Latest news with #DeSantis'
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Florida signs $245 million in contracts for ‘Alligator Alcatraz.' Here's a look by the numbers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Ron DeSantis ' administration has already signed contracts to pay at least $245 million to set up and run the new immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' according to a public database. The amount — to be fronted by Florida taxpayers — is in line with the $450 million a year officials have estimated the facility will cost. It's also a reminder of the public funding that DeSantis' Republican administration is spending to help carry out President Donald Trump 's mass deportation agenda. FILE - Trailers sit parked in lines as work progresses on a migrant detention center at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility in the Florida Everglades, July 4, 2025, in Ochopee, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, file) Human rights advocates, faith leaders and environmentalists have condemned the detention center. So has Mark Morgan, a former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump's first term. Morgan wrote an opinion piece published by Fox News criticizing the facility as 'built for headlines' and 'ripe for failure, mismanagement and corruption.' Here's a look by the numbers. More than $245 million allocated so far A state database of government contracts shows that since Florida officials announced plans for the facility on June 19, the Executive Office of the Governor has awarded at least two dozen contracts totaling more than $245 million in taxpayer funds to build and manage the facility. It rose in a matter of days from a county-owned airstrip surrounded by swampland about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of downtown Miami. All the contracts were awarded under an executive order declaring an illegal immigration emergency the governor first enacted in 2023 and which he has renewed since then. The order grants the state sweeping authority to suspend 'any statute, rule or order' seen as slowing the response to the emergency, including requirements to competitively bid public contracts. State officials say at least some of the cost will be covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is best known for responding to hurricanes and other natural disasters. But in court documents filed earlier this month, attorneys for the Department of Homeland Security stated that the federal government had yet to reimburse Florida for any of the costs. The department made clear that 'Florida is constructing and operating the facility using state funds on state lands under state emergency authority.' The largest contract totals $78.5 million The single largest state contract related to the facility is a $78.5 million deal with Critical Response Strategies, a Jacksonville-based consulting firm. The responsibilities covered include hiring a warden, camp managers, corrections officers and IT workers. Other major contractor include Longview Solutions Group, which is being paid $25.6 million for site preparation, civil engineering, road construction and fence installation. Doodie Calls, a St. Petersburg-based supplier of portable toilets and shower trailers, was awarded a $22 million contract. The firm Gothams landed a $21.1 million contract to provide IT services, access badges and wristbands for detainees, while SLSCO LTD and Garner Environmental Services were both awarded $19.7 million deals to build out the site and handle ongoing maintenance. Corrections officers to be paid up to $11,600 a month One of the contracts shared with The Associated Press shows Critical Response Strategies was set hire a warden for the temporary facility at $125 an hour and potentially spend more than $400,000 in overtime pay. It's not clear how long staffers can expect to work at the facility. Corrections officers at the facility can expect to earn up to $11,600 a month, plus overtime, according to a job posting for the company on LinkedIn. The starting pay for Florida's rank-and-file corrections officers is $22 an hour or about $3,800 a month at the state's brick-and-mortar prisons, which have been so persistently understaffed that DeSantis deployed members of the Florida National Guard to work at them for more than two years. Zero publicly available contract documents As journalists and watchdogs have raised questions about the contracts and companies behind them, documents detailing deliverables and line-item spending have disappeared from the state's website. They've been replaced with one-page invoices that show little more than the names of the companies, how much they're charging, the dates on which each deal was signed and an address for where to send the bill. Some multimillion dollar contracts were awarded to political donors who have given to campaigns supporting DeSantis and other Republicans. The governor's office directed questions about the contracts to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the state agency in charge of building the detention center. Spokesperson Stephanie Hartman said the contracts were removed because they included 'proprietary information that shouldn't have been uploaded.' The department did not answer questions about whether the full contracts would be released. ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Gulf Today
a day ago
- Business
- Gulf Today
This state may offer a cautionary tale
Homeownership has long been a hallmark of the American dream. And property taxes are part of being a homeowner. Recently, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has floated the idea of eliminating property taxes. For Floridians who are homeowners, the end of property taxes seems like a dream come true. But the question is: At what cost? That's the question Wyoming is grappling with. Earlier this year, Wyoming lawmakers passed a 25% cut to property taxes. The tax exemption applies to 'primary residential structures up to the first $100 million of the structure's fair market value.' At first glance, it looks like a win for homeowners, but municipalities are bracing for impact, according to the Tribune News Service. Like Florida, Wyoming doesn't impose a state income tax, making property tax revenue a key funding source for cities and municipalities — including fire and police departments, schools and other services. Fremont County, the fifth most populous in the state, has announced $300,000 in library cuts and warned that other services may see deeper cuts. Most troubling is the possibility of cuts for public schools, which receive 70% of their funding from property taxes and now face a serious deficit. According to the state's April 2025 long-term revenue expenditure forecast, Wyoming's school foundation program account — which is responsible for funding public schools — is projected to experience a $686 million deficit by 2029-30. While Wyoming has a population of 587,618, and is far different demographically from Florida — with a population of 23 million spread over 67 counties — the struggles Wyoming residents are facing may offer a preview of challenges Florida could expect if DeSantis' proposal becomes reality. Florida's unique challenges — including rapid population growth, the housing and insurance crisis and hurricane risks — create strong fiscal demands that exceed what Wyoming faces. These realities make property tax elimination, or even a deep cut, more problematic for the Sunshine State. The Florida Legislature recognised the need to think things through before barreling ahead to help DeSantis eliminate property taxes. The Legislature allocated $1 million in its proposed state budget for state economists to study the elimination of property taxes, a responsible position. The study would've given Florida's leaders a clearer picture of the implications of such a significant change. But DeSantis vetoed the budget item, dismissing it by saying, 'We don't need to give a bureaucracy money to study this. We know what needs to be done, so let's just do it.' That was a short-sighted move. Cutting or eliminating the state's property tax requires a plan and consideration of the impacts, and maybe even examining what's happening right now in Wyoming. As Budge Huskey, president and CEO of Premier Sotheby's International Realty, told Fox News Digital, 'At the end of the day, you cannot simply lower property taxes or eliminate property taxes without replacing at least a significant majority of that revenue through alternative means.' According to the Florida Policy Institute, property taxes make up an estimated 50% to 60% of the state's school district revenue. In order to replace revenue lost, Florida would most likely need to double its state sales tax to 12%, FPI found, resulting in the tax burden being shifted rather than eliminated. While DeSantis and fellow Republicans love to tout Florida as the 'free state,' removing property taxes from the state's financial equation would put local government into a funding free-fall. Giving Floridians financial relief is critical as the cost of living continues to rise, and Wyoming's efforts may offer some lessons. But slashing property taxes without a serious plan to manage the impacts isn't the way forward.
Newsweek
11-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Florida Makes Major Change to Insurance Industry: What To Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida House Bill 5013 into law earlier this month, terminating one state-funded reinsurance program and substantially cutting funding for a second. Newsweek contacted DeSantis' press office for comment on Friday via email outside regular office hours. Why It Matters In 2022, the Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders (RAP) program was created in Florida with taxpayer funding to reimburse insurers for losses related to hurricanes, providing additional funding for the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. Securing insurance in Florida and other states impacted by extreme weather has become a major issue for many property owners, with premiums surging in recent years. A reduction in state support for the reinsurance market could result in a greater reliance on private companies, potentially causing premiums to increase. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference on April 10, 2025, in Miami. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference on April 10, 2025, in Miami. Joe Raedle/GETTY What To Know Florida House Bill 5013 reduces RAP program funding by $900 million and also repeals the legislation that created the Florida Operational Reinsurance Assistance Program (FORA), which received an additional $1 billion to cover reinsurance claims. Initially, RAP was supposed to last for only two years, but the plan was extended after Hurricane Ian caused extensive property damage in 2022. A report from industry publication ReInsurance Business found that payments under the RAP did not meet initial expectations. The 2022 Hurricane Nicole did not result in RAP disbursements because of threshold limits, while Hurricane Idalia in 2023 led to only $15 million being transferred, freeing up additional capital that is now being returned to the general state revenue. By comparison, after Hurricane Ian, $800 million was transferred into the RAP, with the State Board of Administration forecasting that about 50 companies would receive full payouts from the plan. The summary of Florida House Bill 5013 states: "HB 5013 reduces, from $2 billion to $900 million, the General Revenue (GR) Fund transfers authorized under the Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders (RAP) Program to reimburse eligible insurers for covered losses. The bill repeals the Florida Optional Reinsurance Assistance (FORA) Program, including $1 billion of authorized General Revenue Fund transfers that are available under the program to reimburse eligible insurers for covered losses. "By reducing the cap for transfers to the RAP program and repealing the FORA program, the bill increases the amount of unallocated General Revenue funds available by $2.1 billion." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether private insurers will be able to pick up the slack caused by the reduction in state support without increasing customer premiums. It will depend in part on the severity of future hurricanes that hit Florida.
Miami Herald
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Miami-Dade mayor demands access to Everglades detention camp on seized county land
Miami-Dade's mayor wants Florida to lift the secrecy around the immigration detention center in the Everglades and allow monitoring of the 3,000-bed compound hastily built on a seized county airport. 'I am writing to formally request that Miami-Dade County be granted monitoring access to the state-managed facility referred to as 'Alligator Alcatraz,'' Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat, wrote in a Tuesday letter to Florida's Republican attorney general, James Uthmeier. She cited environmental concerns and reports of poor conditions in federal immigration detention centers across the country in asking for the county to be given access to monitor the makeshift jail that was built under emergency powers Gov. Ron DeSantis granted himself under Florida law. Until the state seized the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport on June 23, Levine Cava had authority over the county property. The letter is the most confrontational message yet from Levine Cava on the state commandeering county land to create a complex of cages in air-conditioned tents off of the Tamiami Trail highway. It's become the most well-known immigration detention facility in the country, a reputation capped by a presidential visit last week. When the DeSantis administration first notified Levine Cava of the imminent takeover under a state of emergency the governor declared in 2023 over illegal immigration under President Joe Biden, the mayor wrote back with environmental and financial concerns and requested the state slow down its plans for the property. That June 23 letter from Levine Cava did not raise concerns about the treatment of detainees, as did the most recent request, in which the mayor asked that Uthmeier allow the county to both monitor the site remotely via video and to send county oversight teams to visit in person. She also requested weekly state reports on the conditions at the detention facility. The Uthmeier letter comes as Levine Cava is ramping up her criticism of both the Trump administration's deportation actions and DeSantis' efforts to help. 'Miami-Dade stands as a beacon of hope and opportunity, where immigrants contribute to our economy, culture, and community every day,' Levine Cava wrote in a recent opinion piece sent to newspapers around Florida. 'The current harsh federal approach not only endangers these individuals, but also weakens the moral fabric of our nation. We must reject policies that promote fear and division, and instead embrace approaches grounded in dignity and respect for human rights.' The criticism comes as Levine Cava is under pressure from environmental and immigration-advocacy groups to fight back against the DeSantis takeover of the county airport. This week, the Florida Immigration Coalition purchased digital billboard space along State Road 836 and on Interstate 95 with a message urging Levine Cava to 'sue to stop the Everglades Detention Camp.' 'We're not going to let her and the county slither away on this,' said Thomas Kennedy, a representative of the advocacy group. 'They have the best standing to sue over this.' A federal lawsuit by Friends of the Everglades claims the county's zoning department under Levine Cava should assert county authority to block construction on the site. Looming over the potential confrontation between DeSantis and Levine Cava, a potential future Democratic candidate for statewide or federal office, is the governor's authority to suspend locally elected officials for alleged misconduct or a failure to enforce state laws. In the Friends of the Everglades suit, a county lawyer said Miami-Dade officials could face gubernatorial suspensions if they were seen as obstructing Florida's construction of the Everglades facility. 'State law affirmatively requires the County to use best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law, and the County's failure to comply with that statutory duty could have dramatically adverse consequences for the public interest, including but not limited to the suspension from office of County officials elected by the voters,' wrote Christopher Wahl, an assistant county attorney. Uthmeier, who until February was the governor's chief of staff, coined the 'Alligator Alcatraz' brand for the temporary facility constructed along the 10,500-foot runway on an airfield 40 miles west of Miami International Airport and surrounded by the Big Cypress National Preserve. President Donald Trump toured the spot last week after landing Air Force One there, and his Homeland Security Department paid homage to the state facility on June 28 by posting on social media an illustration depicting alligators wearing ICE caps outside a prison. The caption read: 'Coming soon!'
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DeSantis' net worth tops $2 million
Gov. Ron DeSantis' net worth topped $2 million in 2024 thanks to a large payment from his book publisher, a substantial increase from when he first took office, according to a financial disclosure statement released this week. DeSantis, 46, did not list a home or other property among his assets. He'll have to move out of the governor's mansion in Tallahassee when his second term expires in January 2027, assuming his wife is not elected to the post. Casey DeSantis has been mentioned as a potential candidate. DeSantis put his net worth at nearly $2.1 million as of Dec. 31, up from just under $1.8 million the previous year. In 2019, DeSantis' first year in office, his net worth was listed at $291,449. The Republican governor has gotten a financial boost from HarperCollins, which published his book 'The Courage to Be Free.' He reported a $625,500 payment from the publisher in 2024, the same as he got the previous year. In 2022, the publisher paid DeSantis $1.25 million, according to his disclosure filings. DeSantis released the book in February 2023, ahead of his unsuccessful presidential run. The book detailed DeSantis' handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and culture war fight with The Walt Disney Co., along with his political philosophy and approach to governance. As governor, DeSantis earns about $141,400 a year, which is less than some of his top staff. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, DeSantis lists about $15,000 in student loan debt, his only liability. DeSantis, who has three young children, reported he had $1.3 million in a savings account with Interactive Brokers, $573,109 in his USAA checking and savings accounts, $116,859 in the Florida Retirement System and $99,803 in thrift savings, a type of retirement plan. Florida law requires state elected officials to disclose their financial interests, though they are not required to post the earnings or net worth of their spouse. Though his wealth is growing, DeSantis is worth less than some other top Florida Republicans. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, 59, put his net worth at $20 million, while former Florida Attorney General and now-U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, 50, listed hers at $4.4 million. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, 72, a former Florida governor and health care executive, is considered to be one of the richest members of Congress. The investment research platform, Quiver Quantitative, estimated Scott's net worth to be about $550 million.
