OrmondBeachObserver.com
$15 MINIMUM WAGE FOR STATE WORKERS NOW? Senate President Wilton Simpson led the charge last year to increase the minimum wage for state workers to $13 an hour. This year, the Trilby Republican wants to boost it to $15 per hour starting Oct. 1 — four years ahead of when the minimum wage will reach $15 for all workers. The move would cost $1 billion in state funds and affect thousands of state workers and even more contractors. More exact estimates of how many workers would see a raise weren’t immediately available. Under Simpson’s plan, it would also affect workers for vendors for the state in the education and health care sectors, including all K-12 school personnel and nursing home workers. Simpson said low-paid workers providing critical services need a raise, especially as inflation increases the cost of living. “Look at what inflation is doing to all earners, but especially these low-wage earners,” Simpson told Florida Politics. “You’re talking about someone that drives your kids to school on a bus every day and they’re making $10, $11, $12 an hour.” “We have the cash this year to do it, so there’s no excuses,” he added. “If we don’t do it this year, it’s because we didn’t have the courage to do it.” Simpson acknowledged he likely wouldn’t be moving as “aggressively” on hiking the minimum wage for state workers if it wasn’t for the constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2020 that will boost the wage floor to $15 per hour by 2026. Doing it four years ahead of schedule will ensure the state can absorb the increased costs, he said. Amendment 2 increased the state minimum wage, which previously stood at $8.65 per
hour, to $10 on Sept. 30. Each year on Sept. 30, the minimum wage will increase by $1 until 2026, when it hits $15 per hour. The minimum wage will be tied to inflation after that. The Senate plan will go beyond a simple hike to $15 per hour, though. State workers and contractors making between $15 and $25 per hour could also see targeted raises to boost their pay, although it will likely be up to the heads of state agencies to develop a plan to allot those funds. The move comes as several state agencies are struggling to retain and recruit workers, especially for positions with arduous work and low pay compared to similar positions in related fields.
WHAT’S DRIVING BUYER DEMAND IN FLORIDA?
What trends should consumers, Realtors and policymakers watch for when it comes to Florida real estate over the next year? Drivers for homebuyer demand include demographic shifts, changes in consumer housing preferences – like location, size and lot size, still-low mortgage rates and rapidly rising rental prices, Florida Realtors Chief Economist Dr. Brad O’Connor told more than 300 Realtors during the 2022 Florida Real Estate Trends summit last week. “The biggest wave of millennials are now in their mid-30s and they’ll be in prime homebuying years for some time to come,” O’Connor said. “And who are they buying from? The Gen Xers – and there are a lot more millennials than Gen Xers. And, here in Florida, retirees are a pretty big deal – combined with the millennials, that puts pressure on the market here.” Analysts are waiting to see what will happen with inflation and how that will impact interest rates long term, O’Connor added, noting that some predictions call for the 30-year fixed rate mortgage to
be as high as 4.5% by the end of the year. “That’s what we experienced a few years ago, and if that happens, while it will certainly impact buyer demand and financing, we’ll see the market change and return to similar conditions,” he said. Homebuilding and supply will also be a factor to watch when it comes to buyer demand. “It’s a long-run problem; we have a long way to go when it comes to building,” O’Connor noted. “We need construction workers. Builders continue to face constraints, but have been building at the fastest pace in recent memory. However, high prices and low rates of starter home construction will remain a challenge.”
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022
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Bonuses of up to $5,000 that Gov. Ron DeSantis has sought to entice law-enforcement officers to Florida are moving through the House as part of a broader package focused on people who don badges. The House Appropriations Committee voted unanimously Jan. 31, to approve the measure (HB 3), which supporters say could help understaffed law-enforcement agencies and improve the morale of current officers. The proposal, sponsored by Rep. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, would establish a bonus program to provide one-time payments of up to $5,000 to newly employed law-enforcement officers in the state, along with bonuses for officers who adopt children. It also would set up a Florida Law Enforcement Academy Scholarship Program to cover basic training tuition. “This bill is a small sacrifice to show our appreciation,” Leek said. Democrats lawmakers praised the package but requested more training for officers.
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