Pay your real estate and tangible property taxes today and the Polk County Tax Collector will give you a 1% discount. Of course, since the offices are closed, you'll have to pay through www.PolkTaxes.com by 11:59 pm February 28, 2009. But, wait, there's more! You can walk-in to one of the Polk County Tax Collector's Offices tomorrow and get the 1% discount. You have to get there before 5 pm. Yes, there's a deadline after the deadline. For more information, call (863) 534-4721... on Monday. They're closed today.
I'm grateful for James MacMeekin's forceful response to my stimulus post. There's a lot here to unpack, but let me just say that I'm not sure I've ever been berated so fiercely by someone who seems to agree with me so often. It's pretty striking.
"Amid a foreclosure crisis and sour economy, the number of homeless families is growing. In Seminole County alone, more than 600 school-age children are expected to spend at least part of the year in motels, shelters or even tents in the woods, according to a new report. An additional 450 homeless children in the county are younger than 5, officials estimate." -- Number of homeless families grows amid foreclosure crisis "The campaign to wipe out most school property taxes in Florida moved to a courtroom Wednesday, with an openly skeptical state judge raising the possibility that the ambitious tax plan could be torpedoed before it ever reaches voters." -- Judge has issue with wording of Amendment 5 tax ballot "The Central Florida Regional Planning Council on Wednesday approved the proposed 318-acre rail terminal site in southern Winter Haven. The approval, with 61 conditions on traffic, the environment and other factors, has been forwarded to the city of Winter Haven." -- Planning Council Approves CSX Project "Remember the scene in "Airplane II, The Sequel" where two airport security guards get their kicks watching a special camera "undress" female passengers? We laughed about it then, but real-world technology that peeks under your clothes is now headed to Tampa International Airport, and it's nothing to smile about." -- A Step Too Far For Airport Scanners
"What has voters - in addition to most of the state's business, education, and political organizations and lobbies - so concerned is that proponents haven't offered any definitive plan for fulfilling the amendment's requirement that the Legislature replace the lost property-tax money with other public funding." -- Swapping What For What? "As Florida's coffers shrink in the face of a dour economy, confusion over a tax statute threatens to choke the flow of home sales at a time when the state is struggling under the burden of millions of unsold properties." -- Tax 'Mess' Muddles Short Sales Of Homes "Orlando's home-resale market recorded its second-best sales month of the year in July, and local Realtors said a marked improvement in the number of pending contracts bodes well for the rest of 2008." -- Home sales: Good news peeks out from the gloom "Skeptical state regulators grilled representatives of Florida's largest private property insurer on Tuesday as State Farm officials tried to make a case for their 47.1 percent rate increase for their 950,000 residential customers." -- Fla. Regulators Question State Farm Rate Hike Bonus: "The Florida Parole Commission will remain all-white with the reappointment of an existing member Tuesday after a move to seek a more diverse slate of finalists failed." -- Reappointment Keeps Florida Parole Panel All-White
"Sugar grower Florida Crystals is lobbying for an inland port with the development of an industrial and commercial center just south of Lake Okeechobee, smack in the heart of the state's proposed pathway for Everglades restoration." - Sugar Grower's Port Proposal May Affect Everglades Plan "Thirty-one miles of the 61-mile Central Florida Commuter Rail project has been approved for final design, project backers announced Monday." -- Orlando Commuter Rail Takes Another Step "With a boost from some tax-break incentives, Orlando-based Planar Energy Devices Inc. says it plans to establish a microelectronics plant in Central Florida within the next three months. " -- Tax incentives to fuel energy startup's presence in Orlando
"For years, school leaders juggled their budgets to prevent the state's chronic money woes from creeping into the classroom. But they're out of options now and scaling back popular programs for gifted students and troubled kids." -- Schools on a shoestring: Specialized programs cut to the core "The sharp rise in gas prices has created a dilemma for the industry's human-resource departments: How to keep commuting costs from eating up their workers' wages." -- Businesses go extra mile to help workers save on gas "Gov. Charlie Crist surprised few last week in announcing his support for Amendment 5, the proposed constitutional measure that would eliminate most school property taxes in Florida. What is surprising is the governor is so blinded by ideology that he will not acknowledge the ever-growing evidence that it would cause long-term economic and educational harm to our state." -- Tax- Swap Treachery Bonus: "In Central Florida, there are almost a quarter of a million swing voters, most of whom are Puerto Ricans or other Hispanics. Until now, they have remained a largely untapped resource. But both political campaigns are gearing up to target them during the next three months." -- Orlando-area Hispanics' votes will be vital to campaigners
"Florida voters can cast early ballots for the Aug. 26 Republican and Democratic primaries starting Monday. Many will be greeted by changes since 2006. Statewide, 15 counties -- including Lake in Central Florida -- are switching from touch-screen technology to paper, optical-scan ballots." -- Expect some changes at Florida polls when casting early votes So many reasons why you should oppose Amendment 5 and Homebuyers, Beware: Tax Aid Is Loan "Nagging complaints about some generic drugs are casting doubt on one of medicine's most widely held assumptions: that generics are just as good as brand-name versions, only cheaper." -- Rx for trouble? Generics don't always work as well as brand names, critics say. The FDA disagrees. We take a look. "In 2015, just a few years from now, Florida will be in deep trouble. Who wants the dubious notoriety of "last in the nation?"" -- Florida's Coming Medical Disaster Bonus: The Sentinel is still mad at Paula Dockery
(Note: Yesterday's Don't Miss column was missing. We apologize for the mix up.) "If you get blood at Lakeland Regional Medical Center after 7 a.m. Monday, it won't be coming from BloodNet USA. LRMC's blood and blood products, like platelets or plasma, will come instead from Florida Blood Services, which officially starts providing LRMC's blood supplies that day. The two signed a contract three months ago and have spent the time since then finalizing arrangements." -- LRMC Taps Into New Supply of Blood "Publix Super Markets has long stressed its customer service and cleanliness, but with rising food and gas costs it's now courting a lower-priced image. The Lakeland-based grocery chain has started a program of deep discounts on certain staple items, starting with milk and soon expanding to other products, company spokeswoman Shannon Patten said." -- Publix Grocery Bill May Be Less "Orlando officials say they have little choice but to raise property taxes because city government is run as efficiently as possible. But records show that the Orlando Police Department -- with a $111 million budget that amounts to nearly a third of the city's general spending -- has seen its overtime pay nearly triple in the past four years as the city deals with a wave of violent crime." -- Overtime could tax Orlando Police budget to tune of $4 million Bonus: "With John McCain likely only days from announcing his running mate, the chances of his choosing Florida Gov. Charlie Crist took three hits this week: a poll, a controversy over campaign contributions and an important newspaper non-endorsement. Recent speculation about Crist has put him in the lower tier of potential running mates and focused more on former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty." -- Governor May Have Faded As VP Choice
""I have XM radio, a roomy CRV, and I promise not to talk unless you want to have a conversation," read a recent Orlando plea on Craigslist.com. "Please help! The cost of gas is killing me!"" -- Save gas: How to find a carpool buddy "The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit board agreed Monday to raise fares across the board and gave tentative backing to a property tax increase to pay for more buses and a long-range transit study. The tax increase must survive two public hearings and be passed by a super-majority of the board before becoming reality." -- Bus Fares Going Up, Maybe Tax Too "Florida's sagging economy will push state government back into the red this month and force Gov. Charlie Crist to either further cut spending or tap deeper into the state's reserves." -- 'Big' budget deficit ahead for Florida Bonus: "The federal government on Monday barred a registered-traveler service launched three years ago at Orlando International Airport from enrolling new members after an unencrypted company laptop containing personal information for about 33,000 prospective customers was stolen from a locked office." -- 'Clear' registration halted after laptop theft I have to ask, What kind of loon puts that kind of data on a laptop?? "Restaurant industry experts say they don't expect a wave of shutdowns of other national chain restaurants, noting that Bennigan's and Steak & Ale had been struggling for years. But Florida is in the midst of a shakeout among small chains and independent restaurants, and that could lead to more job losses, experts warn." -- Restaurant Industry In Midst Of Shakeout
"Heart of Florida United Way is radically changing the way it does business: going after "root causes" of hunger, homelessness, crime and family violence instead of "putting a Band-Aid" on the problems, leaders say." -- No more 'Band-Aid' approaches, Heart of Florida United Way vows "Home builders demanded answers Saturday to questions about a proposed constitutional tax amendment that voters will decide on the Nov. 4 ballot. While state leaders who favored the tax-swapping Amendment 5 promised builders their tax bills would drop, opponents assured an audience of about 100 that their taxes would increase." -- Rival claims of tax-swap backers and foes baffle Florida home builders group Editorials: "Someone in state government needs to step up and address the standoff over the proposed commuter-rail project in Orlando." -- DOT Should Review Other Options To Build Commuter Rail In Orlando "The old maxim that Central Florida officials couldn't care less about conserving resources no longer holds water -- especially when you consider how so many of them literally are now working to change the landscape." -- Smarter landscaping could help relieve water crisis Bonus: "He was a playboy bachelor, the first Republican governor of Florida since Reconstruction and a promising candidate for the vice presidency. His name was Claude Kirk Jr." -- 'Claudius Maximus' Blazed Trail Followed By Crist
Check out the headline and sub-head for this article. Growing Deltona bills $83M to owners then Growing Deltona may bill Owners $83 Million. Well, the truth is the city hasn't finalized the vote. Careful at the beach again this summer. Fish Kill Zone Widens; Algal Bloom Suspected What have your neighbors done for you lately? For millionaire, $100k small price to pay for less-cluttered neighborhood Bonus: Economists have realized Florida is in a recession. "Analysts predict that the state will lose momentum through 2008, then bottom out late this year or in early 2009." There's not much else to the story here.
They're coming to Central Florida. Next up, Lakeland: Gotcha! Orlando reveals 7 red-light-camera locations These aren't your grandfather's summer rains: Microbursts: Small summer storms can hit hard Guess what those summer storms bring? Not May flowers: Heavy Rains Lead to a Mosquito Baby Boom heaven knows we shouldn't help our city buses. The price of gas is so low: No penny gas tax to help Lynx, Orange leaders decide It's that time of year. Be careful! Thrill rides can be dangerous! stories. Thrills And Spills - Caution Key To Theme Park Safety Bonus: A pair of Tribune editorials: 401(k) Rule Finally Reveals Hidden Fees and Erase Political Favoritism From Legislative Redistricting
Lowering taxes is like heading cats. Stop one and another scoots by: Is Orange County en route to new gas tax? There is a call for florida's top mortgage regulator to resign: Demand Is Intensifying For Mortgage Chief To Resign (Didn't I just write that?) If he does, will he qualify for unemployment, and how long will it take to get benefits? Jobless benefits now last longer - so will your wait The housing market is in the slumps. So who should buy a house? The government: A golden opportunity' for government-subsidized housing Bonus: Is the Lakeland Outpouring poured out? Revival Evangelist to Fold His Lakeland Tent
I'm actually surprised the Sentinel didn't go for more cheesecake in the photo that accompanies: International crowd boosts 'nakations' to Orlando area Speaking of tourists: A whole suitcase of challenges selling tourists on Florida visits They call them Lexus Lanes. And you thought America was a classless society. Pay-as-you-go express lanes could be headed to Orlando area Remember: If you cut property taxes, your officials will find the money somewhere else, or cut important important services: Property-tax rate headed for increase and Polk's Schools Brace for Cuts Bonus: Lakeland to Hire Lawyer for Train Issues Ahead Negligent Florida Let Criminals Infect Mortgage Industry
You know that commuter rail project that failed? Orlando still wants to buy the cars. Railcar Deal Missing Key Component: The Tracks Bring the doctor to your employees. A money-saving idea. A smart Rx for employee health A trio of stories about money and Florida government. Act now! Florida may have money waiting for you, Will Powerball multistate lottery pay off for Florida? It's anyone's bet, Two Counties to Cut Night Court; Statewide Elimination Looms Bonus: No Manual Recount In Close Elections Law Aims To Declaw FCAT Mania Polk County couple stalks, counts butterflies
Bio: The short line? Father, husband, writer. My online presence is primarily through as the editor, writer, and occasional photographer for the news sites, Lakeland Local, a sampling of the news, concerns, and events for Lakeland, Florida, and Metro i4 News, which covers the Interstate 4 corridor in Central Florida. Both sites feature the work of myself and other contributors. As a hobby, I manage a forum and some web sites that feature a pulp fiction series written by Lester Dent -- Doc Savage Organized, Doc Savage Info, and Flearun.