economy

Reducing or eliminating most local property taxes is a top priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis as he enters the final year of his last term. Florida Keys Rep. Jim Mooney, a Republican, thinks lawmakers should focus their efforts on bringing down the cost of property insurance instead. “We don't get a lot of complaints about property taxes,” he said.

Home and condo sales show very early signs of recovery in September helped by a drop in mortgage rates and lower or, at least stable, prices. It’s too early to “definitively declare a shift in the overall trend,” but confidence by the state’s realtor group is rebounding.

The regional commercial real estate industry is holding up so far this year despite persistent worries about the value of offices, new apartment buildings and uncertainties about the impact of tariffs on trade.

It has been very profitable to own a South Florida home over the past 15-plus years. Long-term homeowners here are sitting on a mountain of profits, but if they sell, they also likely face a hefty tax bill. And that could be making the housing market more unaffordable for younger buyers.

The Miami region used to have the highest annual inflation rate in the country. As inflation pressures have cooled, price hikes have slowed, but they haven't disappeared.

In his quarterly message, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic supported a lower interest rate for the central bank, but he did not commit to the timing of a rate cut.

Tourism is growing statewide, but air travel has slowed at South Florida's two major airports after record years. One reason is that fewer Canadians are coming. But cruise passengers continue crowding PortMiami and Port Everglades, while hotel tourism tax collection remains strong.

Venezuela’s autocratic president, Nicolás Maduro, has crushed the opposition, jailed judges and politicians, and even arrested U.S. citizens to use as leverage in international negotiations.

Consumer inflation rose 3.1% from a year ago in the Miami metropolitan area. June data shows how persistent inflation may be, which could delay the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates.

On "The Florida Roundup," journalists across the Sunshine State speak about the slowdown of home and condo sales and whether another housing crash could be on our horizon.

President Trump paused most of his global reciprocal tariffs until July. Florida's economy is dominated by consumers — residents and tourists. The threat of tariffs comes as consumer anxiety has increased.

PolitiFact asked the Trump campaign about his 2024 promises, including his time frame for telling the public his priorities for the beginning of his term. The campaign didn’t answer our questions, but did send a brief statement.