South Florida county using taxis to save taxpayer dollars

There’s a faster, more convenient and cheaper way for people needing Broward County’s special transportation shuttles to get around. It’s called a taxi. A yearlong, limited pilot program let participants take taxi rides paid for by the county instead of using the county’s paratransit shuttle service. The county has been paying up to $15 for each taxi trip in the Rider’s Choice program. Commissioners will consider March 28 increasing the maximum to $18. Even at that cost, the taxis... Read More

Florida voters give stellar marks to Ron DeSantis for his first two months as governor

A poll of Florida voters released Wednesday shows strong approval of Ron DeSantis’ performance during his first two months as governor. His performance has the approval of 59 percent of Florida voters in the Quinnipiac University poll, with just 17 percent disapproval. That’s a net positive of 42 percentage points. Quinnipiac said DeSantis has the best score for a Florida governor in 10 years. The Republican governor even does well among Democrats in the Quinnipiac poll, with more... Read More

That’s Lake Worth ‘Beach’ to you. City votes to change name.

Voters in Lake Worth decided Tuesday to change their city’s name to “Lake Worth Beach.” The change to the Lake Worth charter means it will join the many other South Florida communities with “beach” in their names: Boynton, Dania, Deerfield, Delray, Golden, Hallandale, Highland, Hillsboro, Juno, Pompano, and Sunny Isles. Unknown is whether the change will draw the kind of tourist crowds attracted by the most famous South Florida city with a beach name: Miami Beach. (There’s also... Read More

Broward and Palm Beach county elections offices report smooth Election Day

Low turnout. Quick results. No reported problems. Those were the themes Tuesday in local government elections in Broward and Palm Beach counties – the first voting since last year’s problem plagued midterm elections that made South Florida a national laughingstock. Voters in 23 cities, towns and villages in the two counties picked new mayors, commissioners and council members, and decided on a range of referendum questions. Low turnout, quick results Turnout is almost always low in March... Read More

First election since recount goes well for new supervisors in Broward and Palm Beach

Coral Springs elected a new mayor, voters in Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale agreed to raise their taxes to finance new public safety headquarters, and newly appointed election supervisors in Broward … Click to Continue » ... Read More

Voters give Hollywood green light to borrow $165 million

A new police headquarters, better parks and higher sea walls are in Hollywood’s future, thanks to voters who approved a $165 million borrowing plan Tuesday. Hollywood split the ballot into three questions: $73 million for the new four-story police station and $5 million in fire equipment; $64 million for parks and gold course improvements; and $23 million for sea walls and other neighborhood improvements. Resident Jimmy Palermo was one of fewer than 10,000 people to show up at the polls... Read More

Fort Lauderdale voters approve new police headquarters and improved parks as bonds pass

Fort Lauderdale parks in every neighborhood will be spruced up, and a modern, high-tech new police headquarters will replace the tired 1950s station, after Fort Lauderdale voters Tuesday overwhelmingly agreed to raise property taxes to pay for two bonds. Voters in Fort Lauderdale also agreed to overhaul the city elections system, moving the contests from spring to a November general election cycle starting in 2020, to save money and to benefit from higher voter turnout. Charter changes that... Read More