Relief

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson has proposed a 2027 budget that includes a major jail overhaul funded by a property tax increase. The roughly $660 million plan would expand the Metro Jail by more than 800 beds, allow closure of the Oxbow Jail, and add a new intake and screening hub, for a net gain of 252 beds. A lease revenue bond of about $575 million would be repaid over 25 years, raising property taxes by about 13.53%, or roughly $70 a year for the average homeowner. The budget also creates a diversion program for nonviolent offenders with mental health needs, directing them to supervised treatment instead of jail. A public hearing is set for December 8, followed by a county council vote.

As early voting begins in Orange County, Florida, the two mayoral candidates have staked out opposing positions on Amendment 3, a property tax measure that county officials project would cut revenue by $165 million in 2027 and $275 million in 2028. Chris Messina backs the amendment, arguing it would deliver meaningful savings to homeowners amid an affordability crisis and disputing the county's revenue projections, citing recent tax revenue growth. Tiffany Moore Russell opposes it, warning it threatens discretionary programs like the Housing Trust Fund and offers no relief to the roughly 45% of county residents who rent. She says she would pursue budget cuts and efficiencies if it passes.

Democratic candidate David Jolly and Republican Rep. Byron Donalds outlined contrasting positions ahead of Florida's gubernatorial election. Jolly said he would impose a moratorium on hyperscale data centers on his first day in office, citing health and environmental concerns and polling showing broad voter opposition. Donalds countered that siting decisions belong to local governments under existing law, pledging to guard against utility rate hikes and protect water supplies. On AI, Jolly called for guardrails around job displacement and classroom use, while Donalds argued the technology is already too widespread to regulate away and pointed to space-industry growth as an economic opportunity.

The candidates also diverged on Amendment 3, the property tax relief measure on next month's ballot. Jolly said he plans to vote no, warning it would strip funding from law enforcement, and favors targeted relief such as a homestead exemption for first-time buyers. Donalds backs the amendment, arguing property taxes have surged and that public safety funding is protected. Both campaigns have intensified outreach to Black voters in the closing weeks: Donalds unveiled a coalition of Black leaders and faced pointed questions from students during a visit to Florida A&M University, while Jolly has accused him of pursuing an "anti-Black agenda," citing past votes and remarks. A Donalds win would make him Florida's first Black governor; a Jolly win would end a decades-long Democratic drought in the governor's mansion.

Ohio Republican legislative leaders, backed by gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, are proposing a 90-day suspension of the state's 38.5-cent-per-gallon gas tax to ease pump prices ahead of the November election. The plan, which would need lawmakers to return early to pass, is estimated to cost around $640 million in revenue over the suspension period, with proposals to cover the gap using ODOT cash reserves, the state's general fund, or the rainy day fund.

Critics note the notion echoes a similar idea previously floated by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, and argue the savings — roughly a few dollars a week for typical drivers — would do little to offset broader cost-of-living pressures from tariffs and other factors. The gas tax funds road and infrastructure maintenance, raising concerns about long-term funding gaps if reserves are tapped. The proposal comes amid a competitive governor's race and heightened scrutiny of political messaging in Ohio as both parties look to define affordability as a top campaign issue heading into the fall election.

Lawyers for two Orthodox Jewish synagogues, Bais Brucha and Khal Anshei, are asking a federal magistrate judge to sanction Toms River, New Jersey, for failing to preserve laptops and phones tied to a religious discrimination lawsuit filed in 2021. The suit alleges the township worked to block expansion of the Orthodox Jewish community through discriminatory zoning, including a former 10-acre house-of-worship minimum and parking rules the shuls say unfairly burden religious sites.

Plaintiffs' attorney Roman Storzer says of 24 relevant township laptops, 11 are missing and three are encrypted; of 25 cell phones, nine are lost and five are inaccessible. A judge already fined Toms River $29,750 in October for contempt over discovery failures. Complicating the case, the township's insurer-appointed law firm is again seeking to withdraw as counsel, a request a judge denied once already. Toms River is separately suing its excess insurance fund for more coverage, arguing the case is a civil rights matter, not a land-use dispute, as the township has already exhausted $2 million in existing coverage.

California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom declined to extend CalSHAPE, a state program that used nearly $1 billion in utility funds to help schools assess and upgrade aging HVAC and plumbing systems. The California Energy Commission abruptly closed applications in 2024, leaving $191 million unspent, which by law must now be returned to utilities such as San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and Pacific Gas & Electric for ratepayer relief.

A last-minute budget trailer bill gives schools that already received funding three extra years to finish projects, but a separate measure to reopen applications was dropped after failing to gain Newsom's support. The program had helped over 4,500 schools assess HVAC systems, with 172 completing major upgrades. Critics, including advocacy groups and school officials, argue the returned funds amount to negligible per-customer savings while schools continue struggling with heat-related disruptions, pointing to recent heat waves that forced class cancellations and schedule changes across districts including Los Angeles and San Diego. The governor's office declined to comment.

Florida has launched an expanded sales tax holiday covering hunting, fishing, and camping gear, now running from the fall through December 31. Building on a successful 2025 debut, the four-month holiday adds more firearm accessories to a list that already includes ammunition, firearms, bows and crossbows, rods and reels, tents, flashlights, and sleeping bags. State officials project consumers will save roughly $40 million this year.

Governor Ron DeSantis and Republican lawmakers, including State Sen. Jim Boyd, frame the holiday as a way to let Floridians keep more of their earnings while encouraging outdoor recreation, a view echoed by the Florida Retail Federation. But tax policy analysts, including Miles Trinidad of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, argue temporary sales tax holidays are an inefficient relief tool that does little for lower-income families struggling with everyday expenses, and that broader, permanent tax relief would be more effective.