Politics

Property insurance remains voters’ top concern

Published

8 hours ago

February 26, 2025

New polling from the Associated Industries of Florida Center for Political Strategy adds to the pile of surveys listing property insurance costs as the top concern among Florida voters.

One in three likely 2026 general election voters told AIF that price of property insurance, which has risen rapidly in the 2020s, is the most pressing issue facing the state.

Two other economic concerns — inflation (21%) and housing costs (11%) — were among the top five issues listed in the initial findings of AIF’s Q1 2025 Statewide General Election Poll.

When asked about the specific costs causing the most anxiety, the top five concerns included property and homeowner’s insurance, groceries, rent or mortgage, healthcare costs, and auto insurance.

AIF said the “list underscores the economic pressures many Floridians are facing, particularly in a state known for its beautiful weather but also its financial vulnerabilities.”

Economic anxiety seemingly won’t threaten the party in power, however, as the same sample skewed seven points in favor of Republicans (48%-41%) on a generic state legislative ballot. More voters believe Republicans are better at handling economic issues than Democrats, but not resoundingly — 42% of those polled said neither party is adequately addressing the insurance crisis.

Interestingly, there is a strong bipartisan support for protecting Florida businesses from frivolous lawsuits related to cyber security claims, with 70% saying they would be on board with legislation addressing the issue. Additionally, a plurality of those polled (38%) said they support eliminating the sales tax on commercial rents — a longtime goal among the major business lobbies.

The AIF poll was conducted Feb. 10-13 by McLaughlin & Associates. It has a sample of 800 likely voters and a +/- 3.5% margin of error. Further poll findings will be presented in detail to members of the AIF Center for Political Strategy.

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Politics

New rides teased for SeaWorld, Busch Gardens

Published

2 seconds ago

February 26, 2025

May Greene

The company that owns SeaWorld theme parks plans to open two new rides in Orlando and Tampa that haven’t been previously announced, as well as expand with more projects abroad.

Orlando-based United Parks and Resorts also announced that the plan to add hotels at some of its parks is delayed and won’t happen until after 2026. The company is looking to make deals involving some of the real estate it owns, which includes 400 acres of unused land.

These were some of the revelations from the fourth-quarter earnings report and investor information released Wednesday.

The company’s attendance fell by about 80,000 visitors to a total of 4.9 million guests for the quarter as the company’s parks dealt with three hurricanes in three months: Debby in August, Helene in September and Milton in October.

If not for the storms, attendance would have been up 2% for the quarter, the company estimated.

Overall, the company’s total revenue reached about $384 million, down 1%, from the same time period last year.

Despite getting hit financially from the bad weather and dangerous storms, CEO Marc Swanson said his company is undervalued by Wall Street as he expects the business to grow in the year ahead via the company’s plans to control costs and add new attractions.

“There’s a lot of value in this business, there’s a lot of things we are doing to try to drive that value, and I’m not sure it’s always readily understood,” Swanson said.

Swanson’s comments come as Universal is set to open a brand new theme park just up the road. The CEO maintained the same position as past earnings calls, saying he’s not worried about the competition and thinks more visitors coming to Orlando is a good thing for SeaWorld.

Swanson said he is excited for the company’s 2025 ride openings, which includes an immersive Arctic flying ride in Orlando and a kid-friendly interactive Wild Oasis area themed as the rainforest at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, investor documents teased both parks will also get “a new attraction to be announced,” but did not say what or when.

“We continue to invest in our parks and continue to give people reasons to visit with new things,” Swanson said.

Swanson acknowledged that the company is focused on increasing revenues and gave more insight into the rising cost to go to theme parks. He said the annual pass prices had gone up in the “low single digits.”

“Pricing has probably been a little more aggressive over the last couple years, and we got to find that right balance at times,” Swanson said. “We try to find that right balance of growing price and still growing attendance.”

Swanson also brought up dynamic pricing where prices fluctuate depending on how busy the parks are.

“We also do quite a bit of work around dynamic pricing, which I think is something that we continue to refine and learn from and optimize going forward,” he said.

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Donald Trump says Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the White House Friday to sign U.S.-Ukraine critical minerals deal

Published

31 minutes ago

February 26, 2025

May Greene

Trump made the announcement Wednesday at start of his first Cabinet meeting.

President Donald Trump says Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the White House on Friday to sign a critical minerals deal.

Trump made the announcement Wednesday at start of his first Cabinet meeting.

A full agreement could hinge on talks scheduled to take place in Washington as early as Friday, Zelenskyy said during a news conference in Kyiv.

The framework of an economic deal with the United States is ready, Zelenskyy said Wednesday, but it does not yet offer U.S. security guarantees that Kyiv views as vital for its war against the Russian invasion.

The agreed-upon framework is a preliminary step toward a comprehensive package that will be subject to ratification by the Ukrainian parliament, Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine needs to know first where the United States stands on its continued military support, Zelenskyy said. He said he expects to have a wide-ranging conversation with President Trump during the visit to Washington.

The economic agreement “may be part of future security guarantees, but I want to understand the broader vision. What awaits Ukraine?” Zelensky said.

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Republished with permission from The Associated Press.

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University of West Florida names Alex Smith as Director of External Affairs

Published

1 hour ago

February 26, 2025

May Greene

A political player in Pensacola politics is moving into an advocacy role in academia.

The University of West Florida (UWF) announced that Alex Smith has been named Director of External Affairs for the Panhandle campus. He takes over the post Monday.

Smith is no stranger to the inner workings of Pensacola power brokers. He is leaving the post of Constituent and Legislative Liaison for the city of Pensacola. He was also Special Assistant to Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves.

While Smith might be transitioning to academia, that doesn’t mean he’s leaving politics entirely behind. As Director of External Affairs for UWF, Smith will manage and lead relations between the school’s President and initiatives with public and private agencies, organizations and stakeholders.

“I’m looking forward to working with Alex as we strengthen our service to the community, the region and the state,” said UWF President Martha D. Saunders. “His energetic approach to the work will serve us well.”

Smith will also help in developing UWF’s vision and shepherd the school’s Master Plan, which is a guide for developing and expanding the campus and programs.

More in line with his experience in Pensacola politics, Smith will lead UWF’s legislative strategies. Smith will also be a conduit between the UWF President’s Office and the school’s Board of Trustees, as well as other panels and institutional bodies.

“I am honored to step into the role of Director of External Affairs at the University of West Florida,” Smith said. “UWF has a strong legacy of academic excellence and community engagement, and I look forward to working with (President) Saunders and her leadership team to continue to build meaningful and impactful partnerships in and beyond Northwest Florida for the students, staff and faculty.”

Smith is well-versed in fundraising efforts in a governmental context. He helped secure some $75 million in state and federal funds as the Legislative Liaison for the Mayor’s Office in Pensacola. He was also a key player in Reeves’ political campaign.

Smith is a product of Florida State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and a Master’s in Business Administration.