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Studio 67FAC News Clips – November 24, 2025
COUNTY
Sun Sentinel
County opposes Broward sheriff’s bid for more funding
Law enforcement is the number one priority of the Broward County budget, and the state should not force county government to increase funding for the Sheriff’s Office, local officials said last week.
News 4 Jax
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – City officials will meet Monday afternoon to review Mayor Donna Deegan’s budget.
Bay News 9
Pasco County launching new hurricane relief program
DADE CITY, Fla. — Pasco County is preparing to roll out a major relief program funded by a $585 million federal Community Development Block Grant, which was awarded following last year’s hurricane season.
WFTV
Volusia County council approves $2.6 Million for opioid prevention and recovery efforts
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Volusia County Council has approved $2.6 million in opioid abatement settlement funds to enhance prevention, treatment, emergency response, and recovery services across the community.
Florida Politics
Ron DeSantis is giving millions to help Levy, Citrus counties and Newberry city
‘These investments are a direct reflection of Gov. DeSantis’ commitment to strengthening Florida’s small and rural communities.’
DOGE
Florida Politics
County leaders get candid in discussing getting ‘DOGEd’ by CFO’s office
Audits lack context, they say, including state mandated spending.
PROPERTY TAXES
Yahoo
Florida property taxes on path to partial elimination. What to know
With seven amendments and one bill aimed at kneecapping property taxes now approved for the 2026 legislative session, it appears that Florida lawmakers — and residents — are eager to see some of the increasing pains of homeownership eased.
Citizen Portal
House select committee advances eight property‑tax constitutional change proposals to ballot process
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida House Select Committee on Property Taxes on Nov. 20 advanced seven proposed constitutional amendments and one House bill aimed at reducing or reshaping non‑school ad valorem property taxes, setting the measures on a path that could place some of them before voters in November 2026.
WMNF
Local government officials statewide are wary of plans by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Legislature to slash or abolish homestead property taxes, but one group of counties is particularly worried.
Florida Politics
Jeff Brandes: The architect has no plan — Florida’s $18B tax cut without a blueprint
Florida risks an $18 billion disaster because no one produced real math.
Florida Phoenix
Experts debate potential property tax measure at USF: ‘This is policy malpractice’
The governor has previously said he wants one constitutional amendment on the ’26 ballot to reduce property taxes.
LEGISLATION
Florida Politics
Randy Maggard bill seeks full state control over water quality and wetlands regulation
Working closely with our federal, state and regional partners is essential to ensuring clean, healthy water for every community.
Florida Politics
Corey Simon files Rural Renaissance bill to invest in Florida’s country
The bill to help Florida’s rural areas has the backing of Senate leadership.
FAC News Clips – November 12, 2025
COUNTY
Keys Weekly
MONROE COUNTY SUPPORTS VETERANS THROUGH OPERATION GREEN LIGHT
In advance of Veterans Day, Monroe County illuminated the Harvey Government Center and the Historic Gato Building in Key West and the Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo green from Nov. 3 through Nov. 11 as part of Operation Green Light for Veterans, a nationwide effort uniting counties to support military veterans.
Daytona Beach News Journal
Amid SNAP funding freeze, Flagler allocates $50K to help residents
As questions remain about when full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, funding will resume, food banks and pantries in Flagler County will receive much-needed help in the coming days.
Tallahassee Democrat
Leon residents concerned by fire fees on property tax bill
Tacking the fire services fee onto already rising property taxes is causing sticker shock and confusion for Leon County residents’ living outside city limits as their annual statement from the tax collector hits their mailboxes.
Palm Beach Post
History of Florida county names from Pinellas to Washington
Today we wrap up our five-part list of Florida’s 67 counties and how they got their names. Note: Years refer to each county’s formation.
BROADBAND
Route-Fifty
Congress is letting states hoard broadband billions
COMMENTARY | The restructured BEAD program will save taxpayer money, but some governments want to hold onto that cash rather than return it to their residents.
LEGISLATION
Tampa Bay Times
‘Home rule’ fight over Florida’s SB 180 exposes growing rift inside Republican ranks
Backlash over the law has united a broad range of political groups, including libertarians, MAGA activists, conservationists and blue-leaning municipalities.
FAC News Clips – November 10, 2025
COUNTY
352 Today
Citrus County Lights Landmarks Green in Support of Veterans
CITRUS COUNTY, FL. (352today.com) – The Lecanto Government Building and the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum building have been illuminated green as part of Operation Green Light for Veterans, a nationwide effort by counties, the National Association of Counties (NACo), and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers.
TC Palm
MARTY buses become free to ride, jump in ridership expected
The system became free Nov. 5 following County Commission approval a day earlier.
Alligator
Gainesville, Alachua County still waiting FEMA reimbursements for 2024 hurricanes
They have yet to feel the impacts of the federal agency’s cuts — but they’re anticipating them
PROPERTY TAXES
Florida Politics
Senate bill would block boosting property tax for wind mitigation
The Ormond Beach Republican introduced the proposal Friday.
DOGE
Florida Politics
Blaise Ingoglia wants to add more auditors in his Office as he focuses on wasteful spending
Florida’s CFO gave insight into his plans to expand his Office and probe all Florida governments.
LEGISLATION
Florida Bar
House Committee approves McFarland bill to update sovereign immunity limits
A House panel agreed last week to revive a perennial effort to reform Florida’s “sovereign immunity” system that caps damage awards in suits against the government.
FAC News Clips – November 5, 2025
COUNTY
WGCU
Deadline set for Lee homeowners with damage from Hurricane Ian
Lee County is setting a deadline for home owners to apply for federal money to repair damage from Hurricane Ian more than three years ago.
Alachua Chronicle
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – At the November 4 Alachua County Commission meeting, the board named Commissioner Ken Cornell as its chair for the upcoming year, with Anna Prizzia as Vice Chair.
The Florida Times Union
New JTA autonomous shuttles face questions by Duval DOGE
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s cost of providing rides on its new autonomous shuttles is about $370 for each passenger who boards the shuttles that operate between the heart of downtown and the sports complex, according to a Times-Union analysis.
Alachua Chronicle
Alachua County to host 2027 World Masters
ALACHUA COUNTY — Alachua County is proud to announce that it has secured the 2027 World Masters Athletics (WMA) Indoor Championships to be held at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center and West End Park.
First Coast News
St. Johns County approves $200K to stock food banks, suspends utility disconnections amid shutdown
As the impacts of the government shutdown threaten to deplete local food pantries and delay paychecks, St. Johns County leaders are taking action to help residents.
WQCS
Indian River County approves transfer of key county roads to FDOT
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Indian River County Commission voted unanimously Nov. 4 to transfer jurisdiction of three major corridors to the Florida Department of Transportation, reducing the county’s long-term maintenance and infrastructure costs.
Jax Today
St. Johns County could charge developers a fee for conservation
The St. Johns County Commission moved Tuesday toward adopting an impact fee on developers to help pay for the acquisition of sensitive conservation land.
BROADBAND
Alachua Chronicle
Alachua County partners with Kinetic to expand broadband access
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Alachua County and Kinetic have announced a $22.9 million public-private partnership to expand high-speed fiber broadband to more than 4,200 homes and businesses across the county, with completion expected over the next two years.
LEGISLATION
Wink News
Florida lawmakers have proposed a new bill aimed at regulating electric bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles to increase safety measures, as more people opt for the faster mode of transportation.
Politico
Bill would exempt 10,000-acre ‘blue ribbon’ projects from local rezoning, votes
State Rep. Lauren Melo filed the bill that would designate “blue ribbon” projects with more than 10,000 acres for administrative approval if they conserved at least 60 percent of the property.
PROPERTY TAXES
Tampa Bay Newspaper
Column: Florida should explore phasing out property taxes. Here’s a way forward
Florida is rightly considering bold ideas to ease the burden of property taxes. As a lifelong resident and county commissioner, I believe we can achieve meaningful tax relief — starting with those who have called Florida home for decades.
FAC News Clips – November 4, 2025
COUNTY
WOKV
Clay County lights up green to support veterans
CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — This week leading up to Veterans Day, Clay County is participating in the annual Operation Green Light for Veterans, honoring military service members.
Palm Beach Post
Florida history and origins of counties Madison to Pasco
Here is the fourth installment running down Florida’s 67 counties and how they ended up with the names they bear today.
WDBO
Seminole spending the $250mil in revenue from the Penny Sales Tax on potential county improvements.
Orlando, Fla. — On Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, Seminole County Commissioners held a meeting, on how to best spend the revenue from the Penny Sales Tax.
WOKV
St. Johns County approves 2026 Legislative Action Plan
- JOHNS COUNTY, Fla — With a unanimous vote, St. Johns County Commissioners approve its 2026 Legislative Action Plan.
PROPERTY TAX
WLRN
Could Florida lose some of its 67 counties?
Florida’s House speaker posed a hypothetical: Does Florida need 67 counties? County representatives say consolidations would clash with local pride — as well as practicality.
Reason
Florida governor Ron DeSantis pushes to abolish property taxes
Florida Republicans propose not one, not two, but seven different constitutional amendments to cap, cut, or even eliminate property taxes.
Sun-Sentinel
Property taxes are more than a bill, they’re an investment
Every year when property tax notices arrive, most of us feel a familiar twinge of frustration. It’s easy to focus on the bottom line, the amount due, and forget what those dollars make possible.
Highlands News-Sun
Florida Legislature begins review of efforts to reduce, eliminate property taxes
GAINESVILLE — The Legislature in Tallahassee on Friday began exploring in earnest proposals that would reduce or eliminate property taxes, a populist move that would dramatically help with housing affordability but could fundamentally change how communities pay for local government services, including fire departments, trash pickup, city parks and more.
STATE
Orlando Sentinel
Poll: Quarter of residents ‘seriously’ weigh leaving Florida
A quarter of Floridians surveyed are “seriously considering” moving elsewhere because of the high cost of living in the state.
FAC News Clips – November 3, 2025
COUNTY
Community Newspaper
County passes composting legislation to advance local climate resilience
County Commissioner Eileen Higgins’ legislation to allow environmentally responsible, community-based composting operations to legally operate in the county was adopted recently by the Miami-Dade County Commission.
LEGISLATION
The Destin Log
Florida Senate leader pushes aid for struggling rural counties
Michelangelo took four years to paint the Sistine Chapel. Senate President Ben Albritton is going to need at least two years to finish his own masterpiece – a set of policies known as the Rural Renaissance.
Click Orlando
Here is every new Florida law passed this year, explained
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Following the latest Legislative session, there are hundreds of new laws that have either taken effect or are planned to next year.
Florida Politics
Lawmakers rev up safety rules for e-bikes with new bill
Experts have warned that infrastructure is struggling to keep up with the growing popularity of e-bikes.