DOGE audits Orange County
The Florida Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE and Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia declared this month that they consider almost $200 million in the Orange County budget as “excessive, wasteful spending.”
Ingoglia has called on the county to slash property taxes in response.
Guest:
- Jerry Demings, mayor of Orange County.
Property tax reform
The Florida legislature is exploring ways to reduce or even eliminate property taxes. A new house committee met this week to consider various reforms.
Florida voters will need to approve any changes. Property tax reform proposals are expected to appear on the 2026 ballot.
Guests:
- Dominic M. Calabro, President and CEO of Florida TaxWatch.
- Douglas Soule, ‘Your Florida’ state government team reporter.
Open carry
Florida was one of the only states in the U.S. not to allow the open carrying of a firearm.
But that changed this week following a state appeals court ruled that a Florida law banning open carry was unconstitutional. Now, legal gun owners in Florida can carry them openly. There are still restrictions around schools, courthouses and private property.
Guest:
- Max Doyle, co-owner of the Celtic Ray pub in Punta Gorda.
Tropics update
There are a few storms developing in the tropics: A disturbance that could become Hurricane Imelda if it gains strength and Hurricane Humberto a little farther out.
We checked in with our partner Florida Public Radio Emergency to learn more about these systems.
Guest:
- Megan Borowski, meteorologist for the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network
Revisiting El Faro
Almost 10 years ago, one of the worst marine disasters in American history took place in the Bahamas. Thirty-three crew members of the container ship the SS El Faro found themselves in the middle of a Category 4 hurricane.
The ship was headed out of Jacksonville where much of the crew was based. We spoke with the reporter and host of a new podcast that details the many different layers of this tragedy.
Guest:
- Maeve McGoran, reporter and host of the podcast "Shipwreck: How a Captain, Company and Culture Sank the SS El Faro."