Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressAugust 16, 2017

President Donald Trump is renewing his attacks on e-commerce giant Amazon, and he says the company is “doing great damage to tax paying retailers.” Trump tweets that “towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt – many jobs being lost!” The president has often criticized the company and CEO Jeff Bezos, who also […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 5, 2017

New state Sen. Lauren Book, who’s eight months pregnant with twins, also has filed legislation to exempt diapers and baby wipes from the state’s 6 percent sales tax. Book, a Broward County Democrat, filed her bill (SB 252) Thursday. A similar provision was filed last month by House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz of Tampa. The 32-year-old lawmaker, […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 30, 2016

The biggest moment in Jacksonville politics in 2016 was the August passage of a referendum unlocking future local sales tax proceeds to address pension debt, provided collective bargaining closes at least one of the city’s current pension plans. Considered to be an audacious, high-risk play when the initiative was formally launched early in 2016, former […]

Phil AmmannOctober 31, 2016

For many Floridians, the most unsettling part of Halloween isn’t ghosts, goblins, or zombies. It’s figuring the state’s tax rules on candy. The innocent goody bag can become a minefield of tax policy, with often-confusing rules governing grocery store purchases statewide and throughout the country. Florida TaxWatch, the nonprofit bipartisan government watchdog, uses Halloween to demonstrate exactly […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 19, 2016

The Florida Department of Revenue now wants to eliminate what one critic called a “hilariously absurd regulation”: The state’s vending machine sticker requirement. The department included the recommendation in its yearly list of suggestions for new laws. The list will go before Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet at their next meeting. State law requires each machine […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 8, 2016

State economists released a rundown of state revenue streams Monday, including the sources for Florida’s $28.41 billion in general revenue funds. According to the 2016 Florida Tax Handbook, the state sales tax looks to see the biggest gains in the 2015-16 fiscal year. Sales tax makes up 77 percent of the state’s general revenue funds; […]

Jim RosicaOctober 23, 2015

If Florida ever approves medical marijuana for sale in the state, expect to pay tax on it. Medical pot is “tangible personal property” that is “subject to sales and use tax,” a state economics panel has found. “Annual state and local government sales tax revenues could increase by an estimated $67 million after taking into account […]

Kevin MeerschaertFebruary 16, 2015

The Jacksonville City Council is expected to ask voters whether they are willing to pay an additional half-cent sales tax to pay off the city’s pension obligation. Councilman Bill Gulliford introduced a bill that would place the question on the city’s May election ballot. The higher tax rate would last 10 years with the money […]

Shannon NickinsonDecember 16, 2014

Pensacola is an old city. And as we learned in the April flooding, our infrastructure on the ground has all of the flaws that the streets, sewers and storm drains of a community our size and age has. But as the city and county fathers (and mothers) pursue money from the tax rolls, federal grants […]

Julie DelegalMarch 16, 2014

The proposed legislative expansion of Florida’s private-school voucher program may jump the blurry line between private money and public money. Instead of diverting only corporate taxes to pay for private-school vouchers, House Speaker Will Weatherford wants to use your sales tax dollars, and mine, to expand the voucher pot by another $30 million. Many Floridians […]

Tag: sales tax

Donald Trump renews Twitter criticism of Amazon

Soon-to-be new mom Lauren Book wants diapers exempt from sales tax

Future sales tax referendum bills could be restricted to general election ballot

A real fright for Halloween: Florida tax rules on candy, treats

Dep’t of Revenue: Get rid of vending machine stickers

Florida 2015-16 general revenue boosted by extra billion in sales tax

State panel: Medical pot can be taxed

Sales tax bump for pension payoffs introduced for Jax ballot

Shannon Nickinson: Pensacola slow to prepare for the wireless world

Julie Delegal: Do you want your Florida sales taxes going to religious schools?