Dec. 13, 2023. The Villages, Florida
As a counter to Critical Race Theory (CRT), we proposed to our local Sumter County School administration that RFWTV sponsor a poster and essay contest to coincide with Constitution Day, celebrated on September 17, 2023. Our proposal was accepted.
The instructions to students were to read the Preamble of the Constitution and the First Amendment. The students were to pick one of the five freedoms defined in the First Amendment: Freedoms of Religion, Speech, the Press, to Assemble, and to Petition the Government for a Redress of Grievances.
A total of 13 posters, 36 essays, and 17 videos were submitted and judged by our committee. Entries were scored and the top three students were awarded $25 gift cards and all finalists received personalized certificates.
Thank you to the judging team: Meg Beck, Carolyn Blayne, Joan Halstead, Sally Andersen, Gerald Loomer, and Judy Holleran. During the process, Joan Halstead also designed and printed “Our Constitution Rocks” T-shirts with the Preamble to the Constitution.
- Judy Holleran
OCALA, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 7071 which provides more than $1.2 billion of tax relief for Floridians.
The bill provides for ten sales tax holidays for a variety of items commonly purchased by Florida families, including fuel, diapers, disaster supplies and, tools. A one-pager on the bill can be found here. The 10 tax holidays through June 30, 2024 are:
· A one-year sales tax holiday from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, for baby and toddler clothes and shoes, providing $81.5 million in tax relief.
· A one-year sales tax holiday from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, for children’s diapers, providing $38.9 million in tax relief.
· A one-year Energy Star Appliances sales tax holiday from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, for washing machines, clothes dryers, water heaters, and refrigerators, providing $78.5 million in tax relief.
· A two-year sales tax holiday from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2024, for impact resistant windows, doors, and garage doors, providing $442.8 million in tax relief.
· A one-month Fuel Tax Holiday from October 1, through October 31, 2022, saving Floridians $200 million by lowering the price of gas by 25.3 cents per gallon.
· A 3-month sales tax holiday for children’s books from May 14 through August 14, 2022, providing $3.3 million in tax relief.
· A 14-day Back-to-School sales tax holiday from July 25 through August 7, 2022, for clothing, shoes, backpacks, and school supplies, providing $100 million in tax relief.
· A 14-day Disaster Preparedness sales tax holiday from May 28 through June 10, 2022, for supplies such as flashlights, radios, tarps, batteries, and fire extinguishers, providing $25.6 million in tax relief.
· A 7-day Tool-Time sales tax holiday from September 3 through September 9, 2022, for tools and other home improvement items, providing $12.4 million in tax relief.
· A 7-day Freedom Week from July 1 to July 7, 2022, providing a sales tax exemption for specified admissions and items related to recreational activities, providing $70.6 million in tax relief.
Additionally, permanent tax relief provided in the legislation consists of various sales tax exemptions, corporate income tax credit expansions, and ad valorem tax and exemption provisions that will generate an additional $190 million in tax savings over two years and $140 million annually after that.