Governor Ron DeSantis has never shied away from bold proposals, but his latest idea—to eliminate property taxes in Florida—may be his most bold yet. While the promise of tax relief is politically seductive, the implications for local governments could be devastating. Property taxes aren’t just a line item on a homeowner’s bill—they’re the lifeblood of municipal budgets, funding everything from schools and police departments to parks and public health.
Actions have consequences, and so does inactions, especially when the inaction is an extraordinary number of state residents who do not complete their census survey. We count every person because every person counts.
The Panhandle Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Okaloosa County’s primary animal control and shelter provider, is facing a dire financial crisis. With a projected $750,000 shortfall in 2025, the nonprofit has warned that without immediate support, it may be forced to shut its doors in early 2026. This is not just a budget issue—it’s a looming public safety and animal welfare emergency.
In classrooms across Florida, an unsettling trend continues to raise red flags: children as young as 6 years old are being removed from school under Florida’s Baker Act, a law originally designed to protect individuals in mental health crises. Intended as a last resort, it’s become a first response far too often. The result? Frightened kids, heartbroken parents, and communities questioning whether we’ve lost our way in addressing student mental health.
My column this week may be considered “religious,” but I’m going to be as factual as possible and even include a historian who was a Jew, but didn’t necessarily believe Jesus was the prophesied messiah.
Most of my friends are considerably younger than me, as in, “I am old enough to be their father” younger than me. Our age difference is not an issue. It is not apparent in our conversations, at least from my perspective. My friends, of course, see what I do not: a white-haired man talking. But it doesn’t seem to matter. Occasionally, however, like a poker player’s tell, I will say something that instantly marks me as from a different generation. Usually, it is me quoting some iconic, funny line from a television show I grew up watching. Not only are my friends unfamiliar with the iconic line, but they usually have never even heard of the television show.
