The Tallahassee Reports Daily Briefs: Monday, June 16, 2025

LOCAL NEWS

Leon County budget workshop notes that the FY2026 is balanced at $403,967,176 which is a 6.9%, or $26,080,183, increase from FY 2025. Nearly half of this increase ($12.7 million) is associated with increases in public safety funding for the Sheriff and Emergency Medical Services

In Florida alone, there were 22 No Kings protests. According to the No Kings website, these protests were a national “day of defiance” against President Donald Trump’s military parade to celebrate the military’s 250th birthday. Tallahassee’s No Kings protest drew thousands.

A late-added budget amendment to the state’s 2025-2026 spending plan will give Florida A&M University the ability to side-step a state law that caps the amount of public money state colleges and universities can spend on presidential salaries. The move comes amid a bitter standoff between FAMU’s Board of Trustees and its Foundation over Marva Johnson’s compensation package.

FLORIDA NEWS

Florida would hold a sales-tax “holiday” each August for back-to-school items, while sales taxes would be eliminated on commercial leases and such things as hurricane supplies and sunscreen, under a tax package that House and Senate leaders released Friday evening.

With Congressman Byron Donalds running for Governor, the race to succeed him in Florida’s 19th Congressional District is starting to take shape. Notably missing from the field of declared candidates are the well-recognized names of known Florida politicos.

NATIONAL NEWS

Authorities arrested a 57-year-old gunman last night accused of targeting Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota, ending a two-day manhunt. The suspect impersonated a police officer to fatally shoot state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband in Brooklyn Park early Saturday. He was also suspected of wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife earlier in nearby Champlin.

President Donald Trump directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement to prioritize deportations in Democratic-run cities last night. He singled out sanctuary cities (see explanation), particularly Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. 

US stock markets close lower Friday (S&P 500 -1.1%, Dow -1.8%, Nasdaq -1.3%), driven down by oil market shake-up amid Israel-Iran war (More).

TALLAHASSEE WEATHER