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By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida

Most lawmakers got a somewhat unexpected weekend off as the House and Senate didn’t begin the budget conference phase at the conclusion of the regular session’s seventh of nine scheduled weeks.
With talks growing that extra time will be needed on a property tax cut amendment to put before voters, a top priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis, the chambers did release tax cut packages this week. And while the size of the cuts isn’t as large as in prior years, there are still significant differences between the chambers that could complicate budget talks.

• A list of cast members appearing in the play “Murder under the Moose Big Top” in last week’s paper omitted the last name of one performer – that of Charlene Meyer.
  We regret the error.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

As we prepared to host an open house last week, I looked over at the conference table where a lot of food was laid out – too much food, it seemed to me at the time.
I was wrong.
A couple of hours later, all that food was gone.
Thanks to all the people who came out on Thursday evening for an Open House/Chamber After Hours event. It was an opportunity for us to say thanks to so many people in the community who have supported the newspaper over these four years.
There was a good crowd, good food and conversation.

By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida

TALLAHASSEE – Hours after the Senate announced Thursday it would delay the release of its budget to align its timing with the House, the House unveiled its spending plan.
The $113.58 billion House proposal would be about $1 billion less than the current budget.