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Florida’s unemployment rate fell three tenths of a percent in April, despite a net loss of twenty seven hundred jobs. Eight hundred and four thousand people remain out of work, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, there are encouraging signs for the states economy.

Floridians are spending again. Sales tax collections are 50 million above estimates. Corporate tax collections were down slightly last month, but they are still 20 percent higher than this time last year.

Last month, the tax that is levied on the sale of new and used houses was 24 million dollars over estimate.

New Housing starts are up 26 percent since January. That’s translating into more steady work for this flooring crew.

“Seems like the economy is picking up and we’re starting to just hustle more work and see more opportunities,” Brent Zapata of Zapata Hardwood Flooring said.

Blocks from the state Capitol, construction of 75 hundred square feet of retail that has been on hold since 2008 is underway. Developer Roger Osborn says the time was right to move.

“Well, I think the momentum is coming back in the economy and things are picking up retail wise,” Osborne said.

When houses are built, porta-potties and dumpsters are rented. Sales tax collections on construction items showed the strongest growth, up seven percent ( 7.1). Auto sales came in a strong second, jumping by six percent (6.1). Consumer spending is up four percent, which is making retailers happy (4.0).

“Consumer confidence equates to consumer spending and consumer spending means more revenue for the state of Florida, more tax collections, etc. More jobs,” Rick McAllister, President of the Florida Retail Federation.

Even the surcharges on old tires and batteries was over estimate in April by a million dollars. That suggests that those who aren’t buying new are fixing up the old.

Virtually every category of state tax collections are up for the year, and if the trend continues, the next time lawmakers meet, they should have more money for schools and other needs.

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Florida’s unemployment dropped three tenths of a percent to eight point seven percent in April. Despite the drop, a second survey found twenty seven hundred fewer jobs. Economists say the difference is statistically insignificant and may be due to sampling methods. State Labor Economist Rebecca Rust says the economy is still moving in the right direction.

“Everything is moving in the right direction, when we look at over the year and the trends,” Rust said. “The long term trend is as the unemployment rate drops, jobs increase, and when you look at it as a time series they’re still continuously improving. So we still feel good about the recovery, we still think it’s on track.”

More than 56 thousand jobs have been created since the first of the year.

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On the eve of hurricane season, Citizens, the state run insurer of last resort, is considering dramatic rate increases to try and make private insurance companies more attractive and lessen the risk for taxpayers.

Sunshine State Insurance executives left the Capitol Thursday after making their case for a 17 percent rate hike. They have 45 thousand policyholders. The company faces higher reinsurance costs because new models show a bigger risk inland than in years before.

Sunshine is one of twenty two companies who, since the first of the year, have asked for rate hikes larger than ten percent. State regulator Bob Lee says many of the hikes are justified.

“It’s a combination of reinsurance, expected hurricane losses from the model, non hurricane losses from the model–sinkholes are a particular one,” Lee said.

But while everyone else is asking for double-digit rat hikes, Citizens, the state run insurer of last resort, is limited to just ten percent increase each year. Legal advisors are now telling the company it can begin charging new customers actuarially sound rates. That could mean 18 percent hikes inland and fifty percent on the coast.

“Anyone who wrote new business after the effective date of the rates would then, new customers would have the full rate,” Christine Ashburn with Citizens Insurance said.

If Citizens actually goes through with charging rates that are financially sound, what the company will be saying is, “Stop! you don’t want to do business with us; go somewhere else!”

A Citizens committee discussed the rate hikes  in a conference call on Thursday.

“The new business rates aren’t capped as we understand the law,” Citizens Insurance President Tom Grady said.

Citizens board could vote on the higher rates as early as June.

Last year, the Office of Insurance Regulation approved 45 rates hikes for private insurance companies that were greater than ten percent, some of them as large as thirty five percent.

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Law Enforcement organizations across the state today reiterated their commitment to supporting officers who also serve in the National Guard or the Reserves. Ceremonies signifying support were held in seven cities. At the state Capitol in Tallahassee, Judge Doug Holder of Tampa thanked the law enforcement commanders for their support.

“Our reserve forces and guard forces spend more time away from the workplace than any of us can imagine and you all know that as their employers,” Judge Holder said. “And yet you all stepped forward and said, count me in. Count me in. We will support these men and women.”

State law requires public employers to hold jobs for those serving in the Guard or Reserves.

Statewide, the number of students passing the writing portion of the FCAT test dropped from 81 percent to just 27 percent after changes in the way the tests are graded. The drop, as Mike Vasilinda tells us, prompted the State Board of Education to scale back on the grading change and hold schools harmless in their grades because of the writing test.

Last year 81 of every 100 students passed the FCAT writing test. This year that number fell to just 27. An emergency conference call by the state board of Education was told the drop was due to the way the tests were graded.

“The increased emphasis was on things like spelling, punctuation,” the state Board of Education said.

One parent told the board:

“The actual joy of learning is being sucked from our students,” Pasco County Parent Meg Fudd said.

Others call for an independent review of the testing company, which is being paid 254 million dollars over 5 years.

Excluding spelling and grammar means tests like this tenth grade sample, which is grammatically incorrect, would earn passing grades.

Again and again on the conference call, there were complaints that the top administrators in this building didn’t do a good job of telling local districts about the magnitude of the change that was coming.

Commissioner Gerard Robinson says the change is not a step backwards.

“No, I wouldn’t describe it as eating crow,” Robinson said. “I would describe it as a process that the board and myself took a look at data, we took a look at the fact that there was some lack of communication on our part to really prepare teachers and educators for the kind of impact it would have.”

Principle Rocky Hanna called the dramatic drop in passing scores a train wreck.

“Our teachers know what they’re doing,” Hanna said. “They will prepare these kids to move onto college. We don’t need all these standardized tests that are causing high levels of anxiety.”

Individual district writing scores are expected to be released on Friday.

Teachers Union officials say the state needs to review its testing policy.

The Florida A & M Marching 100 will sit out the 2013 Academic year and possibly longer. The suspension, which was implemented after the death of Drum Major Robert Champion in November will remain in effect and as Mike Vasilinda tells us, won’t be reviewed again until this time next year.

The suspension’s continuation comes after months of intense debate.

“One of our students died as a result of hazing, and I think that it is just so important that we be respectful to him and to his family,” FAMU President Dr. James Ammons said.

The bands absence promises to strain attendance at football games, especially at classics in Atlanta and Orlando. That could jeopardize about a million and a half in revenue for the school. The president is asking fans to not be fair weathered. He says there is much to be done before the band can come back.

“The band must be restructured, from who participates, how they are enrolled, through how long they practice,” Ammons said.

Retired band director Julian White agrees with the suspension.

“We need to get the message across that hazing is not going to be tolerated,” White said.

Clarinet player Travis Roberts spent the last four years marching without being hazed.

“Let’s take accountability for what happened and let’s put in measures so that this thing does not happen again,” Roberts said.

In June, the university will lay out the guidelines that the band will have to meet to come back, and there’s no guarantee that that is going to be in 2014.

The university does say it will honor existing band scholarships and continue to offer new music scholarships to worthy students.

New information today suggest FAMU Band and Police officials discussed not marching the band on November 19th, the day Robert Champion was beaten to death, but neither had the authority to cancel the bands performance.

Twenty-four hours after handing in his retirement papers, deposed FAMU Band Director Julian White says he has been a scapegoat for the University culture that condones hazing. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, White says he was not treated fairly in his suspension but believes his beloved band should remain on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.

The FAMU Marching Band has been called the best college band in the country, but that ended November 19th when Drum Major Robert Champion was beaten to death.

“I’m going to live with that for the rest of my life,” Band Director Julian White said. “I loved Robert, and nothing I say or do can bring him back. And I continue to grieve for his parents.”

White was fired, then reinstated, then suspended within days.White spoke with reporters just 24 hours after turning in his retirement papers Thursday.

Reporter: So you feel like you’re a scapegoat?

“I do,” White replied.

Eleven people have been charged in the hazing death. Three were non students. White and administrators have pointed fingers at each other over who was responsible for checking eligibility. White says he missed one chance to catch the error, but says administrators also bear responsibility.

“They gave me a check for every name that I gave them, so those persons are qualified to receive the money,” White said. “And that’s where we differ, the university and myself, differ.”

White also made the initial report to police of two professors involved in hazing.

“I was still on administrative leave, while the professors were allowed to remain there and nothing was done,” he said.

The report languished for two months at the university police department, and no charges were filed.

“FAMU trustees will meet by phone for an hour on Monday. The only thing on the agenda: the band.”

The band has played for Presidents, Governors, The Emmys, The Grammys, and even a Super Bowl. But now, even White says the band needs to stay on the sidelines until members and alumni stop turning a deaf ear to a deadly culture.

The cost of college is rising. Tuition is increasing an average of 15 percent a year and nationwide student loan debt has passed the trillion dollar mark. But there are ways to save. As Whitney Ray tells us, the state is exploring a plan to help students cut the college costs by up to 25 percent.

When Daniel Aldridge graduates high school next month, he’ll already have earned 45 college credit hours.

“Right before I came in to high school I was like, I’m going to try to take as many AP classes as I can,” said Aldridge.

Junior Catherine Kent is on track to earn 60.

“All these hours and these classes will really make me stand out in the admissions process and hopefully they will make stand out enough to earn a full scholarship,” said Kent.

In college, time is money. The longer you’re enrolled, the more you pay. These students will save both time and money, by entering college as sophomores or maybe even higher.

“I could technically go in as a junior,” said Kent.

“The more time I can cut out the less money I’d have to pay and the less money I have to pay, the more money I actually have,” said Aldridge.

“College is expensive and I have four brothers,” said Kent.

These students owe part of their success to the growing number of Advanced Placement and Duel Enrollment courses in Florida schools.

“We are giving 1,200 AP tests this week and next week. Last year we were at 1,100. The year before that 900,” said Leon High School Principal Rocky Hanna.

And earning college credit here is free. A high school student who earn 30 credit hours can eliminate one full year of college and save 5-thousand dollars on tuition alone.

Thousands more can be saved on room and board. This week the Florida Government Efficiency Task Force began reviewing an expansion of three year degree programs. At a time when the cost of college is rising, the task force believes it can cut the price tag by 25 percent.

Many students who enter college with credit still take four years to graduate and instead use their extra hour credits to earn second and third. The task force is looking to attract more students who just looking to save money and get out quickly.

FAMU’s Band Director resigned this afternoon, after stories about FAMU band members not being enrolled at the university began to surface. One hundred and one members of the FAMU band were not enrolled in school at the time of a Drum Majors Hazing death. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, three of those charged with death resulting in hazing were among those who were not enrolled students.

When FAMU percussionist Caleb Jackson had his first appearance on felony hazing charges, he told the judge he could make bail because he had a job.

What Jackson and two others charged in the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion did not have was a class schedule. The three were not enrolled in classes, which is a violation of University policy.

To be issued a uniform, students have to bring a copy of their class schedule here, to the Department of Music. The problem is that no one in the registrar’s office or the Dean’s office bothered to check to see if the student was actually enrolled.

Band Director Julian White retired Thursday. He says it was not his job to check beyond the class schedule. A 1998 memo specifies it is the duty of the Dean to check enrollment status.

In a letter to University Trustees, FAMU President James Ammons says 51 band members and one cheerleader who made the fatal trip to Orlando were not enrolled in school during the fall. All received per diem from the University to make the trip. Gretl Plessinger with the Department of Law Enforcement says those payments are now part of the investigation. Also Thursday, the State University Chancellor urged FAMU to suspend the band indefinitely.

“We are looking into per diems claimed by individuals as part of the band trips,” Plessinger said.

A case that could have an impact on thousands of Floridians facing foreclosure is in the hands of the Florida Supreme Court. As Whitney Ray tells us, a Palm Beach County man is fighting his bank, after they tried to foreclose using fraudulent documents.

Florida’s housing crisis took center stage at the Florida Supreme Court Thursday, in a case challenging robo-signing. Amanda Lundergan is representing Roman Pino. In 2008, Pino’s bank filed for foreclosure, and used fraudulent, robo-signed documents against him. Once the bank got caught they dropped their suit then filed a new one, with new paperwork.

“Mr. Pino was denied the opportunity to have the case dismissed with prejudice right then and there,” said Lundergan.

Lundergan told the justices, the bank shouldn’t have been allowed to drop the suit just because it was caught using forged documents.

“It sets up a system were by every litigant who comes before our courts, has not only been condoned, but encouraged to lie, cheat, to steal,” said Lundergan.

The case could have statewide implications. If the court decides lenders can’t back out of lawsuits just because they’ve been caught robo-signing forged documents, then the scales of justice could tip in favor of the borrowers.

Kenneth McLane is one of those borrowers. Two years ago his bank tried to foreclosure on his home using robo-signed documents.

“Essentially it’s just a huge Ponzi scheme and it’s starting to come out now,” said McLane.

McLane, hopes the Palm Beach case leads to harsher penalties for robo-signing and a level playing field for people facing foreclosure. As for Pino, he entered into a secret settlement with his bank last year that allows him to keep his home. In Florida, the nation’s largest banks have agreed to stop robo-signing as part of a multi-billion dollar settlement.

Thousands of registered voters in Florida may not even be US Citizens. As Whitney Ray tells us, supervisors of elections have been given a list of people who are registered to vote but may not legally be able to cast a ballot.

This is just part of a growing list of registered voters under suspicion. The Florida Division of Elections has identified more than three thousand people who are registered to vote, but may not be US citizens.

Division of Elections Spokesman Chris Cate says the people in question are probably here legally, they’re just not citizens.

“We are not talking about illegal immigrants who are getting onto the voter roles in this case, we’re talking about people who have legally gone through the processes with highway safety to obtain a drivers license which is absolutely okay for a noncitizen to do, but they can’t vote,” said Cate.

The state began compiling the list earlier this month. It’s been given to Florida’s supervisors of elections. And they’re being asked to check the status of the registered voters.”

Most of the names are from South Florida. Six were given to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections.

“There may be six individuals who potentially shouldn’t be registered to vote. So we are in the process of doing the kind of research necessary to confirm if the information is correct or not,” said Ion Sancho, the Leon County Supervisor of Elections.

If supervisors still can’t verify someone’s citizenship they’ll contact the person and give them 30 days to prove they’re legally able to vote.

“We have to do the research before we notify the individuals,” said Sancho.

There is still no proof any of the people on the list have cast ballots, but every one who registers to vote has to check a box confirming their a US citizen. Lying on the form is a third degree felony. If supervisors of elections discover that someone has illegally voted, they turn the name over to the state attorney and it’s up to them whether or not to press charges.

Florida man who reportedly threatened the governor and attorney general is in the Broward County Jail tonight.

53-year old Joshuah Enoch Mancinni was arrest on May 1st. Authorities say Mancinni made death threats against Broward County officials. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says Mancinni has also been in trouble in the past for making threats against Governor Rick Scott and other state officials.

“He has a history of threatening other state officials including Governor Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi,” said Plessinger.

FDLE still has an open investigation into the threats against Scott and Bondi, so they’re not releasing many details. They did say Mancinni’s handwriting matched the handwriting on past threatening letters.

Republicans in the US Senate stopped a debate on student loan interest rates earlier today. If congress doesn’t take action by July, interest rates will double to nearly seven percent. As Whitney Ray tells us, student loan debt nationwide is at a trillion dollars and growing.

Student loan debt passed the trillion dollar mark Tuesday morning according to finaid.org. In Florida, half of all college students graduate with debt. The average amount is 21-thousand dollars. Nationwide the average is 25-thousand.

The housing crisis is partially to blame for the recent spike in student loan debt. In the past families would sometimes borrow against their homes to pay for school, but with property values falling, banks aren’t as willing to take the risk.

But nearly no one is turned down for a student loan, and the money isn’t just for tuition. Some of it pays for room, board and even entertainment. While the debt grows, congress is being asked to freeze student loan interest rates. If they don’t act by July rates will double to 6.8 percent.

Vice President Joe Biden visited FSU earlier this year, and promised to lower college costs, but at least one student objected arguing that government assistant was driving prices higher.

“It creates this perpetual problem where tuition keeps going up so we give more subsidies and tuition goes back up and we give more subsidies,” said Lawrence Dunn who has 20-thousand dollars in debt.

Ed Moore, a member of Florida’s Higher Education Coordinating Council disagrees. Moore says Congress needs to freeze rates. And that 6.8 percent is artificially high.

“There is no economic justification, no market justification for an interest rate to be 6.8 percent,” said Moore.

Moore also says despite the rising cost, a college degree is still worth the debt. The state doesn’t keep records on the total amount students in Florida owe. It also has no financial obligation if a student can’t pay back the money. The debt stays with the borrower, because Federal law prevents people from shedding student loan debt, even if they declare bankruptcy.

Florida’s crime rate is at a 41 year low, but it comes with a high price tag. As Whitney Ray tells us, 13 law enforcement officers killed on the job in 2011 were honored at the state capitol today.

Twenty-one guns saluted as helicopters flew overhead and the families of law enforcement officers killed in the line duty mourned. Governor Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi honored the 13 officers killed in 2011, and the survivors they left behind.

“We appreciate everything that you have been through and we can’t imagine what you have been through, but we continue to constantly pray for you and your families,” said Bondi.

Survivors placed roses in a Florida wreath, marking where their loved ones passed. Central Florida sacrificed most.

In early 2011, three St. Petersburg officers were killed. Two while serving an arrest warrant in late January.

“Sadly we have been to too many funerals,” said Bondi.

The St. Pete Mayor told the crowd the loss is still fresh in his mind.

“January 24th, 2011. That’s what I call my personal 911,” said Mayor Bill Foster.

The pain expressed by the elected officials is magnified in the faces of the survivors.

Florida’s crime rate is at a 41 year low, but in reaching that statistic 13 law enforcement officers lost their lives. That’s four more than died in 2010.

The end of the ceremony was marked by bagpipes playing Amazing Grace and a promise by state leaders to never to forget the officers.
Today marks the 30th annual Florida Law Enforcement Memorial. Since the state began keeping records, 713 officers have died in the line of duty.