State Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, is pushing a change in the law that would allow Sarasota to keep state money while seeking a Major League Baseball team to replace the Cincinnati Reds as a spring training attraction. This is the Reds' final spring training in Sarasota. She said her goal is to "hopefully steal teams from Arizona," where tax breaks have led to six teams leaving Florida since 1998. ...more

March 11, 2009

The government's new stimulus plan offers tax breaks that will help millions of taxpayers when they do their 2009 returns next year. ...more

March 6, 2009

Filing your federal taxes could put a few extra bucks in your pocket this year, especially if you pay close attention to the fine print. ...more

March 1, 2009

President Barack Obama challenged the nation's vested interests to a legislative duel Saturday, saying he will fight to change health care, energy and education in dramatic ways that will upset the status quo. ...more

February 28, 2009

An examination of the effects of the stimulus package: ...more

February 13, 2009

Summoning the pride of a nation, President Barack Obama paid fond tribute Thursday to Abraham Lincoln by challenging people to embrace his vision of a collective union and reject a "knee-jerk disdain for government." ...more

February 12, 2009

Cash-strapped states like Florida could lose out on millions of dollars. ...more

February 11, 2009

Cash-strapped Florida could lose out on millions of dollars if Congress' final version of a massive economic stimulus bill ends up reflecting the $838 billion Senate bill passed Tuesday, rather than one the House approved last week. ...more

February 11, 2009

According to a News Service of Florida report, a lot of Florida business owners are holding their breath, waiting to see if legislators start cutting sales tax exemptions. We understand the anxiety, but that's exactly where they should look first when trying to figure out how to deal with a $2.3 billion and growing deficit. ...more

December 21, 2008

The city needs volunteers to fill several vacancies on boards and commissions dealing with everything from nuisance properties to tax breaks for commercial developers. The Public Nuisance Abatement Board, a quasi-judicial body that deals with properties with a pattern of criminal activity, needs to fill one vacancy. ...more

December 5, 2008