Staff Reports
Last Call — A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.
First Shot
While Tuesday was a historic night for the Florida GOP and a catastrophic night for the Florida Democratic Party, the night for one set of ballot questions was more, meh.
Penny taxes, called that because they levy one cent on the dollar, went 50/50 last night. Four of eight ballot questions passed in various counties across the state.
First, the winners.
Alachua County’s “Wild Spaces and Public Places” penny tax squeaked by 52%-48%, extending and expanding the existing program. Since 2017, customers have paid a half-cent sales tax to raise money to protect the environment and improve parks in the county, but the program is set to end at the end of 2024. With the new approval, voters extended that tax through 2032 and added another half-cent sales tax for infrastructure.
Osceola County voters also extended a one-cent sales tax till 2045 by 58%-42%. The tax benefits schools, parks, sensitive land, public safety, reducing traffic and reducing flooding.
By 65%-35%, Pasco County voters gave 15 more years of life to their one-cent tax to help school district construction, including renovations and new schools, plus transportation, public safety and the environment. The measure extended the tax from 2025 to 2039.
Sarasota County’s penny tax passed by 78%-22%, the widest margin in the state. Like Pasco’s tax, its passage similarly extends the county’s tax program from 2025 to 2039.
The following taxes weren’t as fortunate.
Perhaps another victim of Tampa Bay’s big shift to the right, Hillsborough County’s “All for Transportation” tax lost 51%-49%, a narrow defeat after voters approved a court-stricken version of the tax in 2018. The measure was under another court challenge, so its future was uncertain, but voters gave their answer, killing the 30-year program.
Orange County’s 20-year transportation surtax proposal also failed, 58%-42%. The measure, backed by County Mayor Jerry Demings and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, fell victim to the Ax the Tax campaign.
St. Johns County sought its own penny tax to benefit local infrastructure until 2032. However, the measure lost 63%-37%.
Finally, penny taxes’ most resounding rout came in Walton County, where voters killed a tax initiative 69%-31%. The measure would have funded infrastructure projects for the next 30 years.
Evening Reads
—“The 2024 Republican Presidential Primary opens with a Ron DeSantis victory” via Jason Willick of The Washington Post
—“With sweeping DeSantis win, Florida’s red-state era is here. Will he run for President?” via Mary Ellen Klas of the Herald/ Times Tallahassee Bureau
—“Donald Trump continues shots at DeSantis, says he received ‘more votes’ in Florida than the Governor” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics
—“Democrats might have pulled off the biggest Midterm shock in decades” via Derek Thompson of The Atlantic
—“Republicans should have won the Senate easily, but they nominated really bad candidates” via Timothy P. Carney of the Washington Examiner
—“We ‘sh!t the bed so bad.’ The GOP post-Midterm meltdown has begun” via Asawin Suebsaeng and Nikki Mccann Ramirez of Rolling Stone
—“South Floridians prepare for Tropical Storm Nicole: ‘It’s going to be nasty here’” via Angie DiMichele, Cindy Krischer Goodman, Shira Moolten and Susannah Bryan of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
—“Lawsuit challenging Florida’s congressional map advances in federal court” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
—“Evan Power announces bid for Republican Party of Florida Chair” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics
—“Florida Democrats face election night hangover; GOP gets newfound strength” via Forrest Saunders of E.W. Scripps
—“Shevrin Jones: After bleak Election Day beating, it’s time for Democrats to work, not point fingers” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics
—“Allen Zeman wins Broward School Board seat; Donna Korn gives ‘heartfelt thank you.’” via Scott Travis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Quote of the Day
“Now that the Election in Florida is over, and everything went quite well, shouldn’t it be said that in 2020, I got 1.1 Million more votes in Florida than Ron D got this year, 5.7 Million to 4.6 Million? Just asking?”
— Former President Donald Trump on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ victory.
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