If you thought state budgets were in bad shape last year, just wait: 2010 promises to be brutal for lawmakers — many facing re-election — as they scramble to find enough money to keep their states running without raising taxes. ...more

January 3, 2010

I appeal to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners to not allow the recommendations of the Hillsborough County Transportation Task Force to proceed to a ballot initiative in November 2010. The BOCC should not be satisfied with the poorly researched recommendations. ...more

November 28, 2009

At least 20 Hillsborough County residents, and possibly as many as 195, were double-billed for their property taxes this week because of a California company's computer malfunction. ...more

November 4, 2009

County Tax Collector Doug Belden shut down his office's online bill payment today after discovering some residents were being double-billed for their property tax payments. ...more

November 3, 2009

Hotel and motel tax collections in Hillsborough County continued to decline in June, falling 21.4 percent compared with year-ago figures to about $1.2 million. ...more

August 7, 2009

With the economy in turmoil and tax collections plummeting, Gov. Charlie Crist announced Wednesday that the state has dramatically downsized its plan to buy and restore the Everglades. ...more

April 2, 2009

It would cost more to drive a car and go to college and some top school officials may take pay cuts under the Florida Senate's first budget draft released Friday. ...more

March 27, 2009

President Barack Obama's ambitious plans to cut middle-class taxes, overhaul health care and expand access to college would require massive borrowing during the next decade, leaving the nation mired far deeper in debt than the White House has previously estimated, congressional budget analysts said Friday. ...more

March 21, 2009

Lawmakers got the bad financial news most were expecting Friday when state economists said they now expect general revenue to be down about $1 billion in the current budget year and more than $2 billion in the next one compared with estimates made four months ago. ...more

March 14, 2009

Pinellas County tourism officials hope it keeps snowing in New York, where they've taken over the marketing rights in two of the busiest subway stations with the message "Regrettably, the F Train Doesn't Go Far Enough South." ...more

March 5, 2009