www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-27 14:36:00
In 2024, Florida was hit by three hurricanes within 66 days: Debby (Category 1), Helene (Category 4), and Milton (Category 3). Helene caused about \$60 billion in damage and 107 deaths in North Carolina. NOAA forecasts an above-normal 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, predicting 13 to 19 named storms, with six to 10 reaching hurricane strength and three to five becoming major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). The season runs from June 1 to November 30, and NOAA’s confidence in this forecast is 70%. Advanced tracking and forecasting tools aim to improve preparedness for the storms expected this year.
(The Center Square) – Three hurricanes in 66 days landed in Florida in 2024.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts 2025 in the Atlantic Basin will be above normal, not good news for America’s southeastern tip that hopes to duck everything from Andrea to Wendy.
“NOAA and the National Weather Service are using the most advanced weather models and cutting-edge hurricane tracking systems to provide Americans with real-time storm forecasts and warnings,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “With these models and forecasting tools, we have never been more prepared for hurricane season.”
The season begins Saturday and runs through Nov. 30.
Helene more infamously did about $60 billion in damage to North Carolina, where 107 were killed.
NOAA forecasts 13 to 19 named storms in a season with 60% chance to be above normal. Named storms means winds will reach 39 mph or higher. Six to 10 of those are expected to reach 74 mph winds, meaning they become hurricanes. Another three to five would have wind of 111 mph or higher, the benchmark to hit Category 3.
NOAA, in its preseason release on Thursday, says its confidence level is 70%.
The Atlantic tropical cyclone names this season are Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van and Wendy.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This article provides a straightforward report on hurricane activity and NOAA’s forecast for the upcoming hurricane season. It includes factual information such as dates, hurricane categories, damage statistics, and official statements without employing language that suggests an ideological stance. The tone remains neutral, focused on presenting scientific data and government preparedness efforts without editorializing or framing the content in a partisan way. While it quotes a government official, the article does so to inform about the use of technology in weather forecasting rather than to promote any political agenda. Overall, it adheres to neutral, factual reporting.
SUMMARY: Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed House Bill 6017, which sought to repeal Florida’s 35-year-old Wrongful Death Act limiting economic damages families can seek if an unmarried loved one over 25 dies due to medical negligence. DeSantis argued repeal would raise malpractice premiums and worsen the state’s physician shortage without caps on damages or attorney fees. Families impacted by the law criticized the veto, disputing claims that premiums would rise and warning caps would block justice. The decision aligns with healthcare industry interests, while affected families continue advocacy despite limited access to the Governor. Senator Clay Yarborough respects the veto and won’t push for an override.
www.news4jax.com – Patrick Whittle And Michael Casey, Associated Press – 2025-05-29 10:29:00
SUMMARY: Karen Read’s second trial resumed after the prosecution rested following a month of testimony focusing on evidence and witnesses who reported Read repeatedly saying “I hit him” about the death of her boyfriend, Boston officer John O’Keefe. She is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, and leaving the scene after allegedly backing her SUV into O’Keefe on a snowy night in January 2022. The prosecution avoided controversial witnesses from the first trial, emphasizing physical evidence like a broken taillight and cocktail glass with O’Keefe’s DNA. Read’s defense plans a robust case with over 90 witnesses, maintaining she was framed.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Tate Miller | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-29 10:25:00
A National Taxpayers Union Foundation report highlights interstate migration trends, showing Florida and Texas gaining residents and tax revenue, while California, New York, and Illinois experience significant losses due to high tax burdens. Over the past decade, New York lost $111 billion, California $102 billion, and Illinois $63 billion in net adjusted gross income, while Florida and Texas gained $196 billion and $54 billion, respectively. The report attributes migration primarily to tax policies, with many high-income earners moving to states with lower taxes. Remote work has accelerated this trend. States losing residents face shrinking tax bases and should reform tax codes to retain populations and promote economic growth.
(The Center Square) – Florida and Texas have gained the most by interstate migration, while California, Illinois, and New York have lost the most, according to a new analysis, with the report’s author saying such shifts are due to tax policies: “Americans seek greener pastures.”
The National Taxpayers Union Foundation report revealed that “California, New York, Illinois, and other states with high tax burdens continue to hemorrhage taxpayers and tax revenue, while Florida remains the undeniable winner from movement of taxpayers and their dollars from state to state.”
The National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF) is a nonprofit research and educational organization focused on taxes, government spending, and regulations, according to its website.
The report notes that “in the last decade, New York lost $111 billion in net adjusted gross income (AGI), California lost $102 billion, and Illinois lost $63 billion to interstate migration.”
“On the other hand, Florida gained $196 billion, and Texas gained $54 billion,” according to the report.
National Taxpayers Union Foundation with permission
The report acknowledges that the money loss states face due to interstate migration “does not account for the fact that taxpayers no longer paying taxes are also no longer drawing upon government services.”
“However, estimated revenue changes are driven primarily by the movement of high-income earners, who tend to pay far more in taxes than they receive back in government services,” according to the report.
The report’s author and director of the Interstate Commerce Initiative at NTUF Andrew Wilford told The Center Square that “Americans are voting with their feet and saying that they are tired of tax-and-spend policies and the stagnant economies they result in.”
“States that insist on doubling down on these policies will only be left with a shrinking population as overtaxed Americans seek greener pastures,” Wilford said.
Wilford told The Center Square that “interstate migration trends have only accelerated over the last decade as remote work has given taxpayers more freedom to move to more favorable tax environments.”
“States that fail to adapt can only expect faster ‘dollar drain’ to states that have taken steps to provide residents with a competitive tax code and economic opportunity,” Wilford said.
National Taxpayers Union Foundation with permission
“Interstate migration has a clear impact on state revenue,” Wilford said.
“California, New York, and Illinois are projected to lose a combined $10 billion in tax revenue this year, revenue that, since they refuse to cut spending, will have to come from higher taxes on taxpayers who are still there,” Wilford said.
“On the other hand, despite its low taxes, the influx of taxpayers from other states is projected to lead to $4.2 billion in additional revenue for Florida this year alone,” Wilford said.
Factors inducing interstate migration besides tax rates identifed in Wilford’s report include “family, weather, housing availability, education, transportation infrastructure, employment opportunities, and cost of living generally.”
However, it appears that taxes are the biggest factor for state moves, for the report’s data shows that taxpayers’ location changes are from high-tax states to low-tax states.
“The American federalist system is a double-edged sword,” the report states, meaning that while states have the power to each set their own tax policies, taxpayers hold the power of refusal and can move to another state with preferable policies.
The report calls this competition “one of the most valuable tools in taxpayers’ arsenals to get their individual voices heard.”
“Though a simple majority gets a state legislator elected, residency decisions are made at the household level,” the report said.
“While they have the power to set their own tax policies, taxpayers retain the freedom to leave for greener pastures should tax burdens in those states become overwhelming.”
Wilford’s report advised that “states should recognize that a tax code that attracts businesses and workers and allows them to thrive is the path to long-term prosperity.”
“Meanwhile, states on the losing end of the interstate migration battle should stop trying to make up for lost revenue with higher taxes on residents and nonresidents alike, and start trying to fix what is making their residents leave in the first place,” the report said.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article primarily reports on the findings of a National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF) report concerning interstate migration driven by tax policies. While the article is framed as reporting, it endorses and promotes the report’s viewpoint, which clearly favors lower taxation and criticizes “tax-and-spend” policies in states like California, New York, and Illinois. The language used—such as “Americans are voting with their feet,” “taxpayers seek greener pastures,” and the emphasis on “competitive tax codes” and “economic opportunity”—reflects a pro-tax-cut and limited government spending ideological stance. These elements align with a center-right economic perspective that champions market-based solutions and fiscal conservatism. Hence, even in the guise of reporting, the article leans toward a center-right bias through its selection of sources, framing, and tone advocating for tax reductions and criticizing high-tax states’ policies.
