The Senate voted Tuesday to give a tax break to new car buyers, setting aside bipartisan concerns over the size of an economic stimulus bill with a price tag edging above $900 billion. The 71-26 vote came as President Barack Obama said he lies awake nights worrying about the economy and signaled he'll try to knock out "buy American" provisions in the legislation to avoid a possible trade war. ...more

February 3, 2009

The rapid rate of foreclosures in Florida is starting to change the way county property appraisers do business, and the result could mean a change in home values and property tax bills next year. ...more

December 10, 2008

The rapid rate of foreclosures in Florida is starting to change the way county property appraisers do business, and the result could mean a change in home values and property tax bills next year. The long-held wisdom of county appraisers was to ignore foreclosures when setting property values. But that's all about to change, according to Rob Turner, Hillsborough County property appraiser. ...more

December 9, 2008

The U.S. economy's health has completely deteriorated. Our market activity and that of our major global trade partners has slowed significantly, leading to a decrease in U.S. exports and consumer expenditures. America endured negative growth in GDP down to -.03 percent in the third quarter. The unemployment rate grew at an alarmingly rapid rate in the last quarter. When the fourth quarter statistics emerge, the U.S. economy will likely be in a full blown recession. ...more

November 25, 2008

Gasoline prices in the Tampa Bay area have plunged 28 cents a gallon in one week. ...more

October 13, 2008

A bad economy is making the public cynical about gas prices. At a time when they should be encouraged by the record-breaking decreases, they are unable to summon the optimism. ...more

October 13, 2008

It's six days before the next new moon on June 3 at 7:23 p.m., which means we start the building of the new daytime feeding migration. Each morning more fish become affected by the gradual lunar affects and alter the daily migration pattern they're presently in. ...more

May 27, 2008

Florida's population growth slowed, and Louisiana appears to be rebounding from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, gaining 50,000 residents in the year ending July 1, according to Census Bureau state population estimates released Wednesday. ...more

December 27, 2007