Policy

Dr. Shelly Wagers (left), director of USF’s Trafficking in Persons Risk to Resilience Lab, and representatives of the Tampa and Miami field offices of Homeland Security Investigations signed a groundbreaking agreement on May 22. Photo: USF. By merging federal muscle with academic innovation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the University of South Florida are launching a new offensive against human trafficking that prioritizes victim support. On May 22, the HSI Ta

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his long-awaited property tax reform plan on Wednesday, despite significant concerns from local government officials. Image: Screengrab. ​Gov. Ron DeSantis has unveiled what he believes is a palatable, phased approach to property tax reform that would immediately raise the homestead exemption on primary residences to $250,000. ​His framework, announced in Tampa on Wednesday morning, would then require lawmakers to enact a plan that eliminates prop

Attorney Kimberly G. Jackson (left), former executive director of the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions at St. Petersburg College, will help former U.S. Rep. David Jolly make educated policy decisions as he campaigns to become Florida’s next governor. Photo: kimberlygjackson.com, davidjolly.com. With multiple polls confirming his frontrunner status among the Democratic field in Florida’s gubernatorial race, former Congressman David Jolly is establishing a new arsenal

Governor Ron DeSantis held an unveiling ceremony in April in Bok Tower Gardens for a statue of President Calvin Coolidge. Later that day, he announced that the special session on redistricting would be delayed. Florida’s new congressional map remains in play, at least, for now. On Tuesday, a Leon County judge denied a request to block the controversial new map from going into effect while a case from voting rights groups is heard. Plaintiffs, including the League of Women Vot

Mayor Ken Welch speaks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for an affordable housing development. His administration has opened a program that will provide similar projects with up to $15 million. Photo by Mark Parker. ​St. Petersburg officials have launched a $42 million competitive race for developers to replenish the city’s affordable rental housing stock, which has suffered multiple blows from hurricanes in recent years. ​Funding for the new Affordable Rental Housing Program (A