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Scott signs tax holidays for supplies
Certain storm, school items listed By Dan Sweeney Staff writer
Gov. Rick Scott signed a $180 million tax cut bill Thursday that includes two sales tax holidays that are right around the corner. Next weekend, June 2-4, a three-day emergency preparedness sales tax holiday means ice, batteries, first-aid kits, gas tanks,
coolers and generators will be tax free. The sales-tax holiday is expected to save Floridians $4.5 million. From Aug. 4-6, a school supply sales-tax holiday will include clothing, shoes, wallets, handbags and backpacks that cost $60 or less. Computers that cost less than $750 and school supplies, such as pens, pencils, binders and lunch boxes that cost less than $15 are also included. The sales-tax holiday is estimated to save Floridians $33.4 million. The so-called ‘tampon tax’ was
eliminated with Scott’s signature. Starting in January, taxes won’t be charged on feminine hygiene products such as tampons and pads. That’s expected to save Floridians about $11 million a year. Scott has cut taxes each year he has been in office. “With this year, over $6.7 billion,” he said. This was the first time he cut the tax on businesses’ rent. Florida is the only state to have such a tax, and it has long been a target for the governor. The 0.2-percent cut is expected to cost the state $61 million in revenue.
The 6,155-square-foot house features five bedrooms, four and a half baths and three-car garage.
Property tax cuts for some lowincome housing projects and assisted living facilities are projected to cost another $32.7 million. “It’s a good day for Florida because we cut taxes again,” Scott said. The bill signing took place at 3Cinteractive, a mobile marketing company in Boca Raton that provides text messaging, interactive coupons, push notifications and other mobile-based marketing services. The company’s headquarters has a youth-driven aesthetic, with
corrugated metal walls and a row of motorcycles lining a hallway. “It has very interesting offices,” Scott said beneath rows of electric guitars hanging from the wall. “I’ve never seen offices like this before.” The company employs more than 80 people, and Scott pointed to it as the sort of tech-driven businesses his jobs-focused administration has sought to bring to Florida. Scott gave co-founder and COO
McDonald’s to add more than 1,000 workers
Franchisee cites need for better customer service By Marcia Heroux Pounds Staff writer
EDZAKPHOTO.COM/COURTESY
The estate at 10942 Egret Point Lane was originally listed for $1.2 million and reduced to $1.1 million in January.
Ben Carson’s West Palm home sells for $920,000 By Jennifer Boehm Staff writer
Former presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson, now the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, recently sold his West Palm Beach home for $920,000, listing agent Arthur Martens confirmed to the Sun Sentinel. Although the deed is not yet public, Martens, who represented both ends of the deal, said the transaction closed last Friday. He acknowledged that business executive Stephen Lustgarten and his wife, Barbara, acquired the property. The couple previously owned a home in the same community. Stephen Lustgarten is president and CEO of Blake Real Estate. He is also executive vice president and a co-founder of Superior Building Services, a company that performs commercial cleaning, construction and heating/air conditioning services. The estate, located at 10942 Egret Point Lane in the Ibis Golf
and Country Club community, was originally listed for $1.2 million last December. The asking price was reduced to $1.1 million in January. An inspection of the home revealed the existence of mold arising from a roof leak at the time Carson purchased the residence. Carson and Lustgarten agreed to replace the roof. The repairs did not impact the selling price. “We had already agreed on a selling price before the discovery of the leak,” Martens, who is with Engels & Volkers, said during a telephone interview Thursday. “Dr. and Mrs. Carson did not hesitate in addressing the problem.” He said the Carsons were committed to ensuring the house was up to the standard both sides had agreed upon when they entered into the contract. Carson, a neurosurgeon, was sworn in as the 17th secretary of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in March. With his position keeping him occupied in Washington, and the
DOREEN’S DEAL
Happy Freebie Friday! We’ve got three days to relax and shop for summer bargains at Memorial Day sales. Today’s roundup includes coupons for $10 off at JC Penney and Kohl’s, and 20 percent off at Macy’s, which is offering free rewards cards with purchases through Monday. Veterans can save 10 percent at The Home Depot and Lowe’s with military ID. Also, get a free 24-ounce iced tea from 3 to 7 p.m. today at participating Teavana stores. Flavors include Beach Bellini, Strawberry Daiquiri and Piña Colada. Go to SunSentinel.com/FreebieFriday for these deals and many more.
— Doreen Christensen
height of the selling season beginning to slow, it seemed like the right time to sell. “We didn’t have any urgency [to sell] but we didn’t want to be carrying a bunch of properties that we weren’t utilizing,” Carson said in a promotional video arranged by the agent. Eric Braunstein, president of Title of America, worked with the Carsons to close the sale. Through the company’s affiliation with Homes for Heroes – a network that provides assistance to doctors, service members and teachers – the closing fees were waived for the retired doctor. Carson and his wife, Lacena, upgraded last year to an 8,782-square-foot home in Palm Beach Gardens that they purchased for $4.375 million. The couple also bought a home in Vienna, Va., presumably to be closer to D.C. The Carsons originally bought the West Palm Beach home in 2013 from John Rooney, who owns the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steel-
See HOLIDAYS, 11B
McDonald’s, as part of a sweeping program to update its stores and services, has announced plans to hire more than 1,000 workers in South Florida over the next month. That includes more than 400 jobs in Broward County, 420 in Palm Beach County; and 500 in Miami-Dade County. The worldwide chain of fastfood franchises, which has about 900 locations in Florida, has been remodeling its stores to add drive-thru windows, digital self-order kiosks and table service. “McDonald’s is in the midst of an expansive modernization,” said Brent Upchurch, part of a family business that owns and operates 30 franchises in Broward and Palm Beach counties. “If you go to a restaurant in South Florida, you will see changes or you soon will.” Upchurch said even though some of the changes involve technology, the restaurant chain needs more workers behind the scenes to enable its mobile app
and curbside delivery strategy. Better hospitality also is a part of the mission, including table service and “to interact with the customer. Do they need coffee refills?” McDonald’s operators in the region are recruiting for crew members, shift managers, kitchen managers, guest service and other managers. Owner-operators set wages. Upchurch said his franchise pays entrylevel workers $8.20 an hour and offers them a week of paid vacation annually. The hiring drive runs through June 17. On June 7 and 8, there will be an in-store hiring event taking place at most restaurants across Florida. Those interested can visit a local McDonald’s to apply, or visit https://restaurantjobs.mcdonalds.com/. The recruitment program is part of a broader effort to add 5,000 workers in Florida, McDonald’s said. Peter Menendez Jr., who owns and operates 17 McDonald’s restaurants in Miami, said he and other franchise owners will strive to recruit and train more than 1,000 new workers over the next 30 days. McDonald’s offers its workers benefits that include flexible work scheduling, high school See HIRING, 11B
SUN SENTINEL » GAS WATCH Broward County’s lowest regular gas prices Rocket Fuel Costco Valero Citgo Exxon
6841 Johnson St., Pembroke Pines 1800 W. Sample Road, Pompano Beach 1 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach 599 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach 6390 Sheridan St., Hollywood
$2.17 $2.18 $2.18 $2.18 $2.19
Palm Beach County’s lowest regular gas prices Rocket Fuel 100 N. Federal Highway, North Palm Beach 11001 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach Costco 130 N. Jog Road, West Palm Beach Sunoco Wawa 7289 Garden Road, Riviera Beach Speedway 6840 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
$2.13
$2.19 $2.19 $2.19 $2.19
Source: miamigasprices.com NOTE: Prices do not include all gas stations in each county and are updated frequently. Prices shown may only apply to cash purchases.
— Cindy Kent
See CARSON, 11B
ACA faces more upheaval, higher prices By Tom Murphy
Associated Press
People shopping for insurance through the Affordable Care Act could face higher prices and fewer choices in yet more regions next year as insurance companies lay out their early plans for 2018. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is asking regulators for a 23 percent price increase next year because it doesn’t expect crucial payments from the federal government to continue. That announcement comes a day after Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City said it will leave the individual insurance market next year, a
decision that affects about 67,000 people in a 32-county area in Kansas and Missouri. The Kansas City company’s decision also will leave shoppers in 25 counties with no options for coverage sold on public insurance exchanges, unless another insurer steps in, according to data compiled by The Associated Press and the consulting firm Avalere. The law’s insurance exchanges are the only place where people can buy coverage with help from an income-based tax credit. Other insurers around the country, such as Aetna and Humana, have already said they will not offer coverage on exchanges next year,
though several, including Centene, say they will. Options are growing thin in many markets. The Kansas City insurer’s decision means that only 10 of Missouri's 115 counties will have more than one insurer selling coverage on the exchange next year. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina sells coverage in all 100 North Carolina counties, and it is the lone option in 95. It said Thursday that its participation for next year is not guaranteed. Insurers still have a couple of months to consider their options before finally committing to selling coverage in 2018. The North Carolina insurer said it expects no help
from federal cost-sharing reduction payments next year, and that’s reflected in its initial rate request that calls for a 23 percent price increase, on average. If it could be assured of the subsidies that are part of the law and have been paid in the past, it said prices would rise about 9 percent. The insurer covers more than 460,000 people who bought coverage on the exchange. It said about two thirds of those customers get costsharing help, but the price increase for providing insurance without this help will be spread over all of its customers in that market. “Many ACA customers See ACA, 11B