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Capital Report

Capital Report: December 8, 2023

Published December 8, 2023 at 5:46 PM EST

For the first time in his governorship, Ron DeSantis is proposing a funding DECREASE. His spending proposal for the next fiscal year is nearly $4 billion less than current levels. It comes as state economists say Florida is still on track to end up with a budget surplus.

Florida House Speaker Paul Renner provided a 2024 Session preview this week to the Capital Tiger Bay Club in Tallahassee. Tom Flanigan was there, too.

Sarasota school board member Bridget Ziegler [ZIG-ler] is facing calls to resign. As WUSF's Kerry Sheridan reports, two board members say the media spotlight on her has become a distraction.

A scathing new report on the state of higher education in Florida lays out the extent of what it says is political interference and threats to academic freedom on public campuses. Steve Bousquet reports from the state Capitol.

The statewide union for firefighters is watching closely as contract talks in Tallahassee pass their 18th negotiating session. They say what happens in one city can have repercussions for others – and the firefighters in Tallahassee have declared an impasse. Margie Menzel reports.

Florida Humanities, a nonprofit in St. Petersburg, has a new book out to commemorate its golden anniversary. "Once Upon A Time in Florida" – is a collection of essays from its magazine called "Forum." WUSF's Matthew Peddie speaks with Jacki Levine [leh-VINE – like MINE), the editor of Once Upon a Time in Florida - to talk about what went into the creation of this book. But first, he asks Nashid Madyun [nah-SHEED mad-YOU-in], executive director of Florida Humanities, how much he learned about Florida while creating the anthology.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is backing Florida State University’s potential legal battle against the College Football Playoffs. The Governor joins a host of state officials who are recommending FSU sue the selection committee for leaving the undefeated Power 5 conference champion out of the football playoffs. But is the talk of a lawsuit just hot air? Adrian Andrews spoke with a collegiate sports attorney to find out if the team actually has a case.

Capital Report

Capital Report: October 25, 2024

On tonight's program: Florida’s Amendment Four sparks a furious media battle between supporter and opponents; Governor DeSantis and the state’s First Lady turn their attention from Amendment Four to Amendment Three; Are there possible conflicts between medical and recreational marijuana in Florida? There are some who say there are; Florida’s status as a red state keeps growing. But at least one Democratic operative is predicting voter pushback will come, someday; Much has been said about how the issues facing young people are different from oldervoters. But some new reporting suggests there are more similarities than differences; and Florida’s attorney general says it’s time state authorities got involved in the case involving a gunman discovered lurking near Donald Trump’s Mar A Lago golf course.
Capital Report: October 18, 2024

On tonight’s program: As mail in ballots return to elections offices, data shows more Democrats have voted so far than Republicans, but experts don’t expect that lead to last; The race for a North Florida state Senate seat is heating up; And we’ll hear about how to fight disinformation and misinformation during disasters and their recovery; As Floridians recover from three different hurricanes, questions about insurance are growing; One line worker shares what keeps her going as she works to get the lights back on in her community; And a group of seniors gathers to reflect on their experiences following the recent hurricanes.
Capital Report: October 11, 2024

On tonight’s program: This year’s hurricane season has taken a toll on Floridians. With back-to-back storms some are struggling to recover; As conspiracy theories and misinformation about the recent hurricanes and the recovery process spread, officials worry about the consequences; A battle is brewing to extend the voter registration deadline after concerns that Hurricanes Milton and Helene could disenfranchise voters; After a storm, one of the primary concerns is often how quickly the electricity will be restored. That answer starts with the transmission lines; As severe weather becomes more common in the state and across the country, Floridians may soon receive more guidance about to expect, and how to prepare, for the future; And after years of planning, one community is working to remove what’s often a major barrier to getting mental healthcare, by providing housing for those in treatment.
Capital Report: October 4, 2024

On tonight's program: There’s a new Florida law restricting the places unhoused folks can sleep in Florida; The big push in advance of election day is on. Those for and against Florida’s constitutional amendment guaranteeing abortion access are kicking up their marketing campaigns; We hear from a man who saw Hurricane Helene at its worst; A respected meteorologist explains why we shouldn’t focus ONLY on the hurricane cone; Even though Helene made official landfall in Florida’s Big Bend, its devastation extended for hundreds of miles, including the Tampa Bay area; And it seems much of the storm damage may not be covered by regular homeowner’s insurance policies.
Capital Report: September 20, 2024

On tonight’s program: Governor DeSantis wants lawmakers to come back to Tallahassee before the 2025 Session to tackle the matter of unsafe condominiums; What’s the old saying about blending politics and religion usually being a bad idea? Florida’s present abortion debate runs counter to that wisdom; This is suicide prevention month. We speak with a family that is using its own tragic loss as a way to reach and help others; Florida voters will have a chance in November to reduce their property taxes. But only if inflation goes up; Another proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution would make local school board races partisan affairs. But it may not have the impact many of its supporters would like; And we follow the inspiring adventures of some very aware kids.
Capital Report: September 13, 2024

On tonight's program: Supporters of Amendment 4, which would enshrine access to abortion in the FloridaConstitution, charge the DeSantis administration of trying to muddy the electoral waters; Governor DeSantis claims some of the petitions that put Amendment 4 on the Florida ballot were fraudulent. The governor’s opponents are calling that a “voter suppression” tactic; With abortions nearly unavailable in Florida, it seems more people are opting for pregnancy prevention strategies; Unregistered voters can’t vote. So that’s sparking a big voter registration push in advance of the November election; Florida’s high court mulls over the way state officials redrew a number of congressional district lines; Voting for appellate judges and supreme court justices is unique in Florida; and Florida has a condo crisis. The state is moving to ramp up inspections for older buildings and impose more regulations on new construction. But some believe it’s all happening too fast.
Capital Report: September 6, 2024

On tonight’s program: Outright lies in political advertising? Who could imagine such a thing?; How do you match a political message to its intended audience? It’s a combination of art and science; For a growing number of people who have mental health issues, a stay in a Florida jail or prison is essentially a death sentence; A Florida program to help kids with disabilities get ready for great careers is looking to grow the number of students it serves; And Florida is also ramping up the number of student nurses in the pipeline in response to a rapidly growing need.
Capital Report: August 30, 2024

On tonight’s program: An execution in Florida revives the ongoing conflict between supporters and opponents; A plan to add golf courses and pickleball courts to some of Florida’s state parks raises a royal ruckus; Advocates are looking to an Alabama gender affirming care case for clues on what might be next for Florida; Low-income Florida school kids missed out on a summer meals program this year. But what about next year?; We revisit an area that’s still recovering from last year’s Hurricane Idalia; Last week’s low voter turnout in Florida doesn’t seem to be alarming too many people.
Capital Report: August 23, 2024

On tonight’s program: A now-fired Okalaloosa County deputy sheriff faces formal charges in connection with the shooting death of Airman Roger Fortson back in May; Kamela Harris becomes the official Democratic candidate for president, much to the delight of many Florida Democrats; Is Governor Ron DeSantis’s political clout beginning to wane? We’ll have some analysis in that regard; Voter turnout continues to slip in Florida; We have the second and final story in our series about the impact of Florida’s new abortion restrictions; And the Olympics are over, but the Paralympics start next week. We’ll hear from a world champion swimmer who is heading to the Paralympic games for the first time.
Capital Report: August 16, 2024

On tonight’s program: It seems the former president of the University of Florida wasn’t exactly thrifty when it came to his office spending; A big administrative shakeup is underway at Florida A&M University as an interim president takes over. Among those who’ve packed their bags….; A Florida ban on what’s known as “cultivated meat” is being challenged in court; The battle for Florida State Senate District Three has become more than a little bit interesting; Florida’s stricter abortion restrictions have prompted a growing degree of out-of-state travel by those seeking that procedure; While more homeowners are being forced into Citizens Insurance, that ultimately means higher prices, even for those who aren’t policyholders; And there’s often a reason why college and university students have to wait awhile until landlords repair the property damage from the previous student renters.

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