Property tax elimination
State lawmakers are considering a bill to study the impact of eliminating property taxes. The money paid by property owners is used by local governments and school districts. These taxes are a primary source of funding for public services like police, teachers, fire departments and libraries. So would tourists and part-time Floridians pick up the tab if property taxes disappeared for full-time residents?
Guest:
- Sen. Shevrin Jones, (D) Miami Dade County.
Consumer sentiment dips in Florida
Florida consumers are losing some of their optimism. Each month the University of Florida surveys people from all over the state to gauge what they’re thinking about their household budget.
The most recent survey showed that Floridians’ feelings about their economic futures soured substantially. People were pessimistic about their own financial outlook and the nation’s financial outlook.
Guest:
- Mihaela Pintea, professor and chair of the economics department at Florida International University (FIU).
‘Your Florida’ legislative session week 3
Each week of the legislative session we will talk about some of the issues you have told us that matter. It’s part of the “Your Florida” project, connecting you with state government and policies that affect your life.
This week, we learned about lawmakers’ effort to hold former insurance regulators accountable after their own report found insurers were using affiliated companies to move money. That report was kept confidential until a public records request made it available.
Guest:
- Douglas Soule, WUSF’s state government reporter.
Weekly news briefing
A federal judge in Tallahassee has denied a request to block Florida’s ban on social media for young teens. Gov. Ron DeSantis had championed passage of the law through the Legislature last year. It’s unclear when and if the state will enforce the law. Meanwhile, state lawmakers are not done hoping to write new rules for social media. One proposal this legislative session would block access to disappearing social media messages like those on Snapchat for users younger than 16 years old.
A House subcommittee this week moved forward with repealing a 2023 law that mandated later start times for high schools. The bill would allow districts to avoid meeting the requirements if they submit reports outlining school start times and strategies considered to have later times.
President Trump’s immigration czar was in Sarasota this week. Tom Homan was joined by Governor DeSantis at New College to talk about changes in immigration policy in Florida and across the country.
Early in the week, Fort Myers City Council rejected an agreement between its police department and the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office would investigate the vote.
While the City of South Miami decided to seek legal clarity on whether its police department must partner with federal immigration authorities.
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