The Florida chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police is the latest public safety organization to oppose Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment designed to provide property tax relief to homeowners but which critics allege could radically reduce revenues for local government essential services, including public safety.

“The Florida State Fraternal Order of Police believes Florida taxpayers deserve meaningful property tax relief,” the organization said in a written statement Friday. “We understand the financial pressures facing homeowners, and we support thoughtful, responsible reforms that provide relief while protecting the essential services our communities depend on.

“However, we oppose the current Amendment 3 because it creates far too much uncertainty about how local governments would continue to fund law enforcement, fire rescue, emergency medical services, and other critical public safety functions. Public safety should never become collateral damage with uncertain fiscal consequences.”

If approved, the proposed amendment would increase homestead exemptions for Floridians who own primary residences by the end of this year to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. Further increases would be tied to the Consumer Price Index.  The amendment would cap assessment increases on other property to 5% a year.

Last week, the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association became the first major statewide public safety organization to formally oppose Amendment 3, saying providing tax relief and reliable emergency services “are not mutually exclusive, but both require responsible long-term planning.”

According to state economists, the proposed amendment would reduce local government property tax revenues by an estimated $5 billion in its first year and $11.8 billion per year after five years.

The Florida Democratic Party announced its opposition to the measure earlier this week, while the Republican Party of Florida has yet to take a public stance.

Gov. Ron DeSantis campaigned on providing major property tax reduction for homestead property owners over the past year, but didn’t unveil his own plan until less than a week before he called the Florida Legislature to convene for a special session in June.

After it was approved with some changes to his plan, he has said that, while he will vote yes on the amendment, he is not as enthused about it and will not head any political group championing the measure. That’s a noticeable difference from 2024, when he formed a political committee and actively campaigned against proposed constitutional amendments that would have legalized recreational cannabis and enshrined abortion rights into the Florida Constitution.

The promotions were announced during a ceremony recognizing the officers’ accomplishments and their expanded leadership responsibilities within the department.

Promoted to deputy chief were Calvin Bedenbaugh and Jeff Mahoney. Sonya Bush was promoted to major. The department also elevated five officers to the rank of captain: Charzetta Felton, Anitra Highland Simmonds, Zachary Lyne, Damon Miller Jr. and Laura Varble.

Police Chief Lawrence Revell said the promotions underscore the department’s commitment to developing future leaders.

“One of the most important responsibilities of today’s leaders is preparing future leaders,” Revell said. “These promotions reflect the depth of talent within our department and our commitment to developing leaders who are ready to guide this organization into the future. I hope every officer sees that there is a path to leadership through hard work, integrity and service.”

The promotions come as the City of Tallahassee implements a voluntary separation incentive program designed to reduce personnel costs and help address budget pressures. Approved by the City Commission in April, the program offers eligible full-time employees hired before the start of 2026 a choice between a $20,000 severance payment or 12 weeks of base pay, whichever is greater. Participants also receive city-paid health insurance through the end of the calendar year and payment for accrued leave.

City officials have said the program is intended to reduce personnel expenses by about 5% while allowing departments to reorganize and promote employees into leadership positions without reducing public services.

According to city records, 171 employees accepted the incentive package, exceeding the city’s initial projections. Those employees represented approximately 1,700 years of combined service and more than $12 million in annual salaries. The Tallahassee Police Department accounted for 21 of the voluntary departures, one of the highest totals among city departments.

Against that backdrop, the latest command staff promotions represent more than routine career advancement. They are part of a broader succession planning effort as the department replaces experienced personnel and prepares a new generation of leaders to oversee operations, mentor officers and implement departmental priorities.

Deputy chiefs serve among the department’s highest-ranking officials, assisting the chief with strategic planning and daily operations. Majors oversee major divisions or bureaus, while captains command patrol districts, investigative units and specialized teams.

The Tallahassee Police Department said the newly promoted leaders will help guide the agency through its next chapter while continuing its mission of protecting the community and maintaining public safety.

A new poll of likely midterm election voters in Florida shows Republicans maintaining steady leads in the marquee gubernatorial and Senate races on the ballot in November.

The survey of 848 likely Florida midterm voters conducted earlier this month by the Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) at the University of North Florida shows Southwest GOP U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds with a 5-point lead over Democrat David Jolly in the race for Florida governor, 46%-41%.

In the contest for U.S. Senate, Republican incumbent Ashley Moody leads both Democrats running in the Aug. 18 primary to face her in November, but the survey shows Jacksonville state Rep. Angie Nixon is closer than retired Army lieutenant colonel in prospective one-on-one-matchups.

The poll shows Moody up over Nixon, 50%-42%. Moody leads Vindman, 50%-40%.

That survey comes despite the fact that Vindman is crushing Nixon in fundraising.

Vindman has reported raising $16.7 million. Nixon has reported raising a little more than $625,000, with approximately $118,000 cash on hand at the end of June.

“These races are notably closer than we’ve seen in recent election cycles, somewhat unsurprising given that the party that controls the presidency usually struggles in midterm elections,” said PORL’s faculty director, Sean Freeder.

“Despite very different ideological approaches, the two Democratic Senate candidates do about as well as one another, suggesting the party’s internal debate over whether to move left or stay centrist may not much affect the behavior of voters, or at least that they aren’t paying attention yet.”

The survey also polled voters on Amendment 3, which would begin to phase out taxes non-school homestead properties.

When informed it would require local governments to use property taxes only for core public services, the measure gets 61% support and 32% opposition — enough to get it over the 60% margin required for passage.

However, in a follow-up question, “respondents were told that estimates suggest passage of the amendment would lead to a municipal budget shortfall of about $11.8 billion over two years.” Given that information, support for the amendment dropped by 16 percentage points to 45%, with 47% opposing.

State economists have estimated local governments would see budget shortfalls of $11.8 billion if the amendment is approved, but that would take place after five years, not two.

The poll was conducted between July 8-17 and has an overall margin of error of +/- 3.8 percentage points. It was made up of 46% Republicans, 33% Democrats, and 21% listed as NPA or “other.”

Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS) has secured an $88 million contract from the U.S. Navy to develop advanced modeling, simulation and testing capabilities for the next generation of shipboard power and energy systems through 2031.

“FSU’s Center for Advanced Power Systems is a national leader in highly specialized research and development that supports the U.S. Navy’s most advanced technology needs,” said FSU President Richard McCullough. “This major award reflects the Navy’s confidence in FSU’s expertise and underscores the important role our university plays in advancing power systems research with real-world impact.”

CAPS is led by Interim Director Sastry Pamidi, a professor in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. CAPS research faculty members Harsha Ravindra and James Langston are leading the new effort.

The contract, awarded by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), will support a broad research and development effort for the Navy.

Through the project, CAPS will develop digital models and architectures for advanced ship systems and evaluate next-generation electrical power and energy systems before they are implemented on physical vessels.

“Modern naval vessels are essentially moving microgrids, facing energy demands that were unimaginable a few decades ago,” Ravindra said. “This partnership with NAVSEA allows us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in modeling and simulation (M&S) as well as testing of advanced power system components in controller- and power- hardware-in-the-loop environment for shipboard electrical design, rapid prototyping and deployment on ships. The expertise provided by CAPS supports the Navy in design and risk reduction of ships that are faster, more resilient, and exponentially more energy efficient.”

The work is expected to be completed by June 9, 2031, with options that could provide the university an additional $11.5 million in funding for a cumulative $99.5 million award. CAPS also will collaborate with its extensive national network of partners on individual projects that support the broader research agenda.

“Collaborating with leading institutions and industry partners across the country requires a deeply integrated approach,” Langston said. “CAPS has the unique infrastructure, expertise and computational power to serve as the anchor for this nationwide research effort. It’s incredibly rewarding to lead a project that tackles real-world engineering challenges that directly impact national security.”

CAPS and the Navy have a long-standing history of collaboration.

Established in 2000 with support from the Office of Naval Research, CAPS has spent more than 25 years advancing power systems technology. During that time, the center has secured hundreds of millions in grants, trained more than 100 doctoral students who have gone on to careers in academia and industry and pioneered more than 60 patented technologies.

In 2016, CAPS became the first university test site accredited by the U.S. Navy to perform power hardware-in-the-loop simulation testing of megawatt-scale power equipment for surface combatants.

Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson said the award reflects the caliber of CAPS researchers and the center’s world-class capabilities.

“We are incredibly proud of Dr. Ravindra, Dr. Langston, Dr. Pamidi and the entire CAPS team for their leadership and hard work,” Patterson said. “Through this partnership with NAVSEA, FSU is helping shape the future of naval power systems, advancing national security innovation and demonstrating how our researchers translate groundbreaking ideas into real-world solutions.”

“Leon County is proud to recognize the dedicated residents and neighborhoods that strengthen our community through service, leadership, and collaboration,” said Leon County Commission Chairman Christian Caban. “From beautification projects to volunteerism and civic engagement, these efforts create lasting benefits for residents throughout our county.”

The 2026 winners include:

• Small Neighborhood of the Year (200 homes or fewer) – Avondale Neighborhood Association. Avondale demonstrated a strong commitment to resident engagement by using community feedback to guide meaningful neighborhood improvements while continuing to foster a connected, vibrant community through popular annual events and traditions.
• Large Neighborhood of the Year (more than 200 homes) – Griffin Heights Neighborhood Association. Griffin Heights exemplified community leadership by fostering resident engagement and implementing initiatives that enhanced neighborhood pride, improved quality of life, and supported sustainable revitalization and economic opportunity.
• Unincorporated Neighborhood of the Year (outside the city limits) – Highgrove Homeowners Association. Highgrove demonstrated exceptional community stewardship by investing in infrastructure improvements, advancing sustainable practices, and fostering a welcoming, connected community through resident engagement, longstanding traditions, and service initiatives.
• Neighbor of the Year- Michelle Olson. Michelle exemplifies the true spirit of community through selfless service, compassionate leadership, and unwavering commitment to her neighbors. Since joining the neighborhood one year ago, she has made a lasting impact by volunteering her time, strengthening neighborhood initiatives, and enhancing the quality of life in her community. Whether improving shared spaces, helping neighbors in need, or fostering connections, Michelle consistently goes above and beyond to make her neighborhood a better place to live.

“For 45 years, Leon County has recognized the extraordinary contributions of our neighborhoods, whose dedication continues to enrich communities and create lasting impact across our county,” said County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “Through this program, we celebrate their accomplishments and the partnerships that inspire continued progress for generations to come.”

The Neighborhood of the Year Award winners received a sign to display at their neighborhood entrances. The Neighbor of the Year Award winner received a personalized plaque highlighting their leadership and service to the community.

“Leon County neighborhoods are strongest when residents come together with a shared commitment to improving the places they call home,” said Leroy Peck of CONA. “CONA is proud to partner with Leon County in celebrating the neighborhood organizations whose dedication strengthens neighborhoods and builds a stronger community.”

Learn more about the County’s neighborhood resources at LeonCountyFL.gov/NeighborhoodServices.

By Mitch Perry, The Florida Phoenix

The recent electoral successes by Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates in New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado has sparked vituperative responses from Republicans and establishment Democrats around the country.

But conventional wisdom would have you believe that the movement has little chance of emerging in the Sunshine State, which has flipped from being a competitive swing state to MAGA Central over the past six years.

Don’t tell that to Oliver Larkin, the 34-year-old former union organizer running in the Aug. 18 Democratic primary against Jared Moskowitz in South Florida’s newly configured Congressional District 25, which now runs along the southeast coast from Delray Beach to Miami Beach.

In a telephone conversation with the Phoenix last week, Larkin said that, while he has considered himself a Democratic socialist since he volunteered to work on the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign in 2015, he didn’t feel compelled to join the organization formally until the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.

That’s when he became disillusioned that the national Democratic Party lacked the “spine” to fight for issues like for Medicare for All and adequately address police violence following the uprising over the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department.

“I really felt that it was important to formally join an organization that was building a parallel power structure to the Democratic Party, to move it in a more progressive direction,” he said. “What I’m really inspired by is the Democratic Socialists of America, and I decided to campaign openly as a DSA member because I think that they really have the policy prescriptions that address so much of the root core of what ails American life today.”

In addition to Medicare for All, those policy prescriptions include an increase in the minimum wage to $25 an hour, universal childcare, and paid family and medical leave. “I mean, these policies are overwhelmingly popular with the American people regardless of how they consider themselves ideologically or what political party they or may not be a part of,” he said.

Like other DSA candidates, Larkin questions the U.S. government’s relationship with Israel. He believes the Israeli government has committed a genocide in Gaza, approves of an immediate suspension of U.S. military aid to Israel, and supports H.R. 3565, filed by Illinois Democratic U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez to restrict the sale, transfer, or export of offensive weapons to Israel.

Six days after DSA candidates swept Democratic congressional primaries in New York City and a day before Democratic socialist Melat Kiros stunned Colorado politics by defeating a 15-term incumbent in a Democratic primary, the Larkin campaign held a virtual fundraiser that included appearances by New York City DSA-backed congressional candidate Claire Valdez and socialist influencer Hasan Piker.

“You have the fundamentals, you have the policies, you have the charisma, especially in comparison to Moskowitz,” Piker told Larkin during the event. “We just need to connect you with as many voters as possible because … once more and more people are aware of who you are and what you represent, and that there is an election even that’s taking place, a primary that’s taking place, if we can draw a turnout, we can absolutely make a massive impact here and we can unseat one of the worst Democrats in Congress.”

Larkin has criticized Moskowitz for his moderate record. That bill of particulars for Larkin includes Moskowitz’s stint serving in the Ron DeSantis administration as Florida Director of Emergency Management (from 2019-2021); his strong support for Israel; and being the only member of the Florida Democratic congressional delegation to vote for the Laken Riley Act.

That’s the measure named after the Georgia student killed by an undocumented immigrant that requires undocumented immigrants arrested for theft or violent crimes to be held in jail pending trial.

The Moskowitz campaign declined to comment for this story.

Larkin is also critical of the Florida Democratic Party, saying the state’s dramatic shift to the right since the 2018 elections was never inevitable. “A series of choices,” such as campaigning “at arm’s length” regarding the 2020 constitutional amendment raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2026 and its nomination of former Republican Charlie Crist for governor in 2014 and 2022 have helped alienate the base.

Following the primary wins by DSA-backed candidates in New York, the Florida Democratic Party’s likely nominee for governor, David Jolly (another former Republican), told CNN, “I think New York elected the wrong people.”

“Look, I disagree with many of the candidates that New York Democrats elected, but I’m a Florida Democrat. We do things differently down there,” he added.

“I was a little concerned to see him joining in on the bashing of Democratic socialism in a recent interview,” Larkin said of Jolly’s comments. He gives credit to Jolly for emerging as the front-runner for party’s nomination for governor, but says he hasn’t forgotten that Jolly’s previous stance on abortion compelled him to co-sponsor legislation in Congress that would have given full legal rights to a fertilized egg.

Jolly has since changed his mind on the issue, saying he now is pro-choice and if elected governor would veto any legislation restricting reproductive healthcare.

Larkin supports Jacksonville state Rep. Angie Nixon for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate (against Alex Vindman, the whistleblower in the first Trump impeachment).

“I think that she represents the very kind of change that voters really want to see out of the Democratic Party and not just establishment politicians who are handpicked by Washington, D.C.,” he said.

DSA’s appeal

The only DSA-aligned lawmaker now holding political office in Florida is Richie Floyd, a former electrical engineer and Pinellas County science instructor who narrowly won a city council seat in St. Petersburg in 2021 but has garnered no opponents for re-election this year. In his four-and-a-half-years in office, he’s carved out a reputation as an advocate for tenant rights, improving public services, and fighting on working-class issues, such as the campaign to have the city “dump” Duke Energy Florida and investigate creating a municipal electric utility. He opposes what he referred to as corporate handouts.

Floyd notes that approximately 300 DSA members have been elected as mayors, city councillors, state lawmakers, and other local offices in 39 states. “So, that pretty much shows that it’s not contained to one locality,” he said.

“I think the thing that sort of goes unnoticed is that part of the appeal of DSA candidates is obviously the ideology is getting more popular, but the part that goes unnoticed is that the campaigns that DSA runs are hard fought,” he said. “There’s a ton of volunteers that work really hard night and day without getting paid just in the hopes that they will get a better world, and it inspires people to come out and do really hard work. It shows that people believe in this politics in a way that you haven’t seen from like a lot of Democratic party politics in a longtime.”

Sam May is co-chair of the Tampa chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. She first became involved in the DSA while canvassing for Floyd’s first campaign in 2021. Since then, the chapter has more than doubled to around 330 members, she said.

“I think it’s so exciting,” she says of DSA members getting elected around the country. “I think it shows how the tides are turning in America and the working class is speaking up.”

May notes that Tampa DSA just finished a medical debt relief campaign with Undue Medical Debt that resulted in cancellation of medical debt for more than 2,400 Hillsborough County residents. “And so, having these electoral victories and then being able to put people into work like that has been very beneficial for our local community,” she said.

But can that energy and enthusiasm that helped get Floyd elected twice in St. Petersburg translate to other parts of the Sunshine State — particularly South Florida, where Democrats have been branded with the derisive “socialista” label by the GOP?

“I think it is important to remember that Florida Democrats are way more moderate than people think, in part because the state is very diverse in a Dem primary,” said Democratic Party strategist Steve Schale. He notes that even in what was a triumph for progressive Democrats — the 2018 Democratic primary for governor in which Andrew Gillum won the nomination — “he barely got a third of the vote in a five-way race where his opponents were hit by like $60-$70 million in negative ads from Gillum allies.”

Schale notes that in the March 2020 Democratic presidential primary, Joe Biden defeated Bernie Sanders, the spiritual leader of the progressive movement (although notably not a DSA member) by nearly 40 points, 62%-23%. Sanders lost to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary in Florida by 31 points, 64%-33%.

“I am sure the DSA can have some success in individual city races around the state, but I just don’t think they are the factor here that they are in some of these more gentrified upper-income urban districts, like we saw in New York,” he added.

President Donald Trump responded to the rise of Democratic socialists Friday night in a speech at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota, alleging “a resurgence of the communist menace in our land.”

“Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty,” Trump said. “It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, or even 9/11.”

Political analysts say that while Democratic socialists believe in state intervention, they still believe in political pluralism, whereas communism advocates for full state ownership of the means of production and central planning.

The Republican National Committee recently weighed in on the Congressional District 25 primary.

“Extreme socialists are taking over the Democratic Party and electing full blown crazies, proving there’s no room for moderates on the Left and taking seats like FL-25 off the map for Democrats,” said Emma Hall, Southeast regional communications director for the RNC.

Sizing up the Larkin-Moskowitz primary

Like several Democratic incumbents, the DeSantis redistricting map erased Moskowitz from the Congressional District 23 seat he has held since 2022 and compelled him to run in the new CD 25 seat. Informing that decision, Moskowitz says, is that the electorate was estimated to be 25% Jewish, a plus for his candidacy. The Moskowitz campaign released a survey last of week of 728 likely Democratic primary voters in the district conducted by Beacon Insights showing him with a 32-point lead over Larkin, 51%-19%, with nearly 30% undecided.

Larkin doesn’t dispute the poll’s accuracy. In fact, he said, it shows him improving in the contest.

“What I think is really interesting about that poll is the same pollster, Beacon Insights, within a month prior they put out another poll saying that he was up 49%-12%. Now he’s up 51%-19% so I’m taking seven out of every nine voters that have made up their mind since then, and that’s without spending a single dime on paid media, so there’s still 30% of voters that are undecided in this race.”

Larkin’s bona fides as a candidate of the working class received a boost last week when he won the endorsement of the SEIU Public Services union, which represents nearly 20,000 public sector workers across the state. The Florida AFL-CIO, meanwhile, withheld an endorsement of Moskowitz, the only sitting Democratic incumbent in the state not to receive its imprimatur, as reported by the Miami Herald.

“Voters want to have candidates know what they’re standing up for and know what they’re fighting for and not just trying to cater to this mythical moderate and return us to a status quo which ultimately delivered us two terms of Donald Trump,” Larkin said. “So, I think trying to ride a fence post is not really the kind of message that’s going to motivate, especially the kind of volunteers and supporters that we’ve been attracting to our campaign.”

Whether Larkin is successful next month, his candidacy reflects a fissure between younger Democrats and their elders. Most of the DSA candidates elected this year are in their 20s or 30s. Floyd turns 35 in a few weeks.

“If you’re, like, a young person in this world — or hell, some of us are almost middle aged now — and you’re frustrated that you can’t get ahead and politics aren’t speaking to you, the only outlet right now is DSA if you really want to build a better world. And so, we’ve been able to attract a lot of people because of that, and I think you’ll only see that continue as more people hear about it and more people get excited,” he said.

“Our secret sauce is that we’re working to build something better, and it makes people get off their couch to participate in it in a way that no other politics has in a long time.”

For more than a decade First Commerce has awarded the MyWay Scholarship annually, helping students across North Florida and South Georgia pursue their educational goals and build brighter futures.

The press release noted that the “MyWay program reflects First Commerce’s commitment to investing in communities and individuals across generations.” Through the scholarship, people ages 29 and younger receive support to advance their education and pursue their personal and professional goals.

First Commerce awards four $1,000 MyWay scholarships each year, two to students in North Florida and two in South Georgia. Recipients are students who demonstrate excellence in academics, leadership, community involvement and work experience.

Meet the 2026 MyWay Scholarship winners from Tallahassee:

Cooper Harrell of Tallahassee is pursuing a master’s degree in athletic administration after earning his bachelor’s degree in sports management in 2025. As he works toward a career in high school athletic administration, Harrell has gained hands-on experience serving as a substitute teacher and athletic department intern at Maclay School. He said the MyWay Scholarship provides meaningful financial relief as he continues investing in his education and career goals.

Delaney Ding of Tallahassee is enrolled in the University of Florida College of Medicine’s dual-degree MD-PhD program, combining medical training with doctoral research focused on epidemiology. Ding hopes to build a career that integrates direct patient care with research that can improve health outcomes on a broader scale. He said receiving the scholarship is an honor and supports his ability to continue investing in his studies and future.

“Cooper and Delaney exemplify the determination, leadership and commitment to excellence that the MyWay Scholarship was created to celebrate,” said First Commerce CEO Cecilia Homison. “We can’t wait to see the positive change they create in their professions and communities.”

For more information about the MyWay Scholarship program, including eligibility requirements and future application opportunities, visit First Commerce Credit Union’s MyWay Scholarship webpage.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who recently pushed for a major overhaul of property taxes paid to cities and counties, will soon decide whether to increase the amount of money local governments and the state must pay out in negligence lawsuits.

The Legislature sent HB 145 to DeSantis June 15. The governor has until June 30 to sign it, veto it, or allow the bill to become law without his signature.

HB 145 was one of the most hotly contested pieces of legislation during the 2026 regular session, attracting hundreds of lobbyist registrations.

And at least two organizations have sent correspondence to the governor  requesting that he veto the bill. Fourteen superintendents signed on to an April 2 veto letter from the Florida Panhandle Area Education Consortium requesting DeSantis to veto the legislation due to the “significant fiscal impact” it would have on the school districts if it were to become law.

“PAEC’s member districts operate within constrained local tax bases and narrow budget margins, leaving them with limited ability to absorb sudden financial liabilities. While we recognize the importance of ensuring fairness in the claims process, the increases to sovereign immunity caps contained in this legislation would create serious financial exposure for districts that are least equipped to manage it. For many small rural districts, the proposed caps in this legislation would have immediate and substantial consequences,” reads the letter written and signed by PAEC Executive Director John Selover.

DeSantis has not spoken about the bill publicly and his office didn’t immediately respond to request for comment.

HB 145 was supported by the Florida Justice Association, a group that represents trial attorneys. DeSantis has a history of vetoing legislation that has been supported by the trial bar group, including a 2025 bill that would have repealed a 35-year-old law that prevents some families from suing for the wrongful death of loved ones due to medical malpractice.

And in 2021 DeSantis vetoed FJA-supported legislation that would have repealed Florida’s no-fault automobile insurance system a and return to a fault-based system.

The king cannot commit a legal wrong

Sovereign immunity stems from the Latin phrase “rex non potest peccare,” which translates to “the king cannot commit a legal wrong.” It refers to the state’s authority to exempt itself from civil lawsuits, although the state does allow negligence claims against itself and its subdivisions — agencies, cities, counties, and public hospitals — within limits.

Injured parties can sue for damages and collect within the liability thresholds established by law, but if they win awards in excess of the limits they must go to the Legislature in the form of what’s called a claims bill to collect the overage. These in the past have involved harm from traffic accidents caused by government workers, medical malpractice at public hospitals, or wrongful convictions that have resulted in prison sentences.

The caps have been set at $200,000 per individual and $300,000 per incident since 2010, when the Legislature last agreed to address the issue.

HB 145 ups the caps from $200,000 per individual to $350,000 and from $300,000 per incident to $500,000.

An early iteration of the bill also would have changed the claims bill process, including amending the law to permit government entities to settle a claim or judgment in excess of the caps without requiring legislative approval. Moreover the initial bill also would have not allowed insurance policies to condition the payment of benefits on the enactment of a claims bill. Those provisions were removed before final passage.

Though not as much of an increase in the caps as she initially sought, House bill sponsor Rep. Fiona McFarland said she was happy the legislation passed during the 2026 session.

“Passing something is still significant right? We’re raising it [the sovereign immunity caps] from $200,000 to $350,000. That’s like a 75% increase. That’s still meaningful, right? If you are looking at medical bills or loss of wages or, or you know, all of the things that happened to these victims, an extra $150,000 sure goes a long way while you’re waiting for your claims bill to be passed,” the Sarasota Republican told the Phoenix shortly after the final House vote. “And I would rather do that now than … kick the proverbial can for another session and hope that we could maybe get half a million more.”

A lot of lobbying

Records show HB 145 drew 242 lobbyist registrations.

The FJA, meanwhile, reiterated its support for the bill in a prepared statement to the Phoenix Tuesday night.

“While HB 145 doesn’t address much needed reforms to the claims bill process, it is a small step toward addressing the lack of accountability that allows government entities to avoid fully compensating Floridians who have been injured by government negligence,” the FJA statement said.

Another association that opposed the bill was the Florida Hospital Association, which, according to an FHA spokesperson, also sent a letter to the governor June 9 requesting  that HB 145 be vetoed.

In a statement to the Florida Phoenix, FHA President and CEO Mary C. Mayhew said the existing framework is sufficient and “supports accountability without adding unnecessary stress and risk to an already strained system.”

“Florida’s current sovereign immunity framework already reflects a careful balance that supports accountability without adding unnecessary stress and risk to an already strained system,” Mayhew said in the statement. “Public hospitals play a vital role in Florida’s health care system … Every additional dollar diverted to litigation exposure, insurance premiums, settlements or claims administration is a dollar unavailable for patient care, workforce investment, access expansion, and community health priorities.”

The push for the veto comes after the PAEC and the FHA, and nine other organizations sent a letter to legislative leadership during the waning days of the 2026 session imploring them to kill HB 145.

The letter was sent by 11 organizations that collectively identified themselves as the “Sovereign Immunity Coalition.”

“While we recognize the importance of ensuring fairness in claims made against state and local governments, proposed increases and other changes to sovereign immunity caps raise significant fiscal and policy concerns that could negatively affect public services, and the taxpayers that pay for those services,” reads the letter.

Peer Group Analysis

But what about school districts with comparable student enrollment and that are in the same region of Florida?

A comparison of five similarly sized Florida school districts (See table below) shows Leon County Schools employs significantly more administrators and non-instructional staff than most of its peers, despite having a student population nearly identical to several neighboring districts.

The Florida department of Education data provides a standardized comparison among districts and their peers, offering a snapshot of how Leon County’s staffing levels compare with those across the state during the 2025-26 school year. The FDOE administrator category includes principals, assistant principals, and deans. The non-instructional category includes social workers, school psychologists and school counselors.

According to 2025-26 staffing data, Leon County Schools serves 30,964 students, making it the second-largest district among the comparison group behind Okaloosa County, which enrolls 31,055 students. Despite the similar enrollment figures, Leon County employs 211 administrators, substantially more than Okaloosa’s 144 administrators. These 211 adminstrators include 81 assistant principals TR has previously reported on.

Leon also exceeds Santa Rosa County’s 110 administrators and Alachua County’s 173 administrators. Only Bay County, with 222 administrators serving 27,126 students, reports a higher administrative total. The disparity is even greater among non-teacher instructional and support staff. Leon County employs 415 noninstructional personnel, the highest total among the five districts.

By comparison, Santa Rosa and Alachua counties each employ 248 non-teacher staff members, Bay County employs 239, and Okaloosa County employs 226.

The average number of administrators and non-teacher instructional staff for the Leon’s peer group is 403. This is 224 staff members less than the numbers reported by LCS.

The staffing comparison comes as school districts across Florida face budget pressures tied to enrollment trends and increased scrutiny of administrative spending. The figures come as LCS continues to confront declining student enrollment, a trend that reduces state funding because Florida’s education formula is largely based on student counts. Critics have argued that administrative growth has outpaced enrollment trends and have called for closer scrutiny of staffing levels outside the classroom. Supporters of the district’s staffing structure contend that modern school systems require specialized personnel to manage student services, accountability requirements, technology, safety initiatives, and other operational responsibilities that have expanded in recent years.

The staffing comparisons are likely to attract additional attention as district leaders evaluate budget priorities and as community members debate proposals involving school funding and operational efficiency.

LCS Addresses Staffing Issue

During the last school board meeting, elected officials voted 4-1 to approve the placement of a 1 mil property tax increase on the November ballot. If passed by the voters, the tax would raise approximately $24 million. After the vote, Chair Marcus Nicolas acknowledged the concern about staffing but took the position that the tax increase and the “administrative structure” were not connected. The board scheduled a workshop to address the issue.

The report was prepared at the request of the County Commission following public interest in inmate deaths and the procedures used to investigate them. According to the review, the five deaths represented less than 0.07% of the approximately 7,255 individuals who were incarcerated at least once in the detention facility during 2025.

County staff noted that inmate mortality rates at the Leon County facility remain below national averages. The U.S. Department of Justice reports a mortality rate of approximately 0.17% in local jails nationwide, compared with Leon County’s rate of less than half that figure.

The report explains that every in-custody death triggers both criminal and administrative investigations by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, along with an independent review by the Medical Examiner. Investigators examine evidence, interview witnesses, review medical records and determine whether any criminal conduct or policy violations occurred. The Sheriff’s Office is also required to report all inmate deaths to state and federal authorities under the federal Death in Custody Reporting Act.

The five inmate deaths reviewed included two overdose deaths, two deaths from natural medical causes and one death involving self-inflicted head trauma.

According to the report, a 46-year-old male inmate died in October after suffering an overdose. Another inmate, a 36-year-old man, died in January from an overdose after being found unresponsive in his cell.

Two deaths were attributed to natural causes. A 72-year-old inmate receiving hospice care through the Sheriff’s Office Inmate Comfort Care Program died from stage 4 throat cancer in September. A 36-year-old inmate died in June from a pulmonary embolism while housed in the medical unit.

The fifth death involved a 26-year-old female inmate who was being treated in the medical unit after engaging in self-injurious behavior. The Medical Examiner ruled her death accidental, citing severe cerebral edema caused by self-inflicted head trauma.

The report also highlights ongoing efforts to improve inmate safety, including increased staffing, enhanced behavioral health services, suicide-prevention measures, and facility upgrades such as suicide-resistant furnishings. The detention facility maintains accreditation through the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and conducts medical screenings for inmates shortly after intake.

The YTD Numbers

The incident data -tabulated by TR – show that YTD property crime incidents were up 11.5% and YTD violent crime incidents are up 23.8% through May when compared to one year ago.

Property crimes encompass burglaries, thefts, and incidents of vandalism. Violent incidents include aggravated assaults, armed robberies, and physical altercations.

A look at specific crimes reveals the increase in property crime was driven by increases in residential (13.6%) and commercial burglaries (76.9%) when compared to 2025. The Auto Burglary & Theft category – which accounts for approximately 55% of all property crimes – is down 1.4%.

The violent crime data shows that robbery incidents were up 21.5% while assault & battery incidents were up 24.4%.

12-Month Trends

The chart below shows the 12-month trends of property and violent crime incidents from January 2023 through May 2026.

Property crime incidents began to decline in December 2024 and reached a 3-year low in October 2025. For a brief period, the change in property crime has remained flat. However, over the last five months these crimes have started to increase.

Violent crime incidents peaked in October 2023 and reached a 3-year low in June 2025. Since then, violent crime incidents have been trending up.

The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 5,167 initial unemployment applications were filed in Florida last week, down from a revised count of 5,970 the week ending May 23. The numbers fell from 8,164 the week ending May 9, when the layoffs by the Dania Beach-based passenger air carrier were announced, to 6,224 the week ending May 16.

Spirit’s downfall affected 4,853 employees in Broward, Miami-Dade and Orange counties.

The numbers for the past three weeks are more in line with the average weekly claims for the state since the beginning of the year, which is now 5,875 a week. Yet despite the mostly steady pace of claims, Florida has seen its unemployment rate grow in eight consecutive monthly jobs reports.

The state jobless rate stands at 4.8 percent, reflecting mid-April conditions, with 532,000 unemployed Floridians from a labor force of 11.15 million.

Nationally, 225,000 claims were filed last week, up from 212,000 the week ending May 23.