County’s jobless rate remains at 12 percent

Osceola County’s jobless rate in June remained at 12 percent, the same as May, according to data released Friday by the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.

The state’s jobless rate in June fell to 11.4 percent, compared to 11.7 percent in May. However, there were 47 Florida counties with double-digit unemployment rates in June, up from 44 in May.

Liberty County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate (6.8 percent) in June, followed by Walton and Monroe counties (7.4 percent). Many of the counties with the lowest unemployment rates are those with relatively high proportions of government employment.

Hendry County (16.1 percent) had the highest unemployment rate in June, followed by Flagler County (15.4 percent) and St. Lucie County (14.3 percent).

Most of the counties with the highest unemployment rates experienced continued weakness in construction, manufacturing and financial activities.

Osceola, Hamilton and Volusia counties with their 12.1 percent jobless rates were tied as having the 20th highest unemployment rates in the state. Orange County, with its 11.4 percent jobless rate in June compared to 11 percent in May, had the 36th highest jobless rate.

The Orlando-Sanford-Kissimmee metropolitan area’s jobless rate went up in June, to 11.4 percent compared to 11.1 percent in May.

School Board not seeking tax

The Osceola County School Board July 13 unanimously agreed not to ask voters Nov. 2 to continue a quarter mill property tax that would be earmarked for the School District’s critical operating expenses.

"Our School Board members clearly recognize the challenges our citizens are facing in this economic downturn we continue to experience," Superintendent Michael A. Grego stated in a press release. "The district's sound and frugal financial planning and budgeting in the past will hopefully allow us to weather these challenging economic times without further taxing our residents at this time.”

The tax was authorized by the Florida Legislature.

Water district millage rates to stay the same

The South Florida Water Management District, which includes Osceola County, announced July 14 that its board of directors had approved its 2010-11 fiscal year budget without a millage rate increase.

The agency is one of the few governments in South Florida that has held its tax rate constant even though it has meant a reduction to the agency’s budget of nearly 30 percent and a decrease of $150 million since 2008, district officials stated in a press release, adding that the district has not increased its tax rate for more than 10 years.

Officials also stated that the district’s ad valorem budget for the upcoming fiscal year would decrease by more than 12 percent, or $61 million.

The district oversees the water resources in the southern half of the state – in 16 counties from Orlando to the Keys.

Second candidate in St. Cloud mayor’s race

Rebecca Borders has announced that she will be running for mayor for the city of St. Cloud, which is seat 1.

A longtime resident of the city, Borders said she offers “a strong, fair and forward-thinking leadership style that will improve the quality of life for the residents.”

Borders, on her website (www.rebeccaborders.com) said, “I am very proud to be running for the office of mayor for the great city of St. Cloud. This is early for the campaign so there is lots of work to be done.”

The other candidate in the race is Jay Polachek.

Haridopolos weighs in on other state’s abortion controversy

Two Florida lawmakers are using a controversy in Pennsylvania over abortion funding to boost their anti-abortion credentials.

Despite assurances from the Obama administration that it will make sure abortions aren’t paid for by new, high-risk insurance pools in the states, anti-abortion groups say Pennsylvania appears to have rules that would allow taxpayer money to cover some abortions. Florida Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, on Friday criticized Pennsylvania for raising the possibility of covering abortions and pledged they will fight any effort to cover them in Florida, though the prospect of that hasn’t arisen – and the White House has reiterated its stance that the pools can’t pay for abortions.

Abortion opponents have said they don't trust the White House to make good on that to make sure abortions aren't paid for with taxpayer money under the new health care law. Lawmakers in Florida last year passed a bill (HB 1143) that included a specific prohibition on state money going to pay for abortions, but it was vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist because of a provision he objected to aimed at getting more women seeking abortions to view an ultrasound.

Haridopolos, who is expected to become Senate president in November, in a statement Friday said, “As president, I intend to focus on responsible spending and not support taxpayer-funded abortions.”

Provided by The News Service of Florida.

KUA board elects officers

Following the seating of a new board member, the Kissimmee Utility Authority board of directors July 14 held an election of officers.

Kissimmee attorney Fred Cumbie was elected chairman of the five-member board, real estate broker Jim Kasper was elected vice chairman, information technology manager Reginald Hardee was elected secretary and Dr. George Gant was elected assistant secretary. Retired school psychologist Kathleen Thacker, who joined the board July 14, will serve as director.

Thacker will complete the unfinished term of Nancy Gemskie, who resigned from her term three months early to run for a seat on the Osceola County School Board.

Hurricane expo set for Saturday

To assist residents in preparing for a hurricane, Kissimmee Utility Authority will host the 2010 Osceola Hurricane Preparedness Expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Kissimmee Civic Center.

The event is free and open to the public.

Residents who attend the expo can learn ways to protect their home and loved ones from a potential disaster. The expo will feature presentations from emergency responders on power restoration, generator safety, tree trimming, debris collection and county and city disaster response. The format also will provide an opportunity for one-on-one interaction with preparedness experts.

More than 20 exhibitors are expected to participate, including representatives from KUA, city of Kissimmee, Kissimmee Fire Department, Osceola County Emergency Management, Osceola County Health Department, Toho Water Authority, University of Florida's IFAS Osceola County Extension and South Florida Water Management District, as well as several local vendors. Emergency response vehicles also will be on display.

Those attending will receive a printed copy of the utility's 2010 Osceola Hurricane Handbook. The 40-page guide includes practical tips to prepare for hurricanes and floods, plus helpful Osceola County telephone numbers, a disaster supplies checklist and a hurricane-tracking chart.

All residents are encouraged to attend, especially those who are new to the area or inexperienced in dealing with hurricanes.

The Kissimmee Civic Center is at 201 E. Dakin Ave. in downtown Kissimmee.

House, Senate adjourn quickly

Both the Florida House and Senate Tuesday afternoon voted to adjourn its special session, called by Gov. Charlie Crist to consider a constitutional amendment to let voters decide whether to ban offshore oil drilling within 10 miles of the Florida shore.

The House, less than 50 minutes after convening, voted 67-44 to adjourn while the Senate later voted 18-16 to do the same.

The Senate vote came after several senators, including some Republicans, said they wanted to take up the proposed amendment and were disappointed that the House had adjourned earlier, making their session pointless.