The Senate voted Thursday to block a looming tax increase averaging $2,000 for millions of taxpayers after Senate Republicans succeeded in thwarting a Democratic plan to also raise taxes on investors. ...more

December 7, 2007

President Bush on Wednesday nominated Edward Schafer, who served two terms as governor of North Dakota, to head the Department of Agriculture, an agency with a broad mandate ranging from administration of the federal food stamp program and aiding economic development in rural America to enhancing food safety. ...more

November 1, 2007

SEBRING — In 2005, when Gilbert Santavenere moved to Sebring from Connecticut, the taxes on his house were $2,200 a year. Since the previous owner had a homestead exemption, Santavenere expected the taxes to go up to $2,800. "It ended up being $3,500 a year," Santavenere said. In a nutshell, that's the problem with Florida's property tax system, something the Florida Legislature tried to correct Monday when it passed a constitutional amendment that will lower ad valorem taxes an average of $240 per homeowner. Voters can grant final approval of the bill on Jan. 29, at the same time they cast ballots in the presidential primary. The measure includes variations of two planks in Gov. Charlie Crist's campaign platform last year: doubling the $25,000 exemption for homeowners and letting them take the 3 percent Save Our Homes cap when they move. ...more

October 31, 2007

The House overwhelmingly passed federal protections for journalists pressured to reveal confidential sources Tuesday, as lawmakers from both parties backed legislation that advocates for the news media have sought for a generation. ...more

October 17, 2007

Despite a presidential veto threat, the Senate this week may send to the president's desk a more than $20 billion federal water-projects bill authorizing tens of millions of dollars for the Tampa Bay area. ...more

September 5, 2007