Impact Of Fiscal Cliff On S Florida's Housing Market
Time is ticking for the Senate and the House as they meet Sunday in a last ditch effort to avoid the fiscal cliff.
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Time is ticking for the Senate and the House as they meet Sunday in a last ditch effort to avoid the fiscal cliff.
What's in a name? For nearly 100 years, South Florida's second most populated county has held the name Broward – but that might change.
A spokesman says former President George H.W. Bush's condition continues to improve and that he was moved Saturday out of intensive care and into a regular hospital room, the Associated Press reported late Saturday afternoon.
Hundreds of people gathered in Tampa on Friday to remember Bill McBride's bravery in battle and compassion toward others.
Several new laws take effect January 1, restricting this and cutting that, but one welcome law is an increase in Florida's minimum wage.
President Barack Obama is set to meet with Congressional leaders at the White House Friday to try and reach a compromise to steer the country clear of the looming fiscal cliff.
President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a bill banning Americans from adopting Russian children, part of a harsh response to a U.S. law targeting Russians deemed to be human rights violators.
The next time your boss complains that employees are simply not getting the job done, remind them it could always be worse; he could be in charge of Congress.
A memorial service is scheduled for Friday in Tampa to remember the life of former gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride.
In an effort to prevent a work stoppage at Florida's ports this weekend, Gov. Rick Scott held a conference call with port executives Thursday to discuss the impact of a possible strike.
From a political standpoint, 2012 proved to be another raucous year in South Florida. Amid echoes of, "Let people vote!" in our ears, with the images of long lines still haunting our memories, Florida was once again the center of attention.
A proposal filed Thursday would bar drivers under age 18 from using wireless phones or other communications devices while they are behind the wheel.
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Much of the talk over the next week will not center around the New Year or football, but instead on the so-called "fiscal cliff." It's a catch-all term that's being applied to a massive round of austerity and tax increases set to go into effect on January 1, 2013. But what exactly makes up the fiscal cliff? It starts with the so-called "Bush Tax Cuts" passed in 2001 and 2004. At the time, then-President George W. Bush pushed through two major tax hikes immediately after the government began running surpluses at the end of the Clinton administration. Bush's tax cuts dropped the rates for all Americans, though Democrats argue they disproportionately helped the wealthiest Americans the most. The tax cuts were set to sunset, or end, in 2010, but another deal between President Barack Obama and Republicans in Congress extended them to December 2012. If both parties can't agree on what to do about the tax cuts, the overall tax rates will revert to what they were in 2000 under President Clinton. According to CBS News, this would impact 88 percent of taxpayers with their taxes rising by an average of $3,500 a year. For a family making between $50,000 and $75,000 a year, the average tax bill would jump by $2,400. The loss of the extra revenue for the families would impact their spending power, which then would hamper businesses, which would turn and cut jobs to continue making profits. But the tax hike in overall rate isn't the only tax that will be impacted. A payroll tax cut was enacted in 2010 to help give the economy some stimulus, but both sides appear willing to let that tax cut expire and let payroll taxes rise by 2 percent in 2013. Tax hikes make up only half of the fiscal cliff. The other half is made up of deep spending cuts/austerity that could cripple the government and contractors nationwide. During the 2011 national debt crisis started by Congressional Republicans, a deal was finally struck to increase the nation's debt limit, but a sequester was put on the military and domestic spending. The sequester was put in place to try and spur government action. As part of the deal, both Republicans and Democrats put together a joint committee to seek trillions in deficit reduction. Republicans refused to allow any tax/revenue increases and Democrats balked at major changes to Social Security and Medicare. When both sides declared failure, the sequester kicked in. It imposes deep spending cuts to domestic discretionary spending as well as deep defense department cuts for military spending. Democrats oppose the discretionary spending and Republicans oppose the defense cuts. According to CBS News, budget cuts of 8-9 percent would hit most of the federal government, from law enforcement to the military to weather forecasting. Only a few areas, like Social Security benefits and Veterans affairs, will be spared the deep cuts. Still, the cuts would be phased in slowly over the next decade, which could help minimize the damage if they are not repealed in early 2013. Even if the nation goes off the "fiscal cliff," Congress can pass tax cuts in early 2013 and make them retroactive to any date they so choose. Congress can also choose to delay or cancel any spending cuts they wish. Some pundits believe this is the likeliest scenario to happen. Because Republicans refuse to allow any tax increases, the belief is that both parties will allow the country to go off the "fiscal cliff." At that point, President Obama can put together a massive tax cut package and send it to Congress. Neither party is likely to oppose a tax cut package, but Obama would have the ability to call for the cuts to be applied to only those making less than $250,000 or another similar level. Republicans and Democrats could quickly pass that measure and both sides could declare victory over the other. The tax rate damage would be averted, but both sides would have to deal with the spending cuts in the sequester. The depth of the spending cuts will likely depend on how much revenue is gained from the tax cuts. Cutting taxes for those below $250,000 and letting the others rise will generate significantly more revenue, which can help minimize the cuts to some degree. However, in exchange for allowing the cuts, Republicans may demand other cuts to programs to offset the overall cost of the cuts. It would create a problem because if Democrats balked at other cuts, Republicans may have to choose between voting against a tax cut, or allowing the cuts to go through without any offsets. One key element of any deal will be the debt ceiling. The last time Republicans wielded the debt ceiling as a weapon, the nation's credit rating was dropped for the first time in history and hit the economy hard. Treasury secretary Timothy Geithner said Wednesday the nation will hit its borrowing limit on December 31. Geithner and the Treasury Department will take "extraordinary" measures to allow the government to keep functioning for a few months. However, at a certain point, Geithner will run out of options. If Congress doesn't authorize a hike in the debt ceiling, the U.S. will default on its bills. This could cripple not only the U.S. economy, but also the global economy. President Obama wants a grand deal on tax cuts and everything to include a two-year automatic extension on the debt ceiling. Republicans have balked at this proposal and another showdown could be in the works in 2013. Republicans will want massive offsets in exchange for any hike in the debt ceiling, which Obama and Democrats are likely to oppose. It all sets up for a very hectic end of 2012 and beginning of 2013. In the middle of it all, a brand new Congress will be sworn in and have to deal with all of the issues immediately if no deal is struck before then, which is looking increasingly less likely. But what exactly makes up the fiscal cliff?
The state's crackdown on pill mill operations has led to the same types of clinics popping up in Georgia. The presence of painkillers and prescription drugs in the deceased declined in Florida last year, prompting state officials to declare victory.
The number of people asking for unemployment benefits last week dropped to the lowest level since March 2008, according to the Labor Department.
Former state Sen. Lauren Book launched her 11th annual statewide walk, encouraging survivors to share their stories amid renewed attention on the Epstein case.
Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski is pressing county commissioners to approve a long-delayed mental health center, warning lives are at stake as the building sits empty.
A 53-year-old man faces DUI and drug charges after deputies say he crashed an e-bike into a tricycle while intoxicated in Key West.
Spotty showers will move through South Florida on Easter Sunday with a midday break, before a wetter pattern brings heavier rain and possible storms later this week.
Some major retailers and other stores will close their doors on Easter, so it's best to plan ahead. Here's what to know.
In courtroom testimony, Shandelle Maycock recounted the harrowing night her daughter was abandoned in the Everglades, describing the horrors they endured.
A former prison guard trainee has been sentenced to death for the 2019 execution-style killings of five women inside a Florida bank.
Florida coach Billy Napier is getting a fourth season to try to get the Gators back to their winning ways.
A Florida man has filed a federal lawsuit against Jacksonville sheriff's officers who severely beat him last year after he ran from a traffic stop.
The Marion County Sheriff's deputy told authorities that he accidentally shot and killed his girlfriend while cleaning his gun.
A U.S. crew member who went missing when an F-15E fighter jet was shot down over a remote area of Iran has been rescued by U.S. forces.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked George to step down and take immediate retirement, CBS News exclusively reported earlier this week.
The changes were likely to affect Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, the No. 3 official at the Justice Department and Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
The war shows no signs of slowing as Iran responds to airstrikes with attacks across the region.
The ruling follows a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general.
Former state Sen. Lauren Book launched her 11th annual statewide walk, encouraging survivors to share their stories amid renewed attention on the Epstein case.
Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski is pressing county commissioners to approve a long-delayed mental health center, warning lives are at stake as the building sits empty.
Emily Gregory describes the days following her upset victory in Tuesday's special election as "a little overwhelming, surreal, but exciting."
The Miami Center for Mental Health and Recovery, located at 2200 NW 7th Avenue, would be a first-of-its-kind facility that could make a difference in the lives of countless people.
Wasserman Schultz pushed back against the suggestion that the United States was led into this war by Israel and its leader, Benjamin Netanyahu.
An unlicensed cosmetologist from Florida has been found guilty in a California court for providing an injection that killed a model who was known as a Kim Kardashian lookalike, prosecutors said.
Food containing norovirus may smell and taste normal but still cause serious illness if consumed, FDA warns.
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. wants the popular coffee chains to prove their surgery drinks are safe for teens and suggested the Trump administration could place limits on your cup of coffee.
Tests of dozens of baby formulas by Consumer Reports found that nearly half contained potentially dangerous chemicals.
A trial has been set in the San Francisco Bay Area for a Florida woman accused of providing a cosmetic injection that killed a woman who was known as a Kim Kardashian lookalike, prosecutors said.
A lawsuit filed late last month took Chicago-based McDonald's to task over the McRib sandwich, calling its name a form of false advertising.
Florida insurance policyholders could be seeing some form of relief in their wallets thanks to market reforms made statewide, Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
The company said Tuesday that 85% of its retail products and "nearly all" of its school offerings are already made without "certified colors."
Less than two days after Delta Air Lines offered $30,000 to each passenger on board the flight that crashed and flipped in Toronto on Monday afternoon, the company is facing its first two lawsuits in the incident — and they likely won't be the last.
Activists are calling for a nationwide boycott of Target stores following the company's decision to roll back its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
A federal judge in New York has tossed out actor Blake Lively's sexual harassment claims against actor Justin Baldoni over their roles in the movie "It Ends With Us," but left intact a claim for retaliation.
Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane was lured to a Dallas studio for a meeting, then allegedly kidnapped and robbed by a group including rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30.
A Las Vegas performer has sued Taylor Swift over the title of her hit album "The Life of a Showgirl," alleging it violates the performer's trademark.
The price hike raises the cost of the standard plan with ads by $1 per month and the cost of the standard and premium plans by $2.
Savannah Guthrie stepped back from her NBC duties almost two months ago when her mother, Nancy Guthrie, disappeared. The investigation is ongoing.
