FAC News Clips – April 17, 2024
WFLA
Hillsborough County school funding at risk as tax revenue is redirected
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A half-cent community investment sales tax in Hillsborough County expires in 2026, and commissioners are expected to decide how they want to renew it on Wednesday, April 17.
Tampa Bay Times
Here’s how Florida’s tourist tax, big for Rays and beaches, works
Budget season for local governments is around the corner, and with it the usual talk of property values and the tax bills local homeowners can expect to face.
Naples News
Lee County FEMA fight over flood insurance discount, unpermitted work
Lee County announced Tuesday that it asked FEMA for an additional extension of time in order to respond to its information requests in order to preserve its 25% National Flood Insurance Plan (NFIP) discount.
Orlando Sentinel
Orange County Mayor: Sales tax hike is ‘best long-term prospect’ to fund transit
Demings indicates his proposed transportation tax, abandoned last week, will be back in 2026
ENVIRONMENT
WGCU
Florida appeals U.S. District Court ruling in wetlands permitting fight
TALLAHASSEE — Florida has quickly launched an appeal after a U.S. district judge rejected a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state for projects that affect wetlands.
FAC News Clips – April 16, 2024
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Route-Fifty
‘Artificial intelligence is not innovation,’ it’s a tool. How governments use it will vary.
Some state and local governments may embrace AI wholly, while others may take a more measured approach. Either way, experts said, the competition to be first is moot.
HURRICANE SEASON
News-Press
2024 hurricane season compared to 5 similar years: Lessons to learn
All the early predictions are calling for a very active 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.
LEGISLATION
Click Orlando
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs 14 more bills into law. Here’s what they are, when they take effect
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed 14 bills into law that cover a variety of issues, including tax collection, home construction warranties and swimming lessons for children.
Route-Fifty
Feds move to make gov websites more accessible to people with disabilities
It’s the first time the federal government has ever issued rules clarifying how the more than 30-year-old Americans with Disabilities Act applies online. But the new rules come with a hefty price tag for state and local governments.
FAC News Clips – April 15, 2024
COUNTY
WESH
Orange County combats overdoses with CDC campaign
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County is working to address the growing number of drug overdose deaths, by adopting an initiative created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
LEGISLATION
Bay News 9
New state law blocks demolition of old buildings
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Some communities try to stay the same: maintaining dated buildings like motels, old shops and establishments that make it special to those who live there.
Florida Politics
Gov. DeSantis signs bills restricting harassment, civilian oversight of cops
‘If you do that we view that as a problem and now you’re going to be held accountable.’
ENVIRONMENT
Tampa Free Press
Judge Nails Down Decision In Florida Wetlands Case
In a case closely watched by business and environmental groups, a U.S. district judge Friday finalized his rejection of a 2020 move by the federal government to shift permitting authority to Florida for projects that affect wetlands.
FAC News Clips – April 12, 2024
LEGISLATION
Tampa Bay Times
DeSantis signs bill preventing cities from requiring heat safety protections for workers
The legislation also blocks local governments from controlling what their contractors pay their employees.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
WINK
Collier Commissioners change rules for affordable housing projects under Live Local Act
Anyone wanting to build affordable housing in Collier County under Florida’s Live Local Act will have to deal with a few new rules.
COUNTY
Tampa Bay Times
Pasco ponders new tax to maintain county parks
Commissioners said they know there are unmet needs and ask staff to move forward with a taxing plan.
WESH
Brevard County lifeguard funding debated by county, city
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Brevard County beach cities don’t like the idea, but the county moved forward with a plan to cost-share county ocean lifeguards on city beaches.
FAC News Clips – April 10, 2024
COUNTY
WCTV
Leon County receives nearly $2.4 million in opioid litigation settlement, millions more to come
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – At Tuesday afternoon’s meeting, Leon County commissioners accepted nearly $2.4 million in settlement funds from an opioid lawsuit.
WCJB
Single-member Alachua County commission districts going back on the ballot
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – Voters in Alachua County are not done deciding whether commissioners should represent individual districts or the entire county.
ABC 7
Lee County seeks to restore FEMA flood insurance discounts
FEMA is giving Lee County and four other communities a second chance to reclaim FEMA flood insurance discounts for more than 100,000 residents.
Orlando Sentinel
Orange County abandons proposed transportation sales tax
With consensus proving elusive, Orange County commissioners decided Tuesday to abandon a November sales tax referendum to improve a failing transportation network.
Miami Times
$2.5 billion bond postponed by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava
A little more than two months after Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava floated a $2.5 billion general obligation bond (GOB) referendum during her State of the County address to pay for a series of expansive projects, she’s had a change of heart.
LEGISLATION
Florida Phoenix
Legislation in Florida would ban local workplace heat protections; Arizona just approved measures
From the east to the west, two states in the U.S. — Florida and Arizona — have something in common: Extreme heat.
CYBERSECURITY
Route-Fifty
Lessons learned from whole-of-state cybersecurity efforts
More than two years into the federal cybersecurity grant program, state and local tech leaders say information sharing between the different levels of government is the most important aspect of the approach.
FAC News Clips – April 9, 2024
COUNTY
News Press
Lee County municipalities have 30 days to save flood insurance savings
FEMA announced a 30-day pause to planned actions that would slash discounts to many municipalities’ flood insurance to allow affected Southwest Florida communities to keep their status.
WFLA
Hernando commissioners to decide on millage renewal for November ballot
BROOKSVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) — The Hernando Board of County Commissioners is set to vote Tuesday to put the renewal of a millage on the November ballot.
LEGISLATION
Florida Politics
Gov. DeSantis announces expansion of opioid recovery program as he signs new fentanyl laws
The CORE program is being expanded to 17 additional counties across the state.
Florida Politics
Gov. DeSantis signs ‘Veterans Appreciation Month’ measure
This replaces Veterans Week, which the Legislature approved last year.
HOUSING
Fox 28
Florida Sees 13.6% Growth in Total Housing Units Over the Past Decade, 7th Largest in the U.S.
The need for affordable housing in the United States has never been greater. After a dizzying run-up in residential real estate prices and rents in the last few years, housing costs are putting a financial squeeze on renters and homebuyers nationwide as they compete for a scarce, expensive supply of housing.