A Florida law that would make it more expensive for travel agents to book trips to Cuba interferes with existing federal regulation of travel to the communist island, according to a report by the U.S. Justice Department. ...more

March 23, 2009

The U.S. Justice Department says a Florida law that would make it more expensive for travel agents to book trips to Cuba interferes with existing federal regulations. ...more

March 22, 2009

Should some items be taxed, and others not? The Florida House of Representatives studied that issue last week to decide whether to levy sales taxes on rent, sports tickets, gym admissions, toll road charges, and hundreds of other goods. ...more

March 22, 2009

A bill being considered in the Florida Legislature would do away with the state's growth management agency, the Florida Department of Community Affairs. The result of the debate will determine how Florida manages future development. ...more

March 22, 2009

The federal stimulus package includes important provisions related to the administration of Florida's Medicaid program. The stimulus bill provides a temporary increase in the federal match of Medicaid costs, which means Florida will pay a lower share for Medicaid services. ...more

March 22, 2009

The Florida Legislature is grappling with a $7 billion budget deficit, an insurance crisis and burdensome tax increases. ...more

March 22, 2009

For the fifth year in a row, the Florida Legislature is attacking local government control of wetlands permitting, especially aiming at Hillsborough County's Environmental Protection Commission (EPC). In the name of streamlining, legislators maintain that local wetland review duplicates that of other state agencies and is a reason for the state's economic crisis. Ha! ...more

March 19, 2009

State Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, has proposed Senate Bill 730. ...more

March 19, 2009

Cigarettes have been a relatively inexpensive addiction for smokers in Florida, even as a pack has neared $4 for most brands. ...more

March 18, 2009

On April 1, the federal excise tax on cigarettes will rise to $1.01 per pack, up 62 cents from the current level. And the Florida Legislature is considering a $1-per-pack increase in the state tax. ...more

March 17, 2009