DeSantis Suggests Ending Tolls for Floridians

Gov. Ron DeSantis offered an idea during his latest Cabinet meeting on Wednesday: eliminating tolls for residents of the Sunshine State.

“I was just thinking: we’re knocking out taxpayer-supported debt. And I know that… other people kind of have purview over this, but I’d love to be able to knock out the tolls and stuff people are paying,” DeSantis said.

Florida’s bond finance director Ben Watkins responded, “We’ll take a look at that.“

Toll roads in Florida reportedly collect more than $2 billion annually.

Florida CFO Proposes Reforms

Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia held a news conference on Thursday in Winter Park to announce a series of legislative proposals aimed at increasing accountability and transparency in local governments across the state.

“To date, we have exposed more than $1.86 billion, and that is billion with a ‘B’ dollars in wasteful, excessive spending in just 11 local governments,” Ingoglia said.

Key components of his proposal include Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight audits, requiring government employees to complete training on how to report waste and abuse, and providing whistleblower protection. The proposal also mandates an annual efficiency report, which tracks cash on hand, revenue flow, salaries, and more.  

Most Hospitable Small Towns

WorldAtlas recently released a list of the 12 most hospitable small towns in Florida, with St. Augustine topping the list. 

Fernandina Beach received recognition for its thriving local arts scene, while Winter Park’s numerous outdoor gardens offer opportunities for socializing. 

Destin’s HarborWalk Village brings the tourists and the locals together, while Apalachicola’s High Five Dive Bar showcases the town’s hospitality.

Rounding out the list were Naples, Islamorada, Matlacha, Anna Maria Island, Clermont, Gulf Breeze, and Tarpon Springs.

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➤ Orange County: County commissioners have proposed a 1% sales tax increase aimed at addressing over $22 billion in transportation needs with the goal of presenting it to voters on the November 2026 ballot. (More)

➤ Flagler County: An inmate sentenced under the SMART program, which stands for Successful Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Treatment, gave birth to a baby boy, with deputies holding a baby shower. Mother and baby expect to be reunited next year. (See Baby)

➤ Putnam County: The state of Florida will spend $5.6 million to protect 2,060 acres within the Tilton Family Farm Project from development. (More)

➤ Miami-Dade County: A Tri-Rail train crashed into a vehicle stranded on the tracks in Opa-locka on Thursday morning. (See Video)

➤ Tampa Bay: The area’s first Light the World Giving Machine opened this week at Clearwater Mall, allowing community members to contribute to tangible items for people in need, such as a Ring doorbell for domestic violence survivors. (Details)

➤ Miami: A Kremlin envoy will travel to the city to discuss a U.S.-proposed plan to end the war in Ukraine, the Trump administration announced Thursday. (More)

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➤ Olivier Rioux, Florida’s 7-foot-9 basketball player, scored his first collegiate points against Saint Francis this week—a dunk he barely left his feet for. (More)

➤ South Florida football fell to Old Dominion 24-10 in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl on Wednesday, ending the season at 9-4. Sixth-year quarterback Gaston Moore logged his first career start for the Bulls. (More)

➤ Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez signed a one-year extension to stay with the club through the 2026 season. (More)

➤ Florida baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan officially returned to the program after taking a two-month leave of absence. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ Strategic Property Partners announced plans for a new entertainment district in downtown Tampa featuring a 3,500-seat performance venue, a 250-room hotel, and 100,000 square feet of retail, dining, and entertainment space. (See Renderings)

➤ An AI security company, SoundThinking, is opening a new monitoring hub in downtown Orlando, supporting real-time weapons detection at high-traffic facilities across the U.S. (See Video)

➤ Lovestory Book Co., a new Tallahassee romance bookstore, is hoping to become a community gathering space and to foster connections between readers. (See Video)

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➤ Sandi, the holiday sand tree, is back for West Palm Beach’s Holiday in Paradise celebration. The tree stands 35 feet tall and weighs about 700 tons, featuring decorations of musical notes, instruments, and marine life. (See Tree)

➤ A 12-year-old girl with special needs was rescued by firefighters from the roof of Lake City’s PetSmart on Wednesday evening. (See Video)

➤ Key Biscayne lighthouse celebrated 200 years and is one of the oldest surviving lighthouses in the state. (See Video)

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Do you support ending tolls for Florida residents?

1. Yes, please!
2. If roads are still funded
3. Don’t love the idea

Thursday’s Results:

Will you get the 250th anniversary license plate?

1. Yes: 20%
2. No: 50%
3. Maybe: 30%

What types of mines in Florida cover over 450,000 acres?

Show me the answer