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State doubles arts funding, but bulk set aside for lawmaker projects

The Florida Legislature nearly doubled the amount of overall money spent on arts and culture programs and organizations in the new budget compared to last year, but not in the way arts advocates had requested or expected.

Allocations for fiscal year 2025 total $93.9 million, funding 669 different arts and culture projects or organizations across the state. Just $32 million of that is allocated for grants overseen by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs, while the rest is earmarked for what are known as member projects.

A year ago, the state budget included about $58 million for arts and culture programs, with $43.3 million for grants and $15 million allocated for special member projects. The $43.3 million represented a $16 million cut from the previous year.

The largest of the four categories of grants overseen by the state's Division of Cultural Affairs, Cultural and Museum grants, received $26 million to be shared by 625 organizations, which will get less than half of what they qualify for under the state's long-established vetting and evaluation system. 

Hillsborough school district could pay teachers more without raising taxes

The proposal for an additional property tax to fund operations in Hillsborough County’s schools raises serious concerns that cannot be ignored. While its aim is to improve teacher pay and address staffing challenges, doubts arise about its necessity.

Between 2022 and 2023, a notable increase in property values generated more than $35 million in additional revenue for the district. This suggests that the district benefits from the growing property values and may not require additional funding from taxpayers. Yet, there’s a push for more funding.

Financially, the district is not in dire straits. With a projected revenue of more than $400 million in 2024, there seems to be enough to fairly compensate teachers without resorting to extra taxes.

The district could reallocate funds from areas like administrative expenses, potentially trimming $170 million from its $4 billion budget. This could significantly boost teachers’ salaries without increasing the tax burden on residents.

Trump rekindles relationships with key 2016 donors

Donald Trump, facing a cash crunch that puts him at a severe disadvantage to President Joe Biden, dined Thursday night with a small group of donors including hedge fund billionaire Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah, according to two people with knowledge of the event.

Trump’s dinner companions also included entrepreneur Omeed Malik, cosmetics firm founder Trish McEvoy and real estate management billionaire Richard Kurtz, one of the people said.

The Mercers, McEvoy and Kurtz did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Malik declined to comment, and a Trump spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. The Mercers were a critical source of support behind Trump’s win in the 2016 presidential election. The family was conspicuously quiet during Trump’s 2020 reelection effort.

But both Robert and Rebekah Mercer have lent their names for an invitation to a high-dollar fundraiser April 6, along with Malik. And their appearance with Trump at the dinner is additional evidence of a rekindled relationship.

Will Hillsborough’s half-cent tax survive politics to get on the ballot?

To say the Community Investment Tax helped build Hillsborough County is not an exaggeration.

Raymond James Stadium — home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and venue for the likes of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé — owes its existence to the half-penny sales tax voters passed in 1996. Since then, the tax has funded hundreds of projects to the tune of more than $2.6 billion, including fire stations, police facilities, libraries, roads, intersections and sidewalks.

With that tax soon to sunset, Hillsborough commissioners have been working on a renewed version to put to voters on the November ballot in hopes of keeping those funds flowing.

But commissioners are not in lockstep on the details. Points of contention: Should the tax last another 30 years, a whittled-down 10 or somewhere in between? And how much should schools get — if anything at all? Commissioners — expected to vote Wednesday on these matters critical to moving the tax forward — do agree on one thing: None of them wants to lose for the future what this tax did in the past.