Taxes and Birds Lead New Bills

Last week, lawmakers filed 15 additional bills to be considered during the upcoming 60-day Florida 2026 legislative session, which begins on Jan. 13.

More than half of the proposed legislation consists of property-tax reform proposals submitted by state Sen. Mack Bernard (D-West Palm Beach). Four of Bernard’s bills are constitutional amendments, which would require 60% of voters’ approval in the next general election to become law.

Senate Bill 264 would determine whether another bird should be picked to represent the state. A survey would be provided to kids at Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network summer camps, with the results going to the state Senate President and House Speaker for consideration.

Birds in the running include the current state bird, the Northern mockingbird, alongside the American osprey, the Florida scrub jay, the American flamingo, and the American white ibis.

Florida DOGE Slams Miami Spending

The state’s Chief Financial Officer, Blaise Ingoglia, criticized what he called “runaway spending” by local governments, citing Miami as a top example. “If this was a business, the City of Miami would go bankrupt,” he said.

Speaking at a news conference in Miami last week, Ingoglia stated that the city’s budget had ballooned by $358 million, a 44% increase over the past five years. He added that for every new Miami resident, the city’s budget has grown by $15,320.

“They are going to cry. They are going to do everything they can to convince you, the taxpayer, that they need every single dollar,” Ingoglia said. “(Miami) could have given all that money back to the taxpayers. But they chose not to.”

The Miami City Commission responded by stating that Miami’s role as the urban and economic core of South Florida renders its financial needs incomparable to those of suburban or rural municipalities, calling Ingoglia’s analysis “incomplete” and “shortsighted.”

Third Death at Disney World in 10 Days

Authorities are investigating a man’s death at Disney’s Contemporary Resort near Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando. It is the third death in less than two weeks across company properties near Walt Disney World.

The Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office in Orlando confirmed the death but has not released any other information. Social media users filmed a large group of law enforcement officers in a taped-off courtyard on Thursday.

A woman was found dead at the Contemporary Resort on Oct. 14. The woman was later identified as Summer Equitz, and her death was ruled a suicide.

One week later, authorities responded to calls for an unresponsive male at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. The man was in his 60s and experienced a “medical episode.” Authorities do not suspect foul play.

The three deaths do not include a woman in her 60s who was found unresponsive at the Haunted Mansion on Oct. 8 at Disneyland in California. She was later pronounced dead.

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➤ Miami-Dade County: A new electric bus service launches today, moving riders from Florida City to the Dadeland South station faster. (See Video)

➤ Martin County: Former longtime Sheriff Robert Crowder died on Oct. 23 at his home in Georgia. Crowder was first appointed sheriff in 1972 and served until 1973, returning to the position in 1992. He retired in 2013. (More)

➤ Sarasota County: Phillippi Creek will be dredged this fall, now that the county has approved the project. Overflow from the creek has frequently inundated homes. (More)

➤ Titusville: Detectives are looking to identify someone who was seen taking photos of the high school last week, releasing footage of the person on social media, and asking anyone with information to call the station. (More)

➤ St. Petersburg: Police conducted a special operation targeting e-bike misuse. The crackdown comes after three fatal accidents this month, where the e-bike riders were allegedly at fault. (More)

➤ Tampa: The city council approved Wheel Over Water (WOW), a 250-foot observation wheel which will be located next to The Florida Aquarium. (More)

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➤ The Dolphins snapped a three-game losing streak behind Tua Tagovailoa’s 205-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 34-10 win. (More)

➤ The Buccaneers extended their NFC South lead with a 23-3 win over the Saints, powered by a defense that forced New Orleans to turn the ball over four times. (More)

➤ The University of Miami dropped to No. 10, while USF fell out of the latest AP Top 25 college football rankings. (See Ranking)

➤ Sergei Bobrovsky collected his 50th career shutout as the Florida Panthers defeated the Las Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 on Saturday. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NBA | NHL | Soccer | PGA | LPGA | Tennis | F1 | NASCAR

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➤ The University of Florida has been named the nation’s top university, public or private, according to a new ranking highlighted by the Wall Street Journal. (More)

➤ Cherry Smash, a Coral Springs ice cream parlor, has had its busiest season ever thanks to a series of social media videos that have gone viral. One TikTok video got more than 600,000 views. (More)

➤ The Florida Citrus Commission approved a $23.4 million budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, as the industry experienced the lowest production in over 100 years this past season. (More)

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➤ Central Florida businesses rallied to send aid to Jamaica before Hurricane Melissa hits the island. (More)

➤ A ninth-grade student at Orlando Science Schools was named a finalist in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Sheyna Patel created a non-toxic hydrogel that attracts and breaks down microplastics in water. (More)

➤ A Halloween display featuring adult-themed skeletons sparked controversy in a Minneola neighborhood. Some residents said the “skeleton strip club” display is inappropriate for children walking to school. (See Video)

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Would you ever wait in line for over an hour for ice cream?

1. Yes
2. No

Sunday’s Results:

Have you ever owned a Polaroid camera?

1. Yes: 65%
2. No: 35%

Where is the world’s largest single-site collection of structures designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright?

Show me the answer