Florida News That Impacts You – May 8th, 2024
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- For the second straight year Florida ranks #1 in education according to the annual US News and World Report rankings. Once again led by the top higher education system in the country, Florida’s Pre-K – 12th grade education ranking also rose into the top ten for the first time. The overall performance is the best in Florida’s history, edging out Utah for the top spot. Florida’s economy also ranks as the top economy in the country once again. Florida has had the top overall economy in the country over the past five years.
- Governor DeSantis signed the Taxation bill into law on Tuesday. This year’s tax law brings the total dollar amount of tax cuts to an estimated $1.5 billion. That includes the toll relief program and several sales tax holidays this summer. They include two disaster preparedness holidays, a back-to-school sales tax holiday, “tool time” sales tax holiday and “Freedom Month” sales tax holiday. Other tax breaks included this year are sales tax credits for businesses who hire employees with disabilities and a doubling of the Strong Families Tax Credit Program, a tax credit program aimed at helping organizations that support child welfare within the state.
- The Palm Beach County School District held a groundbreaking ceremony for what’s to be the Western Acreage Area School on Tuesday. The elementary school, which will be located near Southern Blvd and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, is scheduled to open by the start of the 2025-2026 school year and will be the District’s 183rd. The project is scheduled to be completed two years earlier than originally scheduled due to the rapid growth in western communities.
- Today will be the hottest day of the year thus far this year with highs in the upper 80’s - with 90 possible. That’s about seven degrees higher than usual for this date and still hotter temperatures are in store after today with mid-90’s possible on Friday.
- Gas prices dropped another three cents per gallon on Tuesday. The average price statewide for regular unleaded is currently $3.54 per gallon. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.75 per gallon, in Martin the average is $3.59 and in Indian River County the average is $3.49 per gallon.