Taxes

Something’s rotten in the state of-er Florida.

A public hearing is slated for 6 p.m. Tuesday on plans by the Florida Department of Transportation to raise tolls at all state toll roads and bridges, including Florida’s Turnpike, about 11.7 percent by next June 30.

Under the plan, the cost of a car ride on Florida’s Turnpike from West Palm Beach to Miami’s Golden Glades Interchange, for example, would rise to $4.60 from $3.80. SunPass holders pay $1 less. Reason cited for the toll hike: Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

WASHINGTON — In job-starved Florida, President Barack Obama's nationally televised address to Congress sparked renewed hope on Friday that a burst of federal spending and tax incentives would prompt companies to begin hiring again.

WASHINGTON — For five months, Bob Bloom has watched his business spike and dip, just like the stock market. After a great April, he suffered his worst July in six years. There was so little work "we sat around looking at each other," he said. Then, sales skyrocketed in August.

Earlier this week, Bloom worked until 9 p.m. to keep up with orders at his business, Ink & Toner USA in suburban West Palm Beach. He's again thinking of adding another employee to his four-person team.

Summer is nearly over, school supply lists are out and Florida's sales tax holiday runs Friday through Sunday, giving all shoppers a break from the 6.5 percent added to store receipts.

That break is limited, but the limits have been raised this year: clothing that costs $75 or less, up from $50 last year; and school supplies up to $15, up from $10. Books, however, have been removed from tax-exempt status.

WASHINGTON — With the clock ticking down, our leaders still haven't cut a deal on the debt ceiling. Boynton Beach retiree Gerald Levine, 80, believes he knows exactly who's to blame. The problem is: it's a long list.

"If I had my druthers, I'd fire everybody in Washington," he said Wednesday. "Here we are, two weeks away from a default, which would be an economic disaster of immeasurable proportion, and they think it's a joke."

WASHINGTON ——

Gov. Rick Scott and Florida Republicans in Congress are betting that tax breaks and government spending cuts will spark widespread hiring in their job-starved state.

When Florida voters head to the polls on Nov. 2, 2010, aside from casting votes for public office, they’ll also have six state constitutional amendments to mull over.

One of the proposals up for a vote, Amendment 4, aims to put land use changes before local voters, and has sparked heated debate.

Despite their differences, Florida’s Republican and Democratic gubernatorial candidates both promise not to raise taxes, and both have ambitious plans to invigorate a stalled economy. But with a budget shortfall as high as $2.5 billion, high unemployment, and stagnant growth, the opportunity to make radical changes may be limited for whoever wins.

What's on the minds of Florida consumers? Just now, according to a new University of Florida survey, they're feeling more optimistic about their current personal finances but not so comfortable with the U.S. economy.

And the good-news-bad-news scenario for our local merchants is that consumers plan to be shopping for the holidays — but primarily if there are plenty of yesteryear price tags out there.