POST OFFICE:
Work has begun on the new downtown Pensacola post office. It’s at the site of the old Sluggo’s and Napoleon Bakery on South Jefferson Street. The renovations are expected to take about six months, according to my sources.
The Post Office moved from its Palafox location on April 26, 2024. The post office boxes were relocated to the East Hill Station, 3001 North Davis Highway.
Weekend Listening—Long Form
My interviews this week with:
- UWF Women’s Basketball Coach Stephanie Yelton on building a team in the modern era.
- Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons on the bizarre Brinks robbery.
- Pensacola Mardi Gras CEO Danny Zimmern on the new parade route.
- Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender on his tips for prospective candidates.
- UWF Athletics Communications Director Will Kennedy on how the reality of the transfer portal for UWF football.
Weekly Roundup: Springtime in Tallahassee?
Recap and analysis of the week in state government and politics
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis has made priorities of redrawing congressional districts and cutting property taxes for homeowners.
But as was evident this week, the Florida House and DeSantis have differences about how to move forward.
House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting Chairman Mike Redondo on Thursday said a possible redrawing of congressional lines should be completed by the March 13 scheduled end of the regular 2026 legislative session. That came after DeSantis suggested holding a special session in the spring on redistricting.
“Given the fact that we are less than a year away from the election, not to mention the fact that the candidate qualifying period for federal offices is in late April, it would be irresponsible to delay the creation and passage of a new map, especially until after session,” Redondo, R-Miami, said as his committee met.
The meeting attracted an overflow crowd of people from throughout the state who were mostly opposed to a highly unusual mid-decade round of redistricting. President Donald Trump is pushing Republican-led states to redraw districts to help the GOP maintain its slim majority in the U.S. House in the 2026 elections.
On Wednesday, Florida Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, noted in a memorandum to senators that DeSantis “has expressed a desire to address this issue next spring,” adding “there is no ongoing work regarding potential mid-decade redistricting taking place in the Senate at this time.”
When asked about redistricting during an appearance Wednesday in Tampa, DeSantis said his staff hasn’t developed a map, and he continues to wait on a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court in a Louisiana redistricting case. That case involves issues about the creation of two majority-Black districts and the Voting Rights Act.
“We’re going to be forced to do it (redraw Florida’s districts), I think, because the Supreme Court’s decision is going to impact the current map,” DeSantis said. “So just no matter what else happens, that is going to have to be addressed.”
EIGHT? FOUR? ONE?
A House committee this week approved four proposed constitutional amendments aimed at cutting property taxes, while not taking up four other measures.
The Republican-controlled State Affairs Committee voted along party lines to approve the proposals, including one that would be a straight elimination of non-school homestead property taxes (HJR 201), which would be projected to cut local government revenue by $14.1 billion in the first year of implementation.
“If we took $14 billion away from local governments, we would still be $3 billion above spending levels from 2020,” said Rep. Monique Miller, a Palm City Republican who is a sponsor of the proposal.
The four measures were among seven proposed constitutional amendments and a separate property-tax bill that House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, released in October. The package came as DeSantis has made a priority of putting property-tax cuts on the 2026 ballot — though he has disagreed with the House’s approach.
DeSantis has called for a single proposal to go on the ballot.
CONFRONTING AI
DeSantis said Thursday he’s working with Albritton and other lawmakers on legislation aimed at protecting Floridians from effects of rapidly developing artificial intelligence.
Warning that without sufficient safeguards, the technology could result in an “age of darkness and deceit,” DeSantis said the legislation will address issues such as protections from Chinese-created AI and deep fake videos and the impacts of huge data centers on the environment, water resources and utility bills.
“These are legislative proposals. … We’ve worked with a number of senators and … some House members,” DeSantis said during an appearance in The Villages.
Perez has declared next week “Artificial Intelligence Week” in the House. A variety of House panels will look at AI issues.
PREPARING FOR CHANGES
Amid the widespread national debate about making changes in the health-care system, the House Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee this week backed a proposal (HB 141) that would create a state program offering an online exchange for buying individual health insurance.
The program would be tied to what are known as “individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements,” which involve workers making coverage choices and getting reimbursed by their employers. The arrangements have tax benefits.
Bill sponsor Taylor Yarkosky, R-Montverde, said the proposal could get the state out ahead as “massive health care changes are absolutely coming.”
But some lawmakers questioned why a state program is needed when private exchanges exist for such coverage.
“You are reinventing the wheel,” Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, said.
Debate about health-care changes nationally has ramped up in recent months, in part, because of battles between congressional Republicans and Democrats about extending enhanced subsidies for people who get policies under the federal Affordable Care Act.
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Florida House moved forward on congressional redistricting and property-tax cuts amid differences with Gov. Ron DeSantis.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “It’s been 300 days since the governor actually said that he wanted to deal with property taxes. We’re still waiting on his proposal.” — Rep. Toby Overdorf, a Palm City Republican who chairs the House Select Committee on Property Taxes.
