Given our relationships with animals, would it surprise you to know that even mundane exposure to pets, livestock, wildlife, and insects has the potential to result in a zoonotic infection, and that there are currently 868 known zoonotic diseases?
With tomorrow being Election Day, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have been ramping up their campaign efforts to swing voters into their camps. Both have been traveling to vital battleground states, bringing along their economic messages that they hope can turn out voters to the polls.
Across the nation, influenza infections result in tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths annually. It is estimated that over 1.3 million Floridians will catch the flu this year, resulting in 2.3 million lost days of work and $307 million in lost productivity.
If the August 29, 2016 meeting is any indication, the Broward Bond Oversight Committee is getting more and more comfortable in its role of overseeing the implementation of the $800 million general obligation bond program approved by Broward voters to renovate and improve Broward’s public schools. The issues raised and questions asked by Committee members reflected a thorough and careful review of reports provided by District staff and by Florida TaxWatch.
Halloween conjures images of witches, ghouls and goblins and can be a scary sight for little ones. But the holiday isn’t so spooky for the economy as consumers purchase billions of dollars of costumes, decorations and candy. In 2015, more than 157 million Americans celebrated the holiday, spending nearly $7 billion.
In March, Governor Scott signed HB7087 (Ch. 2016-240) creating the Florida Telehealth Advisory Council. Florida TaxWatch, which has been promoting the advancement of telehealth for years, attended the Council’s inaugural meeting on Tuesday, October 18.
Since the early days of humanity, people have traded for goods or services that they needed. In today’s world, the power of trade has been magnified and, with the rise of technology, has made many around the world better off. With the global economy expected to double in the next 20 years, it is crucial that Florida continues to take advantage of the opportunities presented by international trade.
When considering an applicant for a job, one of the first things employers do is run a background check. These can be as informal as a Google search or as formal as hiring a private screening company, but the goal is the same—to figure out whether or not an applicant could be a risk to the employer. The typical results of these investigations are arrest records, but they usually don’t tell the full story.
“Traditional” sanctions that keep offenders behind bars have cost the U.S. and its taxpayers millions, despite limited returns on investment regarding public safety. Recognizing this, many states have implemented alternative sanctions that focus on reserving prison beds for dangerous offenders and prioritizing treatment for lower-level offenders.
For the first time since the 1980s, the federal government’s role in elementary and secondary education is shrinking. Passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) last December gives states greater flexibility and control over the way student achievement is measured.
Across the state and nation, homelessness continues to be an issue for many communities. While the state of Florida has seen a drop in the number of homeless individuals over the past few years, cities and counties across the state still struggle to deal with the fiscal and social impacts of homelessness.
Most of us like to shop around for the best price. While you are likely to hear about your friend’s new car bargain, no one ever mentions their awesome deal on a knee replacement. Why?
Over the past several decades, overall crime across the U.S. has been going down, and the situation is no different in Florida; the state is at its lowest crime rate since the 1960s. Despite this decrease in crime the number of people with criminal records in Florida (and the nation) has continued to grow rapidly, which raises the question “what’s going on here?”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has undertaken rulemaking to consider the establishment of a deductible for its Public Assistance Program. Has Florida taken the right steps to make this new rule a favorable one?
There is a high probability that the person known as “the nurse” in your child’s school clinic is not a licensed nurse. In fact, this individual may not have any formal health care training and has earned this title by virtue of a desk in the clinic.
The summer Olympics has now come and gone, and it will certainly be a memorable one. People from around the world cheered on their fellow countrymen, and women, as they put their hearts on the line in pursuit of gold and glory. However, now that the Olympic Games have concluded what happens to Rio de Janeiro? Will the country experience a boost in tourism or economic activity? Or, like our recent obsession for all things gymnastics and swimming, will Rio be forgotten with time?
The omnipresence of smartphones has encouraged start-up companies to take advantage of the power of the mobile app. The IRS estimates that the federal government misses out on $194 billion in tax revenues a year from companies like Uber and others like it.