Nearly 8.4 million Floridians had cast their ballots for the 2012 General Election by the time the polls closed in Miami-Dade County shortly after 1 a.m., six hours beyond the regularly scheduled time. Voter turnout in Florida reached 70%, which was slightly lower than 2008’s 75% participation. More than 4.5 million, or nearly 40 percent, Read more about November: From the Capitol…[…]
Florida’s political landscape was only slightly altered as a result of the recent elections. While the Republicans still maintain a majority of the seats in both the Florida Senate and House of Representatives, Republican supermajorities were lost. Statewide, twelve incumbents were defeated and sixty-seven legislative newcomers were elected, including seven former lawmakers. Florida’s Secretary of Read more about 2012 Elections[…]
Florida voters also considered eleven amendments to the state constitution on Election Day. All but three fell short of the 60 percent threshold for approval. Amendment 2 extends homestead exemptions to combat disabled veterans who were not Florida residents when they enlisted; Amendment 9 provides an additional homestead exemption to the surviving spouses of military Read more about Constitutional Amendments[…]
General revenue tax collections continue to improve, largely due to increased sales tax collections. The September collections were $54.6 million over earlier projections and general revenue is $162.2 million above estimates for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. Florida has significantly reduced its outstanding debt by $1.5 billion this fiscal year compared to $500 million last fiscal Read more about Issues of Interest[…]
A federal court in Miami ruled last month that Florida can no longer charge out-of-state tuition to children of illegal immigrants if the students themselves are legal residents. The judge ruled that the practice conflicts with the equal protection clause in the U.S. Constitution, which says people in similar circumstances shall be treated comparably. The Read more about Issues of Interest[…]