What do Florida consumers get from the state budget lawmakers approved?

Florida’s legislative leaders said this would be the year of affordability. They had plans to tackle the high costs of housing, property insurance and taxes. The House speaker wanted $5 billion in sales tax relief. The governor proposed a plan to eliminate property taxes. The Senate president called for hundreds of millions of dollars in investment to spark a “rural renaissance” in Florida. But in the end, the sales tax proposal never came to fruition. The bill outlining a study on property tax relief went nowhere. The rural renaissance legislation was cut in negotiations. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Sentinel.

Florida economist forecasts stability despite trade tensions

A University of Central Florida economist said this period of economic uncertainty will be brief and encourages investors to pay attention to the underlying economic drivers that will keep the U.S. economy strong. Sean Snaith, director of UCF’s Institute for Economic Forecasting, said that while the rapidly changing environment around President Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade deals has created a “significant amount of uncertainty,” he believes stability is in sight. [Source: Tampa Bay Business Journal]

Citrus industry cheers Legislature approving about $140M in funds for growers

Citrus growers are thrilled as the Florida Legislature approves nearly $140 million in allocations for the industry that are included in the 2025-26 fiscal budget. It’s a sizable chunk of funding that will help the citrus industry in the state through research designed to counter plant diseases that spoil the fruit, marketing initiatives, packing house help and citrus inspection among other elements. [Source: Florida Politics]

Florida scraps “diligent effort” rule for surplus lines insurance

Florida has formally repealed its “diligent effort” requirements for placing insurance in the surplus lines market, a move supporters say will ease access to coverage and streamline the placement process. Under the previous rules, agents had to obtain rejections from at least three admitted insurers before turning to surplus lines providers, or one rejection for residential properties with replacement costs of $700,000 or more. [Source: Insurance Business Magazine]

Gopher tortoise relocations spike amid development boom, but Florida running out of room

The building boom is having a disastrous effect on gopher tortoises, a 60-million-year-old keystone species that is losing the battle over the same high-and-dry ground where people want to live. Before 2007, developers could bury them alive, which suffocated or starved them. Since being deemed a threatened species, they must be relocated, but Florida is running out of room for them. [Source: TC Palm]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Sands Space History Center in Cape Canaveral reopens with a new look [Florida Today]
A ribbon cutting ceremony marked the grand reopening of the Sands Space History Center on June 17, a renovation project which was boosted by former nominee for NASA Administrator, Jared Isaacman. Located at 100 Spaceport Way, the museum sits right outside the south gates of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Named for Maj Gen. Harry J. ‘Bud’ Sands Jr., who originally proposed the idea, the museum features artifacts from the history of each Launch Complex at Cape Canaveral.

› Fort Myers distributes arts & culture grants [Gulfshore Business]
The arts in Fort Myers got a boost on June 16 with the City Council voting to disburse $150,000 in grants to 29 organizations and individuals in fiscal year 2025. “The City recognizes the importance of arts to the cultural, educational, and economic well-being of its diverse population,” a report from city staff about the annual grant program reads.

› Boca rejects developer’s plan to fill in cove above submerged property [Palm Beach Post]
Boca Raton officials have rejected a development plan to fill in a cove above submerged property off the Intracoastal Waterway and build a row of houses on 4 acres of the new land. Property owner William Swaim, known for claiming ownership of submerged land across Florida, wants to build new land on the cove. The second-largest city in Palm Beach County, Boca Raton has been known for its influx of money and transplants from the north. And since the COVID-19 pandemic, more wealthier people have decided to make South Florida their permanent home.

› Tampa Bay Sun unveil plans for pro soccer stadium at Ybor Harbor [Tampa Bay Times]
The Tampa Bay Sun just won their first USL Super League championship. Now the women’s professional soccer team is gearing up to build a permanent home in Ybor City. The Sun, along with Tampa business mogul Darryl Shaw, released a plan on Tuesday to build a stadium for the team on Ybor’s waterfront.

More stories …

› Housing organization receives $200K from foundation to help homeowners in Alachua County [Gainesville Sun]
The Neighborhood Housing and Development Corporation (NHDC) has received a significant boost in its mission to support sustainable homeownership in Gainesville and Alachua County. Officials with the organization acknowledged that it has received a $200,000 award from the Housing for Everyone grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable arm of TD Bank.

› JEA employees honored for performance in national competition [Jacksonville Daily Record]
JEA lineworkers excelled in a national annual competition this year, prompting honors from the Jacksonville City Council. Teams for the city-owned utility won awards in six categories at the 2025 Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo, held in March in Roseville, California. Fifty-two public power utilities nationwide took part in the competition to demonstrate their skills and knowledge of linework.

› Wisk Aero eyes Miami for air taxi launch, partners with county and UM [Refresh Miami]
Wisk Aero, developer of an all-electric, self-flying air taxi service, is planning to bring its futuristic flight vision to Miami. The company, a subsidiary of Boeing, announced it has signed two Memoranda of Understanding to advance autonomous air travel in South Florida. The agreements mark a major step forward in establishing an infrastructure for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in one of the country’s busiest metro areas.

› Proposed oceanfront park near Delray Beach delayed again as county questions support [Palm Beach Post]
The on-again, off-again, on-again Milani Park project along the southern coast of Palm Beach County may be off again. After the son of the late Cam Milani asked the county on June 3 to drop its multimillion-dollar plans for the oceanfront park in Highland Beach, county commissioners decided to revisit whether to proceed, and if the county does, whether the parking spaces at the site should be reduced to 25 from 100.