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By:
BlakeG
On:
3/3/2010 2:18 PM
On the first day of session lawmakers in both the House and Senate passed legislation that will delay unemployement compensation tax increases for two years.
Businesses will still see the minimum per-employee tax rise from $8.40 to $25.20, but that is much less than the originally calculated rate of $100.30.
The rate that an employer pays in state unemployment compensation taxes is specific to the business and is based on a formula that also considers an employer’s three year...
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By:
BlakeG
On:
3/2/2010 10:36 PM
Mar 1, the House Civil Justice & Courts Policy Committee passed HB 689 by a vote of 11-2. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Gary Aubuchon (R-Cape Coral) would restore fairness to slip and fall lawsuits by requiring actual or constructive knowledge by a defendant business owner of potentially unsafe conditions in a business establishment. This bill would essentially restore Florida law to what existed prior to 2001, when the Florida Supreme Court and the Florida Legislature removed...
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By:
TonyC
On:
1/26/2010 3:01 PM
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index is at its highest level since the start of the recession. (See Conference Board website for more info.) The Present Situation Index increased to 25.0 from 20.2. The Expectations Index increased to 76.5 from 75.9 last month.
Florida’s consumer confidence rose in January by five points to 74, also to its highest level in more than 2 years, according to the University of Florida survey....
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By:
dankrassner
On:
1/25/2010 2:14 PM
Governor, Legislature Respond to Grassroots Action on Unemployment Tax Increase
Did you know unemployment taxes are set to increase significantly this year?
Thankfully, many of you responded to our grassroots action alert on this issue with letters to the Governor and state legislature as well as powerful testimonials about the harm these tax increases would cause to your businesses.
Here’s what Florida employers are saying:
· &n...
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By:
ababington
On:
1/23/2010 9:34 PM
The following message was sent this week to Lesley Blackner, president of the Amendment 4 campaign:
Lesley Blackner
President
Amendment 4 Campaign
Dear Ms. Blackner:
On January 11th, St. Petersburg College invited you to participate in a forum on Amendment 4. In an email to the college, you wrote that your organization would only participate in the debate if you were given veto authority over who would represent the opposing side.
Your attempt to infringe on our First...
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By:
ababington
On:
1/22/2010 10:51 AM
Last Friday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its proposed water regulations that will apply only to the state of Florida. These regulations would take effect starting in October. A wide coalition of businesses, local governments, and organizations have already spoken out against this rule: http://www.donttaxflorida.com/docs/statement.pdf.
You can view the proposed rule here: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/standards/rules/florida/
With the release of this rule, the 60...
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By:
ababington
On:
1/5/2010 11:53 AM
A lesson in how not to manage growth
Published Thursday, December 31, 2009
Florida voters will decide this year whether to move local land use decisions to the ballot box, and St. Pete Beach's three-year experiment along a similar path offers a good lesson on the downside of letting voters manage planning by election.
There are indeed some important differences between what has happened in St. Pete Beach and Hometown Democracy, the constitutional amendment expected to appear on...
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By:
TonyC
On:
12/24/2009 10:56 AM
The summer headlines heralded the death of Florida with leads that we were down 58,000 residents but today the Census Bureau actually reports that our net population increased by 114,000 (see http://tr.im/lvJB). So what gives?
Well, both statements are right to some degree. Our total population actually increased between July 1, 2008 and July 1, 2009 by 114,091 thanks in part to an increase in births in Florida. We did lose some 31,179 folks to other states...
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By:
TonyC
On:
12/24/2009 8:52 AM
Florida has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to participate in a federal education grant program – Race to the Top – which could generate up to $700 million for local school districts in Florida. For months, the Florida Department of Education has worked with education and business leaders, experts and stakeholders to design an ambitious, yet achievable plan which has two clear purposes: to help Florida students, teachers, and principals improve their...
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By:
TonyC
On:
12/22/2009 8:50 AM
2010 is already looking bright. With the news that Dale Brill will be joining the Foundation team as our new president, you can be sure that the 2030 Project and all the great work of the Foundation is in good hands.
To all our friends that might be a bit confused, I remain as EVP and will direct the research programs, TheFloridaScoreCard.com, and development of caucuses around the 6 economic drivers. Dale will oversee our entire operations with particular focus on the...
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