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☆ A Florida Democratic state lawmaker says the party must 'go back to the basics' in order to reverse recent statewide losses: 'We're very much at the bottom of the bottom'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Florida Democratic legislator told The Washington Post of the party's struggles in the state. A party operative told the paper that the GOP continues to organize in the state, while Democrats have "regressed." Bush carried Florida for the GOP, but in 1996 then-President Bill Clinton flipped the state into the Democratic column in his successful reelection bid. The GOP governor, last fall, won reelection in a 19-point landslide over his Democratic rival, former Gov. In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Democratic state Rep. Anna AskMen said that the party had to "go back to basics" and overhaul its door-knocking and get-out-the-vote operations.

☆ Kamala Harris swipes at DeSantis using his 'vanguard of freedom' quote, on the governor's home turf, as she announces new moves on abortion pill
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

said Harris, who didn't use DeSantis' name but was quoting directly from his 2022 State of the State address. The vice president, who has been at the forefront voice for the administration's on abortion rights, announced that President Joe Biden would be signing a memorandum to make abortion pills easier to access. Sunday would have marked the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that guaranteed a national right to abortion. Wilfredo Lee/AP PhotoFlorida has other ways of expanding abortion rightsAbortion rights proved to be a liability for Republicans in the November midterms. Reproductive rights groups are working to put the issue of abortion before Florida voters through a 2024 ballot measure.

☆ Can Miami Beach Stay Hot After Covid? The Shore Club Redevelopment Might Hold the Answer.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Katherine Clarke | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Architect Robert A.M. Stern is best known for designing buildings for the wealthiest New Yorkers. Some of the largest residential deals in the U.S. have been at his towers overlooking Manhattan’s Central Park. Now, Mr. Stern’s eponymous firm is putting the finishing touches on the design for a Miami Beach project that is seeking to entice those same buyers to the Sunshine State. The project will be the firm’s first oceanfront residential building. Sales of the units are expected to begin later this month.

☆ Why Orange Juice Is So Expensive Right Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Ryan Dezember | David Uberti | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Florida orange growers are harvesting their smallest crop in nearly 90 years, the result of an ill-timed freeze, two hurricanes and citrus disease that is laying waste to its groves. The Sunshine State is expected to produce just 18 million 90-pound boxes of oranges, the Agriculture Department said last week. That would be less than half the size of last year’s poor crop and a 93% decline from Florida’s peak output in 1998.

☆ One U-Haul manager believes lots of people will still move to Florida in 2023—but not to the popular cities of Miami and Tampa Bay
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Florida was the second-most-popular destination for U-Haul movers in 2022. Florida was the second-most-popular destination for U-Haul movers last year, second only to Texas, per a new report by the national truck-rental company. In a twist, these movers were less likely to embrace the popular cities of the pandemic era, like Miami and Tampa. People in the past year were choosing smaller, less expensive Florida areas — such as Clermont, Ocala, and The Villages, both moveBuddha and U-Haul found. It's a trend mirrored nationally, as movers sought exurban areas — suburbs with a rural feel in close proximity to cities.

☆ Floridians can blame vacation homes and 'oppressive' homeowners associations for their high rents, economist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Too many vacation rentals and strict homeowners associations are pushing up housing costs, a study said. According to Johnson, there are too many vacation rentals in the Sunshine State. It's this particular combination of strict HOA rules and the sheer number of vacation rentals is a mixture that is affecting housing affordability negatively, he said. According to Johnson's study, Florida is now home to 9 of the 21 most overpriced rental markets in the US. The number of vacation rentals in the state is only making it harder for people to find affordable places to rent, the study suggests.

☆ 6 reasons why moving to Florida can be a major disappointment, from surprisingly high tax bills to severe storms that 'should be an eye opener'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"The appreciation rates that we've seen in South Florida have been much higher than the national average," Bordenaro said. Newcomers moving to Florida have also been shocked at property tax bills that are higher than they expected, Insider's Kelsey Neubauer reported. Because of rising sea levels, many homes in South Florida are at a higher risk for disaster, which makes it more expensive to insure them. According to Bordenaro, Miami is attempting to alleviate the traffic issue by constructing more lanes and new exits, but the going road work only leads to more traffic. "Depending on where you come from, it can be tough to make friends with the locals," Bordenaro said.

Ron DeSantis will seek to bring Disney's special governing district under direct state control in a bid to end the entertainment giant's multi-decade arrangement with the Sunshine State. In a document posted to the website of Osceola County, which also borders Orange County and Reedy Creek, notice was given that the proposed legislation would leave no current aspect of Reedy Creek untouched. Florida legislators already voted in a special session last year to dissolve all special districts like Reedy Creek in Florida by June 2023. In response, DeSantis and his allies in the Florida legislature announced they would seek to end the privileges Disney had enjoyed through the special district. “The state of Florida has been very important to us for a long time, and we have been very important to the state of Florida,” Iger said last month.

☆ Who is Rep. Byron Donalds — ultra-conservatives' latest pick for House Speaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida is the far-right faction's latest choice for House Speaker. The 44-year-old is a second-term lawmaker and one of only five Black Republicans in Congress. Donalds graduated from Florida State University with a degree in financing and marketing. After an unsuccessful 2012 Congressional bid, Donalds was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016. One of only five Black Republicans in Congress, Donalds expressed excitement about the number of Black Republicans running for Congress in 2022.

☆ Moving to Florida could save you on taxes — but cost more overall
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Many Americans have seen the lack of a state income tax as a way to get ahead financially. Many have also been drawn there because it's one of nine states with no state income tax, which could potentially save them thousands of dollars per year. Despite the lack of an income tax, Florida has higher sales and property taxes than some of its peers, and due to Florida law, newcomers are seeing higher property tax increases than longstanding residents. Before moving to the Sunshine State, it's worth considering how Florida's cost of living compares to where you live now, and to your potential employment opportunities. Indeed, the lack of an income tax is a major financial perk for Floridians.

Last year, the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization, the Human Rights Campaign, labeled 2021 the “worst year” for LGBTQ rights in modern U.S. history, citing a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures across the country. “The LGBTQ+ community is really under siege right now,” said Ricardo Martinez, CEO of LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Texas. One bill that was successfully implemented, and gained national headlines for months, was Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, or what critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The word “grooming” has long been associated with mischaracterizing LGBTQ people, particularly gay men and transgender women, as child sex abusers. Those losses came after some conservative groups ramped up misleading or inflammatory campaign ads targeting transgender rights.

☆ Millions of people are still moving to Florida. They might regret it.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The state's population has been steadily increasing for decades. But some that have moved to Florida will come to regret the decision — and may ultimately move out. A nearly 14,000-member Facebook group for people moving out of Florida has cited severe weather, low wages, crowded beaches, changing politics, and steep housing prices as reasons people left. Nicole Panesso lived in Florida her whole life until moving to Tennessee earlier this year, she previously told Insider, citing low wages and high expenses as reasons why. For Greg May, Florida's high temperatures were the main reason he left for North Carolina, he previously told Insider.

☆ Americans are still moving to Florida. They might regret it.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Ron DeSantis outflanks Trump on the right with his call for Covid vaccine probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Marc Caputo | Marc Caputo Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Ron DeSantis was positioning himself to get to the right of the former president over the issue of Covid vaccines. DeSantis, who is mulling whether to challenge Trump in the 2024 Republican primary for president, deepened those suspicions Tuesday. That’s his record,” said Roger Stone, a longtime adviser to Trump and an outspoken critic of DeSantis. The poll also showed DeSantis ahead of President Joe Biden in a theoretical general election matchup by 47%-43%, but Biden topped Trump 47%-40%. “So the only option for DeSantis to pose a challenge to Trump is to attack him on the vaccine.

☆ Citadel's anniversary extravaganza: Billionaire Ken Griffin treats employees to Disney World and a Coldplay concert amid a stellar year for the hedge fund
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Billionaire Ken Griffin treated Citadel employees and their families to a weekend at Disney World. The 20th-anniversary event for Citadel Securities is one of many lavish events for the firm. This weekend, founder Ken Griffin treated Citadel and Citadel Securities' employees and their partners and children to an all-inclusive weekend in Disney World. The Disney World extravaganza was the 20th-anniversary celebration of market maker and trading firm Citadel Securities, and a belated event for hedge fund Citadel's 30th anniversary, which was in 2020. Citadel employees and families gathered at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday night for a party that featured a concert headlined by Coldplay.

☆ Florida homeowners got swindled by brokers who paid them a paltry sum in cash upfront for the rights to sell their properties for 40 years
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Florida brokerage had offered homeowners upfront cash payments in exchange for exclusive rights to sell their property. Florida's attorney general alleges MV Realty's 40-year homeowner agreement is "deceptive" and "unconscionable." Roy Brightwell, 70, is one complainant that the Tampa Bay Times interviewed about his experience with MV Realty. The lawsuit claims that MV Realty's agreement is illegal under Florida law because it does not meet the statutory requirements for liens. When asked about the pending litigation, a spokesperson for MV Realty responded to Insider suggesting that the practice is perfectly legal.

☆ Florida woman sues Kraft for $5M, saying Velveeta shells & cheese takes longer to prepare than packaging claims
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Joseph Lamour | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

On Nov. 18, Florida resident Amanda Ramirez sued the Kraft Heinz Company for at least $5 million over what she claims is deceptive and fraudulent packaging. Ramirez says that since Kraft’s Velveeta Shells & Cheese Microwavable Shell Pasta takes longer than 3-and-a-half minutes to prepare even though its packing states “ready in 3½ minutes,” that constitutes fraud. What the plaintiff focuses on is the fifth instruction, “cheese sauce will thicken upon standing” which they say constitutes a longer “ready” time than the packaging claims. “Consumers seeing ‘ready in 3½ minutes’ will believe it represents the total amount of time it takes to prepare the Product,” the suit reads. “However, the directions outlined above show that 3-and-a-half minutes is just the length of time to complete one of several steps.

☆ Florida's attorney general says Americans from blue states are moving to the Sunshine State because it's tough on crime: 'It's not rocket science'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Florida AG Ashley Moody says Americans are moving to Florida because it's a law and order state. Americans have flocked to the Sunshine State largely due to its low taxes, and business-friendly policies, according to the state's CFO, Jimmy Patronis. Using data from the FBI's 2018 Uniform Crime Reporting Program, USA Today ranked states from lowest violent crime rate to highest. Florida ranked 21st with a violent crime rate of 384.9 per 100,000 people, while California — the most populous state — ranked 14th with a violent crime rate of 447.4 per 100,000 people, according to the news outlet. New York was 25th on the list with a violent crime rate of 350.5 per 100,000 people.

☆ Brian Kemp Is GOP’s Best Bet for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Scott Westcott | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ron DeSantis the new standard-bearer for the Republican Party, political pundits passed over the more logical choice: Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia. Mr. DeSantis’s re-election margin was wider, but Florida is a red state and its Democratic Party is a shambles. Charlie Crist was a weak opponent, and the Sunshine State’s U.S. Senate race was barely competitive. Goofy could have won the Florida governorship if he switched parties and put “R., Magic Kingdom” after his name.

☆ Wall Street's love language is coding. Here are the ones you need to know.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Insider's Bianca Chan and Carter Johnson dug into the most sought-after coding languages across Wall Street. C++, which was created in 1983, is still a mainstay despite being older than a good chunk of the people using it on Wall Street (and the person writing this newsletter). While that's certainly true, plenty of programming languages have sticking power. Perhaps the best example is COBOL, a 63-year-old programming language still being used today. But what would be a smart decision is reading this story mapping out the top programming languages for a variety of roles and industries across Wall Street.

☆ Homebuyers who fled to Florida to escape high taxes are now shocked at their massive tax bills
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Florida law caps property taxes at 3% a year for existing homebuyers. The tax bills have come as a shock for some, who may have to consider moving out of the state. Anyone who bought a Florida property in 2022 will be in the same situation next year. Corporate homebuyers are also getting hit with higher tax billsDeeply resourced, large-scale homebuyers are getting caught off guard, too. Some local governments in Texas have argued for increasing property taxes in order to finance things like hurricane relief, the Texas Tribune reported.

☆ Florida no longer looks like a swing state after DeSantis, Rubio lead big Republican wins
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Once considered the nation's biggest swing state, Florida is looking more and more like a Republican stronghold. The state's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, and Sen. Marco Rubio both glided to victory against their respective Democratic opponents. The number of active registered Republican voters, meanwhile, rose to 5,259,406 in the same period — a gain of more than 150,000. In this month's midterms, older Florida voters came out in droves, while young voters stayed home, NBC's exit polls show. And the GOP extended its gains in the Florida state Legislature, clinching supermajorities in both chambers.

MIAMI — Florida Democrats are reeling and coming to terms with devastating Election Day losses, particularly among Latino voters who turned out solidly for Republicans in statewide contests. Most Republicans running in the state won by large margins, turning Florida into a solid red state. “Republicans became the real spokespeople for this community,” said Gamarra, referring to the governor, senators, and South Florida members of Congress. DeSantis always hammers down the message that Florida is a “free state.” Over 80,000 people have died of Covid in Florida. Meanwhile, the number of Democratic Latino registered voters decreased from 947,853 in 2020 to 901,481 in 2022.

☆ Spirit is dropping 37 routes from its network in a significant adjustment that targets Florida — see the full list
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Spirit Airlines has temporarily cut 37 routes from its network starting in January. The airline is calling the cuts temporary, with plans to restore many of them in 2023. Starting in January, the low-cost carrier will nix 37 routes from its map, including destinations in the US and abroad, according to Cirium data. Although Spirit is pulling some routes from Florida, Spirit EVP and CCO Matthew Klein said in the earnings call that "while we are seeing the constraints on our Florida network, we are able to reallocate that to other parts of the country." Here is the full list of Spirit's 37 temporarily dropped routes:

But after his 19% margin win on Tuesday over Democrat Charlie Crist, DeSantis may in fact be the Republican Party’s savior. Somebody needs to deliver the GOP from Trump, and from that victory margin to his polling ahead of the former president, signs point to DeSantis as The One. The cheeky right-aligned New York Post on Wednesday ran a “DeFuture” cover of the DeSantis family (“Young GOP star DeSantis romps to victory in Florida”). Trump versus DeSantis is a fight between two men with messiah complexes who want us to believe each is the leader America needs. Could DeSantis win a national election?

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