DeSantis pitches package of new tax breaks

Flush with a $20 billion surplus — padded with federal stimulus funds from the COVID-19 crisis — Gov. Ron DeSantis wants lawmakers next year to pass another large tax cut plan, which he says will save families $1.1 billion. The proposal largely targets eliminating the sales tax on items for babies and small children, including diapers, toys, cribs, strollers and children’s books. More from Florda Politics, the News Service of Florida, and Business Insider. 

Florida COVID update: How decline of virus spread is affecting new cases, patients

What is the COVID-19 situation like in Florida? In the past seven days, the state has added 2,767 cases and 56 deaths per day, on average, according to Miami Herald calculations of data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over the past three weeks, on average, 145 fewer cases were logged each day across the state, showing a decrease in new cases. [Source: Bradenton Herald]

Third consecutive La Niña could bring more hurricanes

Meteorologists predict current La Niña conditions will persist this year through a third consecutive winter, a situation that usually brings a more active late hurricane season, followed by a dry and warm fall and winter across Florida. La Niña is the popular name for a phase of what meteorologists call the “El Niño-Southern Oscillation,” or ENSO, a recurring pattern of relatively warmer and cooler surface-water temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. El Niño is the warmer period, and La Niña is the cooler period. [Source: FSU News]

Second payment to company hired for migrant flights appears in Florida financial records

Online records from the state of Florida's financial office show another payment to the private aviation company contracted to fly Venezuelan asylum seekers from Texas to Martha's Vineyard. According to the website for Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, an invoice for the vendor Vertol Systems Company Inc was paid on September 8 for two flights that have stirred questions about the legality of state expenditures related to relocating migrants. The flight cost $615,000. On Monday, Sept. 19, another invoice – this time for $950,000 – appeared in the comptroller's vendor payment records. More from FOX 13 News and WTSP.

Is gas cheaper in Orlando or Miami? Use this interactive map to compare Florida prices

Is gas in the Miami area more expensive than the rest of Florida? What about prices in other tourist areas like Orlando? Gas prices continue to dip across the state and country. But they can vary across Florida. Keep in mind that gas prices vary even in a specific region like South Florida, where the posted price can be 20 cents cheaper at one station than the next one a couple of miles away. [Source: Miami Herald]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Vacancy on statewide judicial nominating commission [Jacksonville Daily Record]
The Statewide Nominating Commission for Judges of Compensation Claims seeks one attorney from the 5th appellate district, which includes the 4th Judicial Circuit, to serve the remainder of a four-year term starting Jan. 1. Applicants must be a member of The Florida Bar and engaged in the practice of law. No attorney who appears before any judge of compensation claims more than four times a year is eligible to serve on the commission, pursuant to state law.

› Central Florida business owners with ties to Puerto Rico react to Hurricane Fiona [WESH]
Jose Joubert Torres, owner and chef of Maguro Sushi, moved to Orlando five years ago when Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico. “There are people that lose their houses, lose their jobs, lose their cars,” he said. He had just opened a restaurant in Puerto Rico and his wife was about to give birth when Hurricane Maria made landfall. What was intended to be a temporary stay turned into a permanent one.

› Citizens Insurance up to 1.055 million policies [News Service of Florida]
The state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. added about 8,000 policies last week, bringing its total to 1,055,366 as of Friday, according to newly posted data. The additional policies continued massive growth at Citizens, which was created as an insurer of last resort. Homeowners have poured into Citizens as private insurers have dropped policies amid financial losses.

› Monkeypox cases slow in Florida as vaccine supply improves [Tampa Bay Times]
Monkeypox cases are slowing in Florida, and the vaccine supply has improved in Tampa Bay, according to health officials. More people have become eligible for the shots, too. “I’m a lot more relaxed about where we’re heading with monkeypox,” said Aileen Marty, an infectious disease expert at Florida International University in Miami. “We’re starting to put a lid on this thing.”

Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› DIA committee advances $36 million incentives deal for American Lions tower [Jacksonville Daily Record]
A Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority board committee voted unanimously Sept. 15 to advance a $35.88 million city incentives deal for American Lions LLC’s proposed 44-story residential tower at the former Jacksonville Landing. The 5-0 vote all but ensures passage by the full board next week. The Jacksonville City Council will make the final decision on whether to provide the incentives and an additional $27.576 million in public loan financing for the estimated $166.6 million project.

› USF announces partnership with MacDill [Tampa Bay Times]
The University of South Florida announced a partnership with MacDill Air Force Base. The three-year partnership will give USF students access to internships, research projects, guest speaker and mentors. MacDill will “promote the education of future mathematicians, scientists and engineers” and offer its lab personnel to teach courses and develop programs where students could gain credits for working on defense laboratory research projects.

› Terrance Hunter to lead Central Florida Community Arts [Orlando Sentinnel]
Terrance Hunter will be the new CEO of Central Florida Community Arts, the nonprofit announced Tuesday. Hunter is only the organization’s second CEO, replacing co-founder Joshua Vickery, who left the organization in October 2021 for a job in Washington, D.C. For the past year, the organization has been led by three vice presidents, one of whom was Hunter.

› Brevard commissioners overrule tourist board recommendations — again [Florida Today]
Brevard County commissioners have approved an additional $5 million tourism capital facilities grant for the planned $100 million aquarium at Port Canaveral. That's on top of a $10 million grant county commissioners approved in 2018 for the aquarium and conservation campus project, which is being spearheaded by the entity that operates the Brevard Zoo. However, county commissioners overruled two other recommendations of their advisory board on tourism issues, the Brevard County Tourist Development Council.