tampa Bay Times and My Panhandle.com and see the report: Florida: Updated Long-Range Financial Outlook.

Florida Trend Exclusive
High-Tech Corridor: Jacksonville aims to create an innovative ‘Main Street'

Last summer, Jacksonville transportation officials unveiled plans to develop an innovation corridor along Bay Street downtown. As envisioned, the 3-mile-long corridor will serve as a test bed and showcase for new technologies designed to change the way people get around in cities. [Source: Florida Trend]

Publix atop United Way Most Generous Workplaces list

The Most Generous Workplaces list compiled by United Way Suncoast is out for 2018, and Publix Super Markets is No. 1, a spot its held since the list was launched five years ago. United Way Suncoast covers Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties and broke down organizations’ philanthropic contributions to and through United Way by county as well as its overall territory. Read the announcement here and read more from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Florida, Mexico tomato groups spar over trade

There is no peace in tomato land. With plenty of drama and plot twists, negotiations related to the tomato suspension agreement between Mexican growers and the Department of Commerce are continuing, according to an official with the U.S. agency. [Source: The Packer]

Citizens Property Insurance's board approves rate hike

Citizens Property Insurance Co.'s board of governors approved recommended rates hikes on Wednesday that are some of the highest in recent years with a vote of 8 to 1. Board member Bette Brown, the board's consumer representative, voted against the rate hike. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Miami Herald.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Ohio company acquires Titan Metal Service of Tampa [Tampa Bay Times]
Majestic Steel USA of Ohio has acquired the business assets of Titan Metal Service of Tampa and is taking over Titan’s nearly 5-acre steel-processing facility at Port Tampa Bay. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

› Collier commissioners vote down medical marijuana dispensaries [Naples Daily News]
For the second time this year an effort by Collier County to approve medical marijuana dispensaries failed, dealing another blow to local medical cannabis patients and advocates. Commissioners were not able to garner the needed four votes to amend Collier's land development codes to permit dispensaries on land that is zoned to allow pharmacies.

› Miami-Dade aims for another fleet of CNG buses [Miami Today]
A second series of compressed natural gas (CNG) buses could arrive in Miami-Dade by September to replace its aging Metrobus fleet, adding to 300 buses already ordered. Where they will come from, however, is undetermined.

› How economically competitive is Tampa Bay versus similar cities? [Tampa Bay Times]
The Tampa Bay Partnership released its second annual Regional Competitiveness Report on Wednesday. It measures the Tampa Bay area against 19 similar metro areas. Not the biggies like Los Angeles or New York. Think Nashville, Denver, Dallas, Seattle and Orlando.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Naples business networking group names 2019 officers [Business Observer]
Naples Area Professional League of Executive Services — has elected its 2019 board of directors. The organization is a business-to-business networking group based in Southwest Florida with many of its members internationally recognized business leaders and experts within their fields.

› Alachua County buys forest between Gainesville, prairie [Gainesville Sun]
Serenola Forest, a 111-acre buffer between Williston Road and Paynes Prairie, has been purchased by Alachua County for $3.2 million largely from the Wild Places and Public Spaces sales tax approved by voters in 2016. The county and the Alachua Conservation Trust have been negotiating the deal for the land between the Oak Hammock retirement community and Idlywild Elementary School for more than a decade.

› Red tide: Bradenton legislator wants to bring back septic tank inspections [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Following a series of devastating algae blooms that have fouled water bodies across Florida, a Bradenton lawmaker is reviving a proposal to inspect septic tanks to determine if they are failing and leaching algae-feeding pollution. Republican state Rep. Will Robinson filed HB 85 this week.

› 3 New F-35 Squadrons Proposed For Florida's Tyndall Air Force Base [WUSF]
Florida politicians are quickly giving support to a U.S. Air Force recommendation to use supplemental funds to eventually locate three squadrons of F-35 fighters at hurricane-ravaged Tyndall Air Force Base.