First Coast Connect: Council President-elect Nick Howland

First Coast Connect: The 'blast radius' of property tax cuts

Today, former Republican lawmaker Jeff Brandes discusses what he calls “the blast radius nobody is talking about” if a property tax cut is approved by Florida voters. Amendment 3, which appears on the November ballot, would dramatically curtail state property tax revenues, which fund most local government services, including police, fire, libraries, maintenance and community events. Brandes, who now runs a nonpartisan research institute and think tank, the Florida Policy Project, says by stripping municipal and county governments of revenue, the tax cut proposal effectively neuters local control and shifts power to the state. Earlier this month, Brandes joined former Northeast Florida Democratic congressman Al Lawson in a bipartisan lawsuit challenging the legality of the ballot language. Guest: Former Republican state Sen. Jeff Brandes, founder and president of the Florida Policy Project New UNF poll A new poll takes the pulse of voters ahead of the midterm elections, including their views on candidates seeking office in Florida, AI and President Trump, as well as their biggest affordability concerns. The poll also gets an early look at how state residents might decide the all-important property tax cut amendment, which goes before voters in November. We break down the results with the head of the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab and discuss how pollsters are battling the realities of spam filters, the death of landlines, declining participation and growing voter mistrust. Guest: Sean Freeder, faculty director, UNF Public Opinion Research Lab European destination The choice of a storied local business to fill the role as one of two Riverfront Plaza restaurants wasn’t a given — European Street Cafe won the slot in a competitive bid process — but it has proved gratifying for longtime residents and city officials alike, who say the recognizable, longstanding business will reinforce the plaza’s First Coast identity. We sit down with the owner of the five-decade-old sandwich shop to discuss what customers can expect from the fourth Jacksonville location and what the mini-chain hopes to gain from a partnership with the city and its first Downtown location. Guest: Andy Zarka, owner, European Street Cafe See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: New City of Jacksonville Budget Proposal and New Carriage Rules in St. Aug.

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan is set to present her proposed city budget, outlining spending priorities for the coming fiscal year and kicking off the annual budget process. Meanwhile, St. Augustine begins implementing new rules for vehicles for hire, including limits on pedicabs and updated welfare standards for horse-drawn carriage operations. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

First Coast Connect: Week in Review

Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week: * ICE agents are involved in three deaths in just one week — including one in St. Augustine. * The governor steps up his already record-setting pace of executions, scheduling two on the same day. * The courts stop STOP WOKE — again — on college campuses. * Duval County School Board candidate Clarence James just can’t quit AI. * The “Harvard of the culinary world” agrees to make Jacksonville its Southeast home Guests: * Christina Burgess, reporter, First Coast News * Jack Webb, attorney and former Jacksonville City Council president * Obi Umunna, attorney and political consultant Heat wave The Art Center Cooperative Inc. has hosted more than 100 exhibits since its inception in 2005, but its newest exhibit is a look-ahead at the future. Titled “Temperature Rising [https://www.tacjacksonville.org/temperature-rising-at-library.html],” the exhibit inside the Jacksonville Main Library explores the central question as temperatures rise: “Is it just hot outside, or is it climate change?” Featuring pieces from 22 artists, the show is open through Aug. 17, with a free reception Aug. 5 during Art Walk. Local artists have a chance to participate in the group’s next show, called “It’s In The Books,” which asks artists to create a piece inspired by their favorite book. The deadline to submit a piece is Tuesday, and the exhibit will be on display from Aug. 17 to Oct. 5. Both exhibits are supported by a Cultural Services grant, which could see impacts in the forthcoming city budget. We ask the group’s grant coordinator about the possibility of funding cuts and the value of financing community culture. Guest: Ed Malesky, wood artist, secretary and grant coordinator, Art Center Cooperative Inc. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: Airport Authority Standoff Update & Local Congressional Candidate Arrest

The Jacksonville Aviation Authority votes on a decision to delay legal action against the city for 30 days while pursuing mediation over a dispute about airport governance. Also today, we report on the arrest of a Jacksonville congressional candidate facing federal charges after allegedly making threats against President Donald Trump. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

First Coast Connect: St. Johns Gold Rush

Well, that escalated quickly. Just hours after a new state law took effect offering a fast track to develop Florida’s farmlands, four large-scale developers applied to take advantage of it. Senate Bill 686 allows property owners to develop their land at least as intensely as adjacent properties without going through any additional rezoning process at the county level. The streamlined procedure also places a 30-day timetable for county approval, meaning longstanding agricultural lands could become massive residential developments without any input from the public or local lawmakers. As reported by [https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2026/07/02/developers-poised-to-get-quick-approval.html] the Jacksonville Business Journal, of the four properties in question the largest by far is a 4,426-acre parcel situated west of the Intracoastal and north of Nocatee Parkway. The land is owned by Sonoc Co., the holding company associated with The PARC Group, which developed Nocatee. We explore the practical implications of accommodating the new law in an increasingly growth-strained county, as well as the political debate that is already emerging among growth-averse residents. Guests: * Stuart Korfhage, managing editor at the Jacksonville Business Journal * Noah Hertz, St. Johns County reporter at Jacksonville Today Hypertension study A new drug for high blood pressure could make treatment far easier for patients — and its final trial is happening on the First Coast. A Phase 3 clinical trial will examine the effectiveness of a twice-yearly injection that’s designed to lower blood pressure at its source. During previous trials, the drug was shown to block the liver’s production of angiotensinogen, which in turn reduces levels of a hormone known to increase blood pressure. Researchers say the goal of the multiyear trial is to identify whether lowering one’s blood pressure through this new injection reduces the likelihood of stroke, heart attack and cardiovascular death. Guest: Dr. Mitchell Rothstein, principal investigator, ENCORE Research Group Digital literacy Ever wonder what Jacksonville newspaper headlines or cartoons looked like back in the day? The Jacksonville Library’s newly expanded digital database includes local newspaper collections, from The Florida Times-Union and the Jacksonville Journal to the Beaches Leader. The archive includes newspaper pages, photographs, graphics and ads from papers dating back as far as 1883. We sit down with two special collections librarians to hear how online archives are bridging a historical gap, and connecting a new generation to traditional news sources. Guests: * Claire Manos, special collections librarian, Jacksonville Public Library * Tatyanna Brash, special collections librarian, Jacksonville Public Library Obstacle course A local songwriting competition invites songwriters to perform original songs inspired by a select theme — in this case, obstacles. The Songwriter Competition is hosted by local musician and songwriter Joyce Whorton at The Inkwell Art Bar in Fernandina Beach, described as an “intimate listening room setting.” Participants are judged on the quality and creativity of their lyrics, melody and structure. The event also highlights the Art Bar’s weekly Open Mic Nights, which gives local musicians a welcoming space to perform. The event is at 6-10 p.m. Monday, July 20. Participants can register here [https://904tix.com/events/songwriter-competition-hosted-by-joyce-whorton-7-20-2026]. Guest: Joyce Whorton, local musician and songwriter See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.