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Sunshine State

Florida nation’s most veteran-friendly state?

November 11, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

What does it take to become the most veteran-friendly state in the nation? Just follow Florida’s example.

At least that’s what Florida TaxWatch, a nonpartisan advocacy group on how taxpayer money is spent, is sharing as the state honors its veterans.

“Florida is proud of the brave servicemen and women who have chosen to build their lives and raise their families in the Sunshine State,” Dominic Calabro, president and chief executive of Florida TaxWatch, said in a release. “Our Legislature and Florida’s governor have recognized the importance of giving back to those who have sacrificed for us, and their commitment has resulted in Florida becoming the most veteran-friendly state in America.”

Florida does have 1.6 million vets living here, accounting for one in every 12 adult veterans. That includes 250,000 disabled veterans, both the third-largest nationally. Florida also has more World War II vets than any other state, and almost half of its veterans are older than 65.

So what makes Florida so special when it comes to veterans?

It all starts with the Florida “G.I. Bill,” Calabro said. That includes a number of veteran-friendly services like property tax exemptions, reductions in professional license fees, education benefits, obtaining driver’s licenses, and employment.

Property Tax Exemptions
A veteran with at least a 10 percent service-connected disability may be entitled to a $5,000 exemption on any property he or she owns. Those with service-connected total and permanent disability, or are confined to a wheelchair, could qualify for total homestead exemption — a benefit that also can carry over to the surviving spouse.

Veterans who are disabled, older than 64, and owns homestead property may qualify for a property tax discount based on their percentage of disability.

Current or former members of the military, reserves, U.S. Coast Guard or Florida National Guard, may receive an exemption for his or her homestead if deployed during the last calendar year outside of the United States. The exemption is equal to the percentage of the year the person was deployed.

The Fallen Heroes Family Tax Relief Act allows a surviving spouse of a veteran — as well as first responders — who died from service-connected causes to be granted a total exemption on their home. Also, any person serving in the U.S. Armed Forces may rent the homestead without abandoning the claim to the homestead exemption.

Professional License Fees
Fees related to professional licensing may be waived for veterans who have been honorably discharged within 60 months prior to applying for the license. Spouses also qualify for the waiver.

Also, members of the military, spouses and veterans who have retired within 24 months who apply for a professional license in the insurance industry are exempt from the application filing fee.

Education
Out-0f-state fees are waived for honorably discharged veterans who attend a state college, state university, career center, or charter technical career center. Also, $1.5 million is provided annually to fund tuition scholarships and book stipends for Florida National Guard members that participate in the Educational Dollars for Duty program.

Florida also waives undergraduate-level tuition at state universities and community colleges for Florida recipients of the Purple Heart and other combat-related decorations. Tuition benefits also are provided for dependent children and spouses of deceased or totally disabled veterans and children of service members who are missing in action or prisoners of war.

Driver’s licenses
Military members who are on active duty outside Florida — and their dependents — receive an automatic extension of their driver’s license without re-examination.

Non-resident active duty military service members stationed in Florida are exempt from the requirements to obtain a Florida driver’s license when his or her children enter a Florida public school. The service member’s spouse also is exempt if the spouse begins employment, or enrolls in a school in the state.

Employment
All government employers in Florida are required to grant employment preference in hiring and retention to veterans, spouses, parents and legal guardians, as well as National Guard members and the U.S. Reserve Forces. Private sector employers are authorized, but not required, to establish a veterans preference process for honorably discharged veterans and certain spouses.

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity offers a range of services to veterans including recruitment, training grants, and links to federal programs offering certain employer incentives for hiring veterans. The Hiring Florida’s Heroes initiative works with employers to connect them with veterans possessing needed skills.

The newly created Veterans Employment and Training Services, or VETS, program will help connect veterans and employers, and will contract with at least one university to administer entrepreneurship initiative programs for veterans. It also creates a grant program for businesses to provide funding for training veterans to meet a business’s work force-skill needs.

For more on Florida TaxWatch, visit FloridaTaxWatch.org.

 

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: Dominic Calabro, Educational Dollars for Duty, Fallen Heroes Family Tax Relief Act, Florida, Florida Legislature, Florida National Guard, Florida TaxWatch, Hiring Florida's Heroes, Purple Heart, Sunshine State, U.S. Armed Forces, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Reserve Forces, United States, Veterans Employment and Training Services, World War II

Florida prepares for highly unlikely Ebola epidemic

October 21, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

There have been just three diagnosed cases of Ebola in the United States, and less than 200 people actually exposed to the virus. Yet, the fear by many that Ebola can become an epidemic in this country — although federal officials have dismissed any real possibility of that happening — has Gov. Rick Scott pushing federal officials to help Florida prevent the virus from coming here.

In his latest move, Scott has directed the Florida National Guard to establish two rapid response teams — groups of 16 people that includes doctors, nurses and equipment personnel.

The teams are undergoing intensive training, and will be ready by the end of October to help health care workers — if they are ever needed — to supplement a hospital’s existing personnel in case Ebola does arrive in the Sunshine State. The move comes after Texas experienced a number of missteps that officials believe may have expanded the number of American-based Ebola cases from one to three.

“While our first responders and health care workers are the front line of care in the event of an Ebola case, our Florida National Guard is currently establishing two rapid response teams that can manage Ebola cases and provide support to hospitals, if needed,” Scott said, in a release.

Scott already has directed state officials to repurpose more than $7 million in federal funding Florida has received to buy equipment to help the state prepare for any Ebola response. On top of that, employees are 55 Florida hospitals have completed Ebola preparedness training, with a hope of expanding that to all 210 hospitals in the state.

The chances that Ebola will spread beyond the current containment of the virus in the United States is extremely minimal, and the chance for there being an outbreak in America is practically zero, officials said. At the current rate of infection in the United States, the odds of being diagnosed with Ebola in the United States are 1-in-105 million.

By comparison, the odds of dying from tuberculosis in the United States is 1-in-6,300, and the odds of dying from lung cancer is 1-in-23. And the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot is 1-in-175 million.

The first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, Thomas Eric Duncan, died Oct. 8. Two nurses who helped treat Dunan are now being treated themselves.

Filed Under: Updates Tagged With: Florida, Florida National Guard, Powerball, Rick Scott, Sunshine State, Texas, Thomas Eric Duncan, United States

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Avalon Applauds… Norah Catlin

February 23, 2021 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

CONGRATULATIONS to Norah Catlin, for being applauded by Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. Catlin, a senior at Wiregrass Ranch … [Read More...] about Avalon Applauds… Norah Catlin

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03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will offer “Foodie Feast: Apple Pie Bombs” on March 5. Participants can learn how to make tasty, apple pie bombs. Watch the prerecorded video between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., online at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email Danielle Lee at . … [Read More...] about 03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

03/06/2021 – Pancakes and trains

The Grand Concourse Railroad, 11919 Alric Pottberg Road in Shady Hills, will offer a Pancake Breakfast and Unlimited Train Rides event on March 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for kids. For information, visit Grand Concourse Railroad on Facebook. … [Read More...] about 03/06/2021 – Pancakes and trains

03/08/2021 – Tomato garden

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to grow a tomato garden. Those interested can view the video at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary, all day, on March 8. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email . … [Read More...] about 03/08/2021 – Tomato garden

03/09/2021 – Grilled cheese

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to make green grilled cheese on March 9 at 4:30 p.m., for grades four to seven. To view the video, visit the Library Cooperative on Facebook or Instagram. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Grilled cheese

03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will host a virtual poetry discussion group on “Female Power!” on March 9 at 6:30 p.m., for ages 16 and older, via Zoom. Participants can share a favorite poem or take part in discussions on poems about women or written by women poets. Themed poems will be sent out to help with the session. Registration is required. For information, contact Amaris Papadopoulos at 727-861-3020 or . … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will offer a Technology Tuesday: Robots & Machines on March 9, through a curbside pickup activity. The kit will help kids learn more about technology, from robots to coding, through online and hands-on activities. The pickup is limited to 35 participants and must be reserved ahead of time. A book bundle can be included. Kits must be picked up between March 9 at 10 a.m., and March 13 at 5 p.m. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

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