COUNTY 

Bradenton Times 

BOCC approves 20-year backup generator service agreement totaling $12.48M for new east county administration building 

BRADENTON — Manatee County’s Lakewood Ranch administration building, located at 9000 Town Center Parkway, will soon be receiving a backup generator system through a 20-year Supplemental Power Services Agreement with Florida Power & Light. 

 

Orlando Weekly 

Orange County expands access to cooling centers during extreme heat 

County leaders agreed to lower the heat index threshold required to open these county-operated cooling centers 

 

Alachua Chronicle 

Alachua County Commission Chair Ken Cornell: Alachua County’s homeless children need us all at the same table  

I appreciate School Board Chair Thomas Vu taking the time to address my letter at the School Board’s April 29 workshop.   

 

PROPERTY TAXES 

News Chief 

Eliminate property taxes? Here’s what that would look like in Polk 

Florida politicians have been talking for months about cutting property taxes. 

 

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 

WTSP 

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, FEMA review panel members proposes major disaster response overhaul 

The recommendation shifts more responsibility to states while speeding up how disaster aid reaches communities. 

 

LEGISLATION 

Hoodline 

DeSantis Signs Permit And Land‑Use Bills In Jacksonville 

Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 6, 2026 signed a package of five bills in Jacksonville that rewires how small residential work, plat approvals, septic systems, stormwater credits and bail-bond reporting are handled across Florida. 

 

Click Orlando  

Gov. DeSantis signs 6 more Florida laws. Here’s the full lineup 

Many new laws take effect on July 1 

 

Tampa Bay Times 

DeSantis signs bill creating guardrails for data centers in Florida