Attorney General Bill McCollum and Public Counsel J.R. Kelly today announced that they have reached a settlement with Progress Energy Florida on behalf of Florida consumers to freeze base rates for Progress customers through 2012. The agreement will also cap…

A majority of Florida voters now oppose offshore drilling — even while a majority of national voters still support it — according to a new poll. A telephone survey of 500 likely voters conducted May 3 by Rasmussen Reports showed…

Florida remains the white-sand wonder that has attracted tourists for decades, but even the threat of oil soaked beaches or the waters that sculpt them is costing Florida businesses millions, representatives of Florida hospitality industry said Thursday. Faced with a…

TALLAHASSEE — Faced with the potential loss of millions of dollars and Florida’s “sand-between your toes “reputation, Gov. Charlie Crist said Thursday he’d consider calling lawmakers back to put an offshore drilling ban into the Florida Constitution. Several Democratic lawmakers…

Florida CFO Alex Sink today announced that her Department of Financial Services’ toll-free Consumer HelpLine, at 1-877-My-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236), is prepared to assist business owners impacted by the growing oil spill in the Gulf. Specialists are available from 8 a.m. to…

An explosion on a BP oil rig last month that has resulted in the biggest oil spill in recent history has spurred at least eight lawsuits in federal court from Panhandle residents whose livelihoods could be upended by the spill.…

TALLAHASSEE — Florida's Gulf Coast towns are bracing for lost business as state officials predict oil from the explosion on a BP oil rig off the Louisiana coast last month could make landfall by Wednesday. “I'm looking at maybe no…

TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s three leading contenders for governor are divided on how to kick-start the state’s stalled economy, particularly on how to dole out tax incentives to business groups and industries. While Democrat Alex Sink and Republican Paula Dockery both…

TALLAHASSEE — House Speaker Larry Cretul laid out a plan Thursday for delaying a big increase in the state’s unemployment compensation tax — a move business groups have been demanding saying the boost is sure to spark more job layoffs.…

WEST BAY — The St. Joe Company (NYSE:JOE) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm, to market for sale or lease more than 1,000…

TALLAHASSEE — Despite unemployment not seen in 30 years, consumer confidence in Florida may be on the rise, at least temporarily. The University of Florida's Bureau of Economic and Business Research released its latest survey Tuesday saying consumer confidence has…

TALLAHASSEE — With Florida unemployment at a 36-year high, Gov. Charlie Crist on Tuesday called for scaling back the state’s corporate income tax as a means of keeping cash in struggling companies. Speaking at a pipe manufacturer in Panama City,…

TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s unemployment rate jumped again in December 2009, to 11.8 percent — meaning there are 1,087,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 9,180,000. Unemployment is up 0.3 percentage point from November’s rate of 11.5 percent and up…

TALLAHASSEE — Business groups clamoring to block a big increase in the state’s unemployment compensation tax got a boost Thursday from Gov. Charlie Crist and legislative leaders. Without offering a plan, Crist, House Speaker Larry Cretul and Senate President Jeff…

More than half of Florida's residential property insurers lost money last year, in addition to the three that became insolvent and were shut down, insurance agents said Wednesday, adding ammunition to their push for higher property coverage rates. The Florida…

TALLAHASSEE –  Fueled by a weak dollar overseas and healthy Latin American partners, Florida exports boomed in 2008 as fertilizer, motor vehicles, aircraft and medical supplies led a surge of commodities and products at rates exceeding national trends.  Overall, international…

TALLAHASSEE — Businesses across Florida are carefully watching the Legislature with the deepening cash crisis facing state government leading to the most serious talk of eliminating some tax exemptions since former President John McKay took on the tax structure eight…

Florida could lose a total of 315,000 jobs by 2010 with unemployment rising as high as 8.4 percent, a University of Central Florida economist projected Thursday. Sean Snaith, director of UCF’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness, forecasts that unemployment will peak…

TALLAHASSEE — Not even the rosiest of glasses appear able to soften the glare as lawmakers face a $2.3 billion hole in the current year budget and a worse financial conundrum in the year to come. Senate President Jeff Atwater…