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Policy


Human ROI: St. Pete’s economic outlook swaps statistics for soul
From left: Andrea Falvey, economic development manager; Mayor Ken Welch; Tracey Smith, manager of the St. Petersburg Greenhouse; City Council Chair Lisset Hanewicz; and City Development Administrator James Corbett at the 2026 State of the Economy. Smith received the Economic Impact Award. All images: City of St. Petersburg. Typical data points - like a record $1.4 billion in construction value and an 18% spike in median household income - highlight St. Petersburg’s recent su

Mark Parker
3 days ago4 min read


Coach wins key battle in discrimination war against NFL
Brian Flores, now the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, sued the NFL over discriminatory personnel practices after he was fired from the Miami Dolphins in 2022. Photo: NFL.com. Thanks to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, the NFL can no longer shield its controversial Rooney Rule - created to increase diversity in key positions - from public scrutiny. The groundbreaking saga began in January 2022 after Brian Flores was fired as head coach of the Miami Dolphi

Mark Parker
3 days ago5 min read


DeSantis property tax plan sails through Legislature, mayors sound alarm
Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a long-discussed property tax reform plan on May 27. Florida lawmakers have approved the proposal, much to the dismay of many city officials. Image: Screengrab. Florida lawmakers, in a whirlwind 24-hour special session, approved the governor’s sweeping proposal to overhaul the state’s property tax system on Tuesday. Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled his phased approach to eliminating property taxes for 92% of Floridians on May 27. Less than a week later

Mark Parker
4 days ago4 min read


As new CoC chair, Figgs-Sanders vows to put homeless services over politics
St. Petersburg City Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders is now the interim board chair of Pinellas Continuum of Care after Kathleen Beckman abruptly resigned. Photo: Deborah Figgs-Sanders. St. Petersburg City Councilmember Deborah Figgs-Sanders is embracing the opportunity to steer a wayward ship after a wave of political friction recently rocked the Pinellas Continuum of Care (CoC). The CoC is a collaborative network established to coordinate, fund, and manage service deliv

Mark Parker
May 293 min read


‘Force multiplier’: Feds join USF to fight human trafficking
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

Mark Parker
May 284 min read


DeSantis moves to eliminate property taxes for 92% of Floridians
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

Mark Parker
May 273 min read


Jolly adds prominent national, local advisors to gubernatorial campaign team
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

Mark Parker
May 274 min read


Judge denies injunction in redistricting challenge, leaving new map in place for now
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

Central Florida Public Media
May 271 min read


St. Pete opens $42 million affordable housing grant program
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

Mark Parker
May 242 min read
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