Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is suing to stop the federal government from approving an agreement between Gov. Charlie Crist and the Seminole Tribe that will allow expanded gambling at Indian casinos. ...more

December 21, 2007

The Senate on Tuesday night passed a spending bill combining funding for 14 Cabinet departments with $70 billion for U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. ...more

December 19, 2007

Florida lawmakers have the power to negotiate a new gaming compact with the Seminole Indian Tribe directly, the Senate's legal counsel said Tuesday, adding another twist to the state's ongoing legal feud over gambling. ...more

December 12, 2007

Former Broward County Sheriff Ken Jenne's descent from political power to federal prison is one of those sad tales that happens when people in public office come to believe the rules don't apply to them. ...more

November 17, 2007

Former Florida Senate President John McKay has proposed a plan that could cut property taxes up to 45 percent by eliminating sales tax exemptions that mostly benefit businesses. ...more

November 4, 2007

The special legislative session ended Monday night with Gov. Charlie Crist embracing Senate President Ken Pruitt in celebration. In typical fashion, Crist had let the legislative process run its course, and it had rewarded him with the very planks of property tax reform on which he had campaigned. ...more

November 4, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - The special legislative session ended Monday night with Gov. Charlie Crist embracing Senate President Ken Pruitt in celebration. In typical fashion, Crist had let the legislative process run its course, and it had rewarded him with the very planks of property tax reform on which he had campaigned. ...more

November 3, 2007

The First Baptist Church of Plant City, in conjunction with South Florida Baptist Hospital Parish Nurse Services, will host a health fair from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 11. ...more

November 3, 2007

SEBRING — In 2005, when Gilbert Santavenere moved to Sebring from Connecticut, the taxes on his house were $2,200 a year. Since the previous owner had a homestead exemption, Santavenere expected the taxes to go up to $2,800. "It ended up being $3,500 a year," Santavenere said. In a nutshell, that's the problem with Florida's property tax system, something the Florida Legislature tried to correct Monday when it passed a constitutional amendment that will lower ad valorem taxes an average of $240 per homeowner. Voters can grant final approval of the bill on Jan. 29, at the same time they cast ballots in the presidential primary. The measure includes variations of two planks in Gov. Charlie Crist's campaign platform last year: doubling the $25,000 exemption for homeowners and letting them take the 3 percent Save Our Homes cap when they move. ...more

October 31, 2007

A new property tax-cutting plan offered Sunday by Senate leaders is simpler, would provide less relief to some taxpayers and includes a scaled-down version of the House's assessment cap for businesses, snowbirds and landlords. ...more

October 29, 2007