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Facing South Florida: Florida's abortion amendment

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www.youtube.com – CBS Miami – 2024-09-22 08:14:34

SUMMARY: In South Florida, the looming vote on Amendment 4 will potentially reverse the state’s recently enacted six-week abortion ban, reinstating a woman’s right to abortion up to viability at around 24 weeks. This amendment is among several on the ballot this November, but Florida requires a 60% approval to pass, the highest threshold in the nation. Governor Ron DeSantis is accused of using state resources to spread misinformation against the amendment, prompting the ACLU to file a lawsuit. Advocates argue this undermines citizens’ rights to amend the Constitution and call for fair voting on this critical issue.

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In about a month and a half Florida voters will decide Amendment 4, which would eliminate the state’s six-week abortion ban and would return Florida to what it was like before the U.S. Supreme Court struck Roe v. Wade. Guests: Michelle Morton, attorney, ACLU of Florida and State Sen. Lauren Book, D-Broward County

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News from the South - Florida News Feed

DeSantis wants $5.1B property tax relief with $1,000 rebates for homeowners | Florida

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Steve Wilson | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-03-31 13:00:00

(The Center Square) – Property property tax relief for Floridians through $5.1 billion in a proposed sales tax cut is being sought by Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

He wants lawmakers to issue $1,000 for each of about 5.1 million homesteaded properties in the state. The rebates would be issued in December, covering state-mandated school property taxes, which he says would prevent a loss in funding for districts. 

The state House of Representatives proposed reducing the state’s sales tax from 6% to 5.25% on Wednesday. 

DeSantis added a state-level version of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency should examine local budgets to determine savings that can be passed to homeowners being hit by rising assessments on property values. 

“Of all the taxes impacting Floridians, property taxes are the most significant,” DeSantis said. “So when you’re doing proposals, whether it’s working with the Legislature, whether it’s putting something on the ballot, to me, the threshold question is the tax relief needs to be Florida first.

“We need to focus on our Florida residents and to focus on in this case, Florida homeowners, particularly our homesteaded homeowners and we need to focus our relief there.”

The second-term Republican governor and former presidential candidate said he wants a ballot initiative aimed at lower property taxes on the 2026 ballot that he says will provide “robust protections” for homeowners in the state constitution. 

He also said property taxes are an anomaly because these taxes aren’t voluntary consumption based and basically mean homeowners are paying “rent” to the government for their property, even if the mortgage is fully paid.

“I know people that bought their homes for $250,000 30 years ago and now they’re assessed at over a million dollars. That’s not something out of the ordinary,” DeSantis said. “That’s a source of wealth if you’re free and clear of the mortgage, but one of the drawbacks is in the form of property taxes and so people have seen that even with a homestead exemption that has not be enough to be able to protect people against these rising assessments.”

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A DOGE employee is put in charge of the US Institute of Peace, a court filing alleges

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www.clickorlando.com – Gary Fields, Associated Press – 2025-03-31 11:15:00

SUMMARY: An official linked to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been appointed head of the U.S. Institute of Peace, a think tank targeted by President Trump for closure. The filing states two board members authorized replacing the temporary president with Nate Cavanaugh and transferring the institute’s property to the General Services Administration. This follows the firing of nearly all 300 employees and a tense standoff earlier this month. The court filing seeks to stop the actions or address them through a status conference. An executive order in February called for the institute’s closure, along with other agencies.

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Bus driver shoots 2 passengers dead after argument, police say

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www.abcactionnews.com – Nadirah Sabir, Steve Maugeri – 2025-03-30 16:19:00

SUMMARY: In Miami Gardens, two men were shot and killed by a Miami-Dade transit bus driver after an argument early Sunday morning. The incident occurred on a bus during a routine route. Police responded to a disturbance call, and the victims were later pronounced dead at Aventura Hospital. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots, expressing concern over violence in the community. The driver, who is in custody, shot the passengers during the altercation; authorities are investigating the situation. Miami-Dade officials clarified that bus drivers are not permitted to carry firearms for self-defense. The shooting is under investigation.

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