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Senate proposes sales tax holidays to help hunters, workers and families

As part of his tax relief package, Senate President Ben Albritton is proposing several sales tax holidays this year to help Floridians save money.

The proposed tax holidays would benefit families buying tickets, workers needing tools, parents shopping for back-to-school items and Floridians preparing for hurricane season.

“Over the last decade, sales tax holidays, particularly for hurricane season and back-to-school have become something Floridians have come to expect and plan for,” Albritton wrote in a memo this week. “Our goal was to avoid overlapping holidays, which can be confusing for consumers and retailers alike.”

Here’s the full list for the Senate’s proposed sales tax holidays:

— Disaster Preparedness Tax Holiday, June 2-15: Items that will be sales tax-free include flashlights and lanterns costing $40 or less; reusable ice costing $20 or less; radios costing $50 or less; tarps and ground anchors or tie down kits costing $100 or less; coolers and portable power banks costing $60 or less; batteries and fuel tanks costing $50 or less; smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors costing $70 or less; and generators costing $3,000 or less.

EVs may be great for the environment, but bad for Florida gas tax revenues

'Electric Vehicles (EVs) may be all the rage for the environmentally aware on the roadways. But a new analysis  by Florida TaxWatch shows EVs are taking a toll on the state’s tax revenue coffers.

The government-spending watchdog group issued the “Fair Share Taxes Driven Away By Electric Vehicles” report this month. The research project shows EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles are beginning to drive down some revenues for gas taxes in Florida, in particular the Highway Fuel Tax.

“Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles can cruise the state’s highway system without paying the Highway Fuel Tax. Although the purchase of electricity collects a sales tax, it does not directly contribute to the State Transportation Trust Fund,” said Dominic Calabro, President of Florida TaxWatch. “As electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity, policymakers should consider how their market share affects the state’s ability to invest in transportation infrastructure.”

Jimmy Patronis gets named to key transportation committee in Congress upon arriving in D.C.

'Newly-elected member of Congress Jimmy Patronis is wasting little time getting into the mix of the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.

The former Florida Chief Executive Officer won the special election April 1 for Florida’s 1st Congressional District in the Panhandle on April 1. He was appointed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to a Congressional committee. In his first full week in Congress, Patronis was assigned to the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He’ll also serve on several other supplemental panels including the Subcommittee on Aviation, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, and the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

“With over 1,000 people moving to Florida every day, our roadways, waterways, and infrastructure are essential to our nation’s economy and national security. During major storms, Florida roadways become critical tools for hurricane evacuation during states of emergency,” said Patronis, a Panama City Beach Republican. “Also, maintaining our roads, bridges, ports, and waterways are vital to ensuring a steady flow of commerce.”

Patronis added he’ll be vigilant in Congress and is committed to fair distribution of funds throughout Florida and all states.

Environmental group wins landmark manatee protection case forcing state to scrutinize Brevard sewage

Pollution from septic tanks and sewage spills is killing seagrass, causing threatened manatees to starve to death, and Florida's not doing enough to stop it, a federal judge ruled Friday.

U.S. District Court Judge Carlos Mendoza, Middle District of Florida in Orlando, granted injunctive relief and directed Florida to apply for what's called an Incidental Take Permit, which under the federal Endangered Species Act gives permission to kill or harm manatees if certain conditions are met.

It's unclear at this point what exactly the court will require or whether the state will appeal the ruling. Within the next few weeks, plaintiff Bear Warriors United plans to file a request to try to define that. And while the legal battle might not be over just yet, manatee advocates say this latest ruling is a sign of hope and possible precedent that could force Florida to do more to clean up the Indian River Lagoon — where most manatees rely on ample seagrass to eat — and maybe in the long-term, force other areas of the country to do the same when water pollution is killing protected species.