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Government revenues in Florida slide further amid COVID-19

The coronavirus outbreak continued to pummel tax revenues in Florida, as state officials on Monday reported another slide in sales taxes and fees — money that the government relies on to pay state workers and keep many programs running.

State officials reported that revenues posted in June were more than $427 million under estimate, even as the state’s economy began reopening. That brings the fiscal year’s cumulative loss to $1.9 billion. The state’s fiscal year runs from July 1 until June 30.

Last month’s slide, though, was an improvement from the months before. In April, revenues for that month were nearly $780 million below expectations. In March, the loss was estimated at $900 million.

Travel quarantines: 17 states now have some restrictions on Florida visitors

From Alaska to Maine, New Mexico to South Carolina, welcome mats are being replaced with ones that read, “If you must come in, please lock yourself in your room for 14 days,” figuratively speaking.

At least 17 states and at least two cities now are restricting arrivals from Florida because of the blooming coronavirus outbreak. Those restrictions and their enforcement vary though. While some states are mandating quarantines, and New York is even threatening $2,000 fines, some states are only recommending quarantines. Some states are offering other options.

Some are citing Florida specifically on lists of problematic states. Others have set up COVID-19 outbreak criteria that Florida currently fails. In the past couple of weeks, several states including Ohio, Kentucky, New York, and Kansas have slapped new restrictions on travelers from Florida.

After weeks of soaring numbers, Florida sees slight drop in virus case growth

With a surge of coronavirus infections straining hospitals and prompting rising criticism of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handling of the virus, Florida on Monday reported its lowest daily number of new cases in three weeks.

The 8,892 additional cases were the fewest since July 9. The 77 Floridians reported dead overnight from COVID-19 also is the state’s lowest daily toll in two weeks.

Florida so far has reported 432,747 cases of the disease and 5,931 resident deaths.

Florida Democratic lawmakers joined with teachers Monday in condemning the approach taken by President Donald Trump and DeSantis, in advance of a visit by Vice President Mike Pence to the University of Miami.

Rapid Testing Aid Coming To Florida Nursing Homes, But Concerns Remain

Florida nursing homes will receive rapid coronavirus testing machines from the federal government. The Department of Health and Human Services announced earlier this month it will send machines to every skilled nursing facility in the country.

But long-term care providers still have a lot of questions about when they will get their machines and how they will be able to manage routine testing. Advocates for nursing home residents are concerned the tests themselves aren’t accurate enough.

The Trump administration said more than 600 machines were shipped to hotspots across the country last week, and 84 of those are going to nursing homes in Florida that have been hit hard by the pandemic. About two dozen facilities in the Tampa Bay area will receive machines in that first batch.