HURRICANE INSPECTIONS Florida’s CFO Alex Sink announced yesterday that the state’s free hurricane home inspection program would resume within two weeks. Sink also announced the names of companies in the state, by area, that won a competitive bid process to conduct the local inspections.
FLORIDA PROPERTY TAXES As the Florida Legislature grapples with ways [...]

CITIZENS PROPERTY INSURANCE Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state’s insurer of last resort, saw its reach expanded during the Florida Legislature’s special session in January, and it might expand even more. Gov. Charlie Crist and several lawmakers are promoting a Senate bill that paves the way for Citizens to become a full-fledged insurer.

SUBPRIME MORTGAGES New Century Financial, the nation’s second largest lender specializing in subprime loans, filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday. While 50 lenders have filed for bankruptcy recently, New Century’s fall from grace shook stock traders who watched it go from Wall Street favorite to financial pariah.
CONDO-HOTELS A few years ago, condo-hotels practically sold [...]

FLORIDA PROPERTY TAX REFORM Florida voters are split on a House plan to exchange property taxes for a higher sales tax with slightly more opposed, according to a recent poll. But a clear majority (69 percent) like the idea of rolling back local government spending to 2001 levels.
Why roll back local government spending to [...]