Senate Republicans circulated a sweeping plan to drive down the cost of mortgages by expanding the federal government's role in the industry, officials said Monday night as debate opened on an economic stimulus bill at the top of President Barack Obama's agenda. ...more

February 2, 2009

Is the glass half empty? Is the glass half full? Is the glass about to fall on our big toe? We ask these questions in the wake of a report from the Florida Association of Realtors that housing sales along the Suncoast rose 16 percent in December, compared to a 3 percent decrease in November. Times being what they are, some people are choosing to see a gloomy lining to this silver cloud of housing news. ...more

January 28, 2009

Home sales in the Bay area rose more in December than any month since the downturn began. ...more

January 27, 2009

Home sales in the Bay area rose more in December than any month since the downturn began. It's a sign that sales prices, which continue to plummet, are enticing buyers. ...more

January 26, 2009

No changes in Tampa Port Authority staffing or operations are expected in 2009 despite an 8.4 percent decline in cargo tonnage last year and a gloomy outlook for an economic recovery this year, port director Richard Wainio said this morning. ...more

January 20, 2009

Confronted by the worst financial crisis in generations, President-elect Barack Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress are preparing to delay some of the promises he made on the campaign trail to avoid political distractions and focus on reversing the economic slide. ...more

January 11, 2009

Before the federal government adopts a new self-image as "Spender of Last Resort," we should at least explore a less costly role for the government as an "Employer of Last Resort." Idled workers could be directly engaged by the government in advancing our nation's educational, environmental, energy and infrastructure needs. ...more

January 9, 2009

John Chase of Palm Harbor says Joan Atkins, in her letter to the editor, overstates magnitude of the shift to the political left Barack Obama will produce. ...more

December 27, 2008

More than 5,000 highway projects - including $980 million in the Tampa Bay area that help comprise the $7 billion dollars' worth in Florida - are ready to go, state transportation officials say, if Congress will only pony up $64.3 billion as part of an economic aid plan. ...more

December 15, 2008

Red virtually covered the entire West Pasco area on a map shown to the County Commission this week about the high risk of more foreclosures. ...more

November 29, 2008