State Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, has proposed Senate Bill 730. ...more

March 19, 2009

Cigarettes have been a relatively inexpensive addiction for smokers in Florida, even as a pack has neared $4 for most brands. ...more

March 18, 2009

On April 1, the federal excise tax on cigarettes will rise to $1.01 per pack, up 62 cents from the current level. And the Florida Legislature is considering a $1-per-pack increase in the state tax. ...more

March 17, 2009

A judge has ruled that the Pasco County Sheriff's Office should pay $9.14 million to a woman who sustained permanent brain damage from a crash with a deputy. ...more

March 15, 2009

In Tallahassee, the cat's away. As the Florida Legislature begins its 2009 session - a session that will see budget cuts and decisions affecting everything from education to health care - the newspaper corps covering state government has shrunk to its smallest level in recent memory. ...more

March 15, 2009

These are indeed difficult times. Floridians are losing their jobs, consumer consumption is at very low levels, global trade volumes are declining and Florida is facing a significant budget deficit. Yet this is also a time of opportunity for us as a state to create jobs now and position our economy for the future. ...more

March 15, 2009

New tax incentives to coax automakers into producing electric cars won't help consumers right away. The way to help now would be to make roads safer for the small electric vehicles currently available. ...more

March 14, 2009

There was a time, long ago when the Earth was young, that not only was the Florida Legislature an effective body, but it often had strong leadership from Hillsborough County. ...more

March 11, 2009

Florida's $8 billion Florida Prepaid College Plan is safe from legislators looking for ways to plug budget holes, Gov. Charlie Crist and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink said Tuesday. ...more

March 10, 2009

As the Florida Legislature begins its 2009 session – a session that will see budget cuts and decisions affecting everything from education to health care – the newspaper press corps covering state government has shrunk to its smallest level in recent memory. ...more

March 10, 2009