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Studio 67FAC News Clips – June 17, 2025
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Finnoexpert
Florida plans for peak hurricane season amid storm of FEMA reforms
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — The Trump administration’s talk about drastically altering FEMA’s role in disaster recovery has generated heavy uncertainty.
LEGISLATION
Florida Politics
Budget conference: Gov. DeSantis’ office gets power to investigate local governments
DOGE roadshow to hit a town near you.
Florida Phoenix
Legislature approves tax cut package, budget after extended session marked by GOP infighting
The GOP-led Legislature approved a $115.1 billion budget for the next fiscal year, plus a $1.3 billion tax cut package, nearing midnight on Monday after a tumultuous and unusually long legislative session.
Around Osceola
Florida lawmakers pass $115.1 billion budget as session ends
By Jim Turner and Tom Urban — One of the more-contentious legislative sessions in recent history came to a close late Monday as lawmakers approved a $115.1 billion budget for next fiscal year and prepared to send it to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Orlando Sentinel
Florida moves to shield public officials’ home addresses
Florida elected officials have received harrowing threats, prompting a move to shield their home addresses well before the weekend assassination of a state representative, the killing of her husband, and the shooting of a state senator and his wife over the weekend in Minnesota.
Orlando Sentinel
Proposal to shift tourist revenue from advertising to public works dies
TALLAHASSEE – A state legislative proposal to free up hundreds of millions of dollars a year in tourist tax revenue for local governments to spend on mass transit, roads and other projects that benefit Florida residents has been scrapped.
FAC News Clips – June 12, 2025
COUNTY
Click Orlando
Seminole County considers property tax increase. Here’s how much you could pay
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Seminole County’s proposed $1.2 billion budget comes with possible tax hikes as it finds ways to maintain services, keep up with capital projects, and prepare the county for future financial needs.
Caribbean National Weekly
Broward County bans selling driver’s license appointments
Selling appointments for driver’s license services is now an illegal act in Broward County, the Broward Tax Collector’s Office announced Wednesday.
Herald-Tribune
Manatee County sets September for big impact fee increase on growth
Manatee County commissioners voted to sharply increase impact fees on new development to fund needed infrastructure improvements like roads, utilities, and emergency services needs that proponents say have been underfunded for years.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Wear TV
Trump looks to wind down FEMA after this hurricane season
(TNND) — President Donald Trump reiterated his desire to shutter the Federal Emergency Management Agency, telling reporters Tuesday that he’d like to see that process underway following this hurricane season.
TECHNOLOGY
Route-Fifty
New BEAD guidance leaves states searching for answers
Federal guidance issued last week has thrown much of the program into doubt, as states and other organizations try to find a way forward under a compressed timeline.
Route-Fifty
Senate reconciliation bill text tweaks state AI regulation ban
The Senate Commerce Committee would block some funding from states that want to regulate the technology. Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of lawmakers have said any moratorium should be dropped altogether.
LEGISLATION
Tampa Bay Times
‘When’s it going to stop?’ Bill could open Florida Keys to new development
A small tweak could have big consequences for the Keys, the only place in Florida with state controls on growth.
Florida Politics
Gov. DeSantis and Cabinet vote to preserve huge 78K-acre tract of land in North Florida
The land will be part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor in multiple counties.
FAC News Clips – June 10, 2025
COUNTY
Tallahassee Democrat
Best scenic views, sunsets, landmarks in Florida: USA Today top picks
The Sunshine State is filled to the brim with places that pack on the visual splendor.
SHORT-TERM RENTALS
Tampa Bay Times
Pinellas asked vacation rentals to play by the rules. A lawsuit is brewing.
Two communities in Pinellas face legal threats over stricter vacation rental laws.
PROPERTY TAXES
The Capitolist
DeSantis offers plan to eliminate property taxes for poor, rural counties
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the state to take over some funding of government services for rural, thinly-populated fiscally constrained counties and allow them to eliminate their property taxes.
LEGISLATION
Florida Politics
Budget conference: Hardee County to receive $10M for new government complex
The project will be built in Senate President Ben Albritton’s home county.
Tallahassee Report
House, Senate Continue Hammering Out Budget
TALLAHASSEE — House and Senate budget leaders Monday rushed to finalize a new state spending plan, while Gov. Ron DeSantis continued calling for giving property-tax rebates.
Florida Politics
Budget conference: A favorite program of Gov. DeSantis gets $25M investment
It’s short of what the Governor wanted, though.
FAC News Clips – June 3, 2025
COUNTY
Click Orlando
Proposed federal coastal funding cuts would be devastating, Volusia County warns
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Volusia County officials are raising alarms over a Republican-backed budget proposal in the U.S. Senate that would eliminate all funding for State Coastal Zone Management (CZM) programs, funding the county relies on to protect its shoreline, promote tourism, and ensure public safety at the beach.
News 4 Jax
- JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – After several local crashes, St. Johns County commissioners will revisit a proposed e-bike safety ordinance during their meeting Tuesday.
Bradenton Herald
Manatee County to vote on charging developers more for growth
As development booms in Manatee County, leaders want to start charging builders millions more to pay for issues caused by growth.
Flagler Live
The half-cent sales tax increase the county administration proposed to pay for the long-term management and preservation of Flagler County’s 18 miles of beaches died today after weeks of comatose uncertainty. Commissioners Kim Carney and Pam Richardson summarily killed it.
WESH
Lake County is looking how to manage population growth
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Growth is often inevitable — and Lake County is quickly becoming one of the places people want to move to.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Miami Herald
Kevin Guthrie: Florida prepared to take on more of FEMA’s role
On the eve of hurricane season, Florida’s top disaster official promised Floridians that they will see no changes to the state’s hurricane response despite the turmoil at FEMA over staff cuts and proposed slashes to state disaster aid.
WESH
With FEMA cuts, Florida counties prep for hurricane relief burden
ORLANDO, Fla. — The State of Florida and local governments might have to play a bigger role in leading relief and recovery efforts during this year’s hurricane season.
Bay News 9
Duke Energy provides $163K in storm grants to Florida groups
FLORIDA — The Duke Energy Foundation is helping Florida communities prepare for the hurricane season with $163,000 in emergency preparedness and resiliency grants.
ENVIRONMENT
ABC 7
State seeks to halt manatee protection ruling
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WWSB) – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has gone to a federal appeals court after a U.S. district judge last month ruled that the state has violated the Endangered Species Act as manatees face threats in the Indian River Lagoon.
LEGISLATION
Bay News 9
Florida lawmakers strike budget deal, return to Tallahassee
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers will return to Tallahassee on Tuesday after legislative leaders struck a deal on the Florida budget. New and seasoned lawmakers are meeting in Tallahassee to get up to speed ahead of session.
Click Orlando
‘Rural renaissance’ plan, Florida sales tax cut sidelined amid budget battle
Budget deal eliminates tax on commercial leases, offers sales tax exemptions
Florida Politics
Analysis: House tourist development tax plan would cripple Florida’s economy
‘We could soon be watching high-value travelers fly over Florida.’
Florida Politics
House, Senate reach deal on nearly $50B in budget allocations
Agreeing on budget silos is a critical step toward finalizing the budget, and time is ticking.
FEDERAL
WGCU
Homeland Security pulls down list of ‘sanctuary’ cities and counties after backlash
The Department of Homeland Security removed a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” days after the agency posted it on its website.
FAC News Clips – May 29, 2025
COUNTY
Bay News 9
Lake County plans workshops to manage growth surge
TAVARES, Fla. — Lake County officials are looking for community input on how to manage its influx of growth.
Westside Gazette
FPL announces planned upgrades for Broward County to continue building a stronger, smarter grid
The company’s smart grid technology prevented more than 800,000 outages during active 2024 hurricane season.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Click Orlando
Will Florida have a tax holiday ahead of hurricane season? Here’s what to know
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For nearly a decade, Florida residents have been able to depend on an annual sales tax holiday to help prepare for hurricane season.
WTXL
FEMA pulls its strategic plan, signaling an upcoming overhaul of procedures
The multi-year document sets policy and priorities for the department as it responds to natural disasters and other emergencies.
WTSP
Sen. Rick Scott urges hurricane preparations, dismisses FEMA readiness concerns
The Republican joined local officials in Clearwater to urge residents to have hurricane plans in place.
PROPERTY TAXES
Palm Beach Post
Florida property taxes make communities better | Opinion
Property taxes are not a punishment for homeownership. They are an essential investment in the community that makes homeownership worthwhile.
LEGISLATION
Bay News 9
‘Yes, In God’s Backyard’ bill affordable housing solution
- PETERSBURG, Fla. — A church may not be the first that comes to mind when you think of affordable housing, but it will likely be part of the conversation and solution going forward if the governor signs a newly passed bill.
FAC News Clips – May 27, 2025
COUNTY
352 Today
Marion County commission approves impact fees ordinance for MCFR and EMS
OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Marion County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance on May 23, 2025, that updates the county code relating to fire and rescue fees.
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
WPTV
Here is how budget negotiations are impacting the hurricane sales tax holiday
WPTV’s Joel Lopez is speaking to residents while working to hear back from the Florida Department of Revenue on the status of the tax holiday
LEGISLATION
Tampa Bay Times
Florida bill could block communities from rebuilding stronger after hurricanes
Senate Bill 180 would freeze tougher rules for at least two years, potentially allowing developers to rebuild under the same codes that failed to protect property.
WUWF
Lawmakers won’t return to Tallahassee this week to hash out the budget
With the July 1 start of the 2025-2026 fiscal year looming, lawmakers won’t return to Tallahassee this week to resolve a budget impasse.
AROUND THE COUNT(R)Y
Fan 740
ND’s local governments press forward under new property tax laws
BISMARCK, N.D. (Prairie News Service) – North Dakota’s legislative session is in the rearview mirror, and the impact of hundreds of bills that were approved is still being assessed.