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Studio 67FAC News Clips – July 21, 2025
COUNTY
Stet News
County vs. city: Lawsuit to decide how people get around
How traffic keeps up with growth and who decides what projects get built are at the heart of long-running lawsuit pitting Palm Beach County against Palm Beach Gardens.
TC Palm
Fire Rescue team wins in regional firefighter competition in Alabama
The Martin County Fire Rescue Combat Challenge Team returned from the Southeast Regional Firefighter Challenge Classic in Hoover, Alabama, with some victories, and qualified for the national competition in September.
Marco Eagle
Collier County delays breeder ordinance vote, plans stricter rules
Collier County postponed an anticipated vote to rein in unregulated animal breeding this month but plans to return with stricter rules in August.
BUDGETS
Click Orlando
Volusia County budget proposal includes $1.2M for SunRail, disaster recovery grant
DeLAND, Fla. – Volusia County leaders are set to unveil a new $1.7 billion budget proposal Tuesday that includes major investments in public transit, housing, and storm recovery, while holding the line on property taxes.
Keys Weekly
COUNTY KEEPS 50% CUTS TO NONPROFITS, 20 STAFF LAYOFFS & A TAX INCREASE IN PRELIMINARY BUDGET
Facing mounting scrutiny from the state Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and uncertainty in future federal disaster assistance, the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners may look to a tax increase to build its emergency reserves.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
WFLA
States prepare for hurricane season amid federal funding uncertainty
Uncertainty is hanging over this year’s hurricane season as meteorologists predict “above-normal” activity and the Trump administration sends shifting signals over the future of the federal government’s role in natural disaster response.
STATE
Florida Politics
‘Gentle giant’ Joe Casello dies at 73
The Democrat called public service a ‘calling and a privilege.’
TECH
Route-Fifty
Congress’ AI moratorium isn’t dead yet, Rep. McCormick says
A provision preventing states from enforcing AI regulations did not make it into the final reconciliation law, but advocates are still pushing for its passage.
Route-Fifty
Better broadband needs better data collection, report says
A new report from The Pew Charitable Trusts said the federal government has made progress, but BEAD and other programs could still struggle to achieve their goals.
FAC News Clips – July 17, 2025
COUNTY
Sanford Herald
Seminole County Commissioner Lee Constantine accepts the FAC Lifetime Achievement Award.
Flagler County Buzz
Flagler County receives 3 NACIO ‘Awards of Excellence’ for podcast series, 2 writing features
Flagler County is the recipient of three National Association of County Information Officers (NACIO) “Awards of Excellence,” in the category Audiovisual Podcast Series for the county’s new podcast called Flagler in Focus, and two writing features.
Lake O News
Commissioner presented with Certified County Commissioner designation
Okeechobee County Commissioner Frank DeCarlo was presented with the Certified County Commissioner (CCC) designation.
TBN Weekly
Indian Rocks Beach keys on county beach plans
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — County and state leaders have been working on a plan to renourish Pinellas’ storm-ravaged beaches — and local officials are paying close attention.
GROWTH
Orlando Sentinel
Orange County commissioners hold firm on growth controls
The votes pleased advocates who urged the county to “be brave” and fight in court
SHORT-TERM RENTAL
News 4 Jax
Addressing Affordability: The cost of living next to a short-term rental in Jacksonville Beach
FAC News Clips – July 15, 2025
COUNTY
Miami Times
A Florida county leads the way with a high-tech 911 system that improves emergency response
When an emergency happens in Collier County, Florida, the 911 calls go to one of the most high-tech communications centers in the U.S., where callers can send text and video from the scene to dispatchers.
News 4 Jax
Deegan presented her 2025-26 fiscal year budget to Jacksonville City Council on Monday
Observer Local News
Flagler County proposes tentative tax rate, still searching for ways to fund the beach
The county will not be pursuing a special assessment district to help fund the beach in fiscal year 2025. Is that a ‘missed opportunity?’
HOUSING
CBS 12
Palm Beach County offering up to $100,000 for first-time homebuyers
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Buying a home nowadays could be a cost that breaks the bank, especially for first-time homebuyers in South Florida.
Herald-Tribune
Affordable housing developers receive millions in storm recovery funds
The Sarasota County Commission awarded numerous grants for Hurricane Ian recovery as well as to arts programs last week, as part of the county’s summer meetings on next year’s budget.
WEATHER
News-Press
NOAA hurricane center: Invest 93L tracker. Fort Myers forecast
The National Hurricane Center said a system of low pressure off the east coast of Florida could become a tropical depression in the Gulf this week.
IMMIGRATION
Miami Times
Dozens of FL cities haven’t signed 287(g) agreements. Does that make them sanctuary cities?
The Key West City Commission’s vote last week to reverse itself and agree to once again enter into a 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) came in response to a threat made by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier that failure to do so could lead to their removal from office.
PROPERTY TAXES
Florida Politics
Orlando doesn’t plan to increase property tax rate next year
Mayor Buddy Dyer says people in Orlando aren’t complaining about the cost of property taxes — it’s property insurance.
FAC News Clips – July 14, 2025
COUNTY
Alachua County Chronicle
Cornell reappointed as Chair of FAC Policy Committee
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – At the recent Florida Association of Counties (FAC) Annual Meeting, Alachua County Commissioner Ken Cornell was re-appointed chair of the Community & Urban Affairs Policy Committee for the 2025–2026 term.
Tallahassee Democrat
New Florida law backed by builders cuffs counties and cities on growth
TALLAHASSEE – One county has postponed plans to ban roosters in some neighborhoods; others worry about pausing new construction or repairing damaged wetlands.
Villages News
Proposed Sumter County budget includes property tax increase
Next year’s proposed Sumter County budget cuts overall expenditures and increases property taxes.
WEATHER
Positively Osceola
Tropical Disturbance Could Bring Heavy Rain to Florida and Osceola County This Week
A weak but persistent area of low pressure off Florida’s east coast is being closely monitored by meteorologists, as it continues to produce scattered showers and thunderstorms.
DOGE
Florida Politics
DOGE sprouts in red states, as governors embrace the cost-cutter brand and make it their own
It’s not just Ron DeSantis.
Route-Fifty
State DOGEs tackle local spending, property taxes
Florida’s has asked for line-by-line accounting of its local governments’ spending and any evidence of financial distress. Iowa appears to be targeting local taxation.
FAC News Clips – July 9, 2025
COUNTY
St. Pete Catalyst
Florida Association of Counties names Rene Flowers president-elect
Pinellas County commissioner Rene Flowers became the Florida Association of Counties’ president-elect June 27. The president-elect is the second senior official of the association, under the president.
Citizen Portal
Clay County officials celebrate recognition for adoption rates and Clay Day leadership
The Clay County Board of County Commissioners meeting on July 8, 2025, highlighted significant achievements in community service and recognition for local staff efforts.
WMBB
Walton County Commissioner receives advanced designation
WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – A Walton County Commissioner was presented with the Advanced County Commissioner Level II designation from the Institute for County Government last month.
Tallahassee Democrat
Leon County budget continues with affordable housing and pay raises
The Leon County Commission has taken the first steps in approving and ratifying its 2026 fiscal budget and there are two big winners: members of the Capital Area Justice Ministry and county employees who can expect yet another annual 5% pay raise for the fourth year in a row.
Action News Jax
Clay County leaders vote to deny utility tax increase despite budget shortfalls
CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — In a meeting Tuesday night, the Board of County Commissioners in Clay County voted 4-1 to shut down a proposed increase in tax on certain utilities for customers within unincorporated portions of the county, including those who use Clay Electric.
Your Observer
Florida Power & Light’s smart grid technology prevented more than 800,000 outages during the active 2024 hurricane season.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Spectrum News
Texas flooding underscore the challenges in replacing FEMA
Just weeks ago, President Donald Trump said he wanted to begin “phasing out” the Federal Emergency Management Agency after this hurricane season to “wean off of FEMA” and “bring it down to the state level.”
PROPERTY TAXES
Florida Politics
Greg Steube backs Ron DeSantis’ push to end property taxes
The Congressman says DeSantis’ proposal would be ‘great for the economy.’
LEGISLATION
Your Observer
State Bill 180 handcuffs Manatee County commissioners
It can be so difficult to get a bill passed through the legislature that Florida Rep. Bill Conerly (District 72) said if you like 80% of the bill, that’s a success.
FAC News Clips – July 8, 2025
COUNTY
The Local Reporter
Orange County Honored with Three 2025 National Achievement Awards for Innovation and Service
Orange County Government has received three prestigious 2025 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo), recognizing the county’s commitment to innovative, impactful public service.
Wear TV
Santa Rosa County faces $12 million shortfall, plans to cut projects to balance budget
SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. — Residents in Santa Rosa County could soon see less development coming to the county next year.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Suncoast News Network
Sarasota Co. Commissioners to vote on investment for stormwater improvements
SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla., (WFLA) – Sarasota County Commissioners plan to invest millions of dollars in stormwater infrastructure improvements, all because of the impacts of last year’s hurricanes.
AROUND THE COUNT(R)Y
Route-Fifty
911 looks to AI to filter out non-emergency calls
The technology is helping answer non-emergency calls and otherwise free up dispatchers to focus on true emergencies that they otherwise would have needed to forward along.