Client News
Sunshine State News: Citizens Property Bad for Stability of Florida Economy
HideAdvocates of expanding or retaining The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund at its current level are either misguided or knowingly peddling false coverage. Allstate’s Florida unit, Castle Key Insurance, serves as a perfect example. It received a 14.9 percent statewide average rate increase, only to receive a “B-minus” rating from A.M. Best — and that’s taking […]
Tallahassee Democrat: Joseph Fuhr: Don’t look to government for broadband access
As we watch federal lawmakers in Washington grapple with how to handle more than $50 billion in across-the-board spending cuts set to happen automatically at the beginning of January, we are reminded that — even in the best of times — budgeting involves choices. Whether it’s the federal budget, a household budget or a city […]
Sun Senintel: Thomas C. Feeney, III: Maintaining current tax rates on dividends, capital gain
As the Associated Industries of Florida continues to support and protect the business community, we want to offer a perspective on an issue that is critical to business, investors, workers and retirees throughout the state of Florida. Current federal legislation, S 1647 and H.R. 3091, has been filed to extend current dividend and capital gains […]
South Florida Business Journal: Key Florida lawmaker demands smaller Citizens Property Insurance
The chairman of the Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee has given Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarthy one month to present a plan on how to make Citizens Property Insurance Corp. smaller. According to The Florida Current, Maitland Republican David Simmons wants to make the state-run insurer less attractive for homeowners so it can shed […]
Watchdog Wire: Failing Government-Owned Networks Examined
Fiscal pitfalls with government-owned networks are well-known here in Florida. In 2003, the City of Quincy, Florida spent $3.3 million to build a fiber optic network known as NetQuincy. The system brought in $415,000 in 2005, less than 60 percent of its $710,000 in expenses. The City of Orlando experienced similar trouble with its free, […]
Miami Herald: Florida water rule a split decision for both sides
The federal Environmental Protection Agency’s split decision on new water pollution rules for Florida gives both sides in the contentious debate over the issue something to cheer and jeer about. The EPA late Friday said it was approving rules drafted by the state for only about 15 percent of Florida’s 100,000 miles of waterways while […]
San Francisco Chronicle: Report: Local Fla. governments toughen ethics laws
Florida’s cities and counties are strengthening their ethics laws and enforcement while state officials have essentially remained silent on such issues since the 1970s, a report released Thursday said. The study by the Leroy Collins Institute, a think tank at Florida State University, and a state ethics group, Integrity Florida, said the Sunshine State has a […]
Orlando Sentinel: Report: Counties kick arse at ethics reform
With Florida legislative leaders promising another sweeping round of ethics reform, a research group has taken a snapshot of counties’ efforts to clean up their own collective acts. The results: Not too shabby. Florida State University’s LeRoy Collins Institute and the government watchdog group Integrity Florida surveyed 45 of Florida’s 67 counties on ethics, lobbying […]