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As Miami gears up, hurricane prep meets the World Cup

Every hurricane season in Florida brings its own set of challenges. This one — kicking off in just a few days — happens to come with droves of visitors from around the world descending on South Florida over the course of several weeks.

The timing of FIFA World Cup games at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens will collide with the Atlantic hurricane season. It also falls during a sweltering time of year that can come with massive amounts of flooding, regardless of whether tropical storms break out. All of that could create a chaotic situation of one of the world’s largest sporting events meeting Florida’s notorious tropical deluges.

“We are very concerned,” Miami-Dade Department of Emergency Management Director Pete Gomez told reporters Tuesday, saying the emergency preparedness team went to “about 32 meetings a week” to prepare for the games. “That is a new community that we are worried about making sure that you folks get the message out … because they’re coming in from all over the world, and they don’t know what a hurricane is.”

The World Cup was just one of several factors raised Tuesday regarding the forthcoming hurricane season during a press conference in Miami at the National Hurricane Center, where GOP U.S. Sen. Rick Scott kicked off his annual tradition of traveling across the state and standing alongside local officials to urge residents to get their storm prep in order.

In one of his final acts, DeSantis calls for vote on sweeping Florida property tax cut

Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for a sweeping property tax cut that, if approved by voters this fall, would spare millions of Florida homeowners from paying taxes on their primary residence — and provide DeSantis with a key policy win as he prepares to end his second term.

The GOP governor on Wednesday rolled out his long-awaited plan he wants the Legislature to pass during a special session he scheduled to run from June 1 to June 3. If Republican legislative leaders go along with DeSantis’ plan, it will also give the GOP a way to argue it is addressing the state’s persistent affordability crisis heading into the midterms.

That is the best way we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of people, particularly those who are trying to make ends meet,” DeSantis said during a press conference in Tampa to announce his proposal. “I think a lot of people need relief. I think a lot of people have been wondering, where can we get it? We’re showing a pathway to be able to get that done that I think is going to be transformational for people.”

DeSantis’ effort to overhaul property taxes will be likely be his last substantive policy push during his eight years in office. But he has two potential obstacles: The governor must convince a supermajority of the Legislature to place the item on the ballot, and then he must sway 60 percent of those voting in November to approve the tax cut. DeSantis has been openly feuding with Republicans in the state House that he must now rely on to put the measure before voters.

Ron DeSantis backs Hillsborough College campus funding, defends Rays’ $10 lease

Gov. Ron DeSantis is giving the Tampa Bay Rays ballpark agreement with Hillsborough College and local governments another nod of confidence, indicating his support for $50 million in state funding slated to support campus renovations.

The comments come as local officials, state budget writers and others continue scrutinizing the public pieces of the proposed deal, including a 99-year lease approved by Hillsborough College Trustees that would give the Rays’ development entity long-term control over portions of the Dale Mabry campus for a nominal rent of $10 per year.

The agreement could also be extended up to four times for 10 years each, potentially stretching the arrangement well beyond a century.

Questions arose after Hillsborough College approved the lease agreement with the Rays last week. The Tampa Bay Business Journal reported that the dollar figure sparked questions by Tampa Sports Authority members about the value of the land, arguing that it should be included in calculations for public funding contributed toward the Rays ballpark project. 

The $10 in rent per year agreed to by the college is far from the development value of the land, according to a map prepared by Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez’s Office. The map identifies five parcels in the proposed development area with a combined appraiser “market” value of about $161.2 million, including about $48.9 million in land value.

Poll finds energy costs will play prominently in 2026 political campaigns

A national poll by the Conservative Energy Network (CEN) shows Americans are frustrated with rising energy costs and they want more practical alternative energy sources.

CEN commissioned a survey, conducted by the Cygnal political polling firm, that found bipartisan support for getting rising energy costs under control as the war in Iran drags on. Voters want a wider variety of energy sources.

Some 82% of those taking part in the poll say they’re concerned about the affordability of electricity costs while 72% say their energy bills have increased in the past two years.

The poll found 75% of voters endorse streamlining permitting processes for new energy generation projects such as nuclear, natural gas, solar and wind while upholding environmental safety regulations.

Another 92% said the U.S. electrical grid needs modernizing or upgrades as 78% said they support investing in new infrastructure if it lowers electricity bills and enhances reliability. And 72% said they support investing in expanding the electricity grid to improve reliability if it reduces long-term costs.