JUSTICE FOR AN INMATE
Several prison guards and supervisors, accused by inmate Christopher Castro, 31, of having been unjustly beaten in April 2025, were convicted by a Florida court. The inmate at the Dade Correctional Institution, in southern Miami-Dade County, had been confined to a cell, handcuffed, and brutally beaten by the six guards, who claimed he was armed with a knife—a claim that was later proven false. At the time, Castro was serving a 15-year sentence for burglary and robbery with violence.
It was not until the shift change at midnight that the inmate was discovered by the next shift, who provided him with medical care and requested an investigation, which began the very next day. The six defendants then lied under oath to cover for one another.
The defendants were sentenced to 50 hours of community service, and because they pleaded guilty, the conviction will not appear on their criminal records. The main defendant was sentenced to six months of community supervision, equivalent to house arrest.
Despite the relatively light sentences, this suggests that justice will be served for the inmates at Alligator Alcatraz who have filed similar complaints.
AMENDMENT 3 APPROVED—WHAT NOW?
Following the 62% “yes” vote by Florida voters in favor of lowering property taxes on primary residences, the effects should be felt quickly. The governor will convene a special session of the Legislature in Tallahassee to rewrite the property tax laws, with the goal of implementation on January 1, 2027.
The current exemptions are $25,000 and $50,000. It is the latter exemption that will be tripled in 2027 ($150,000) and then quintupled in 2028 ($250,000). After that, the exempt amount will track inflation. Homeowners will continue to pay school taxes, as before.
Keep in mind that for second homes, the annual property tax increase rate has been capped at a maximum of 5% instead of the currently permitted 10%.
Good to know for those who wish to move to Florida permanently: after December 31, 2026, the exemption will be capped at a maximum of $50,000 for five years. It is therefore more tax-advantageous to move before the end of the year.
According to the nonpartisan organization Florida TaxWatch, Amendment 3 would reduce property taxes by $4.9 billion in the first year, thereby affecting local government revenues.
IN BOCA RATON, A POLICE STATION LIKE A SIEVE
When heavy rains hit Southeast Florida early in the week of November 2, employees at the Boca Raton police station had to break out umbrellas, tarps, and buckets!
Built in 1986, the police station is dilapidated and too small, and a change is clearly needed. During the September rains, no fewer than seven roof leaks were identified. Some offices, meeting rooms, and women’s restrooms have been closed off due to mold. Employees work in cramped cubicles crammed together in a building designed to accommodate 145 people. The Boca Raton Police Department currently has 334 officers, many of whom work out of other locations (City Hall and offices at Town Center Mall).
The new estimated cost of the project? $125 million, which will be put to a public vote on March 9, 2027. Last March, voters rejected the same project, deeming it too expensive; at that time, it was estimated at $175 million. For now, the location of the new police station has not yet been confirmed. Several sites are under consideration, all of which are less expensive than the one previously proposed.
CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS
On Tuesday, November 3, voters in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties were asked to vote on whether to extend a tax aimed at increasing teachers’ salaries, improving school safety, and providing resources for mental health.
This tax is necessary because Florida ranks among the ten U.S. states that provide the least funding for public schools, with only $13,487 per student in 2025, compared to a national average of $17,619, according to the National Education Association.
In Miami-Dade, the tax—which could generate up to $500 million annually—was approved by 82 percent of voters. Eighty-eight percent of the revenue is allocated to teachers’ salaries, and 12 percent to the police department.
In Broward, the tax was approved by 67% of voters, generating approximately $358 million, 90% of which will go toward salaries for teachers and administrative staff, as well as for 224 mental health professionals and 400 security personnel. Two million will fund portable alarm systems (panic buttons) for staff.
In Palm Beach County, the tax was approved by 77 percent of voters. The tax will raise approximately $361 million. Half of the funds will support teachers’ salaries, which would have decreased by $8,000 per year without the vote. One-quarter will fund 900 elective programs and their teachers: art, music, sports, and career programs (Choice Programs). The remaining quarter is allocated to mental health and safety.
NO TO NEW MARINAS ON VIRGINIA KEY
65% of Miami voters rejected the commercial project to redevelop two marinas on Virginia Key. As we reported in late August in our “News in Brief” section (Link to the article), the island is home to the historic, brutalist-style Miami Marine Stadium. Following voters’ approval in August 2026, management of the stadium was entrusted to Spectra to revitalize this iconic site, but the future of the two marinas remained uncertain.
A proposal put to a vote on November 3 called for the redevelopment of the Marine Stadium Marina and the Rickenbacker Marina, entrusting the project to a consortium of private investors. One of the counterarguments raised was that the project would have reduced public access to the stadium’s municipal marina.
The current manager of the Rickenbacker Marina and co-founder of the political organization Preserve & Protect Miami stated: “Tonight, Miami voters stood up for their community and sent a clear message: our public waterfront must benefit the people of Miami, not private investment funds based outside the state seeking to profit from it.”
GAS PRICES FALLING IN FLORIDA!
The price of regular gas is falling sharply nationwide ($4.01/gallon) and even more so in Florida: the average price was $3.79/gallon on November 9. Refineries have switched to winter gas, which is cheaper to produce.
By way of comparison, regular gas was $4.15 per gallon on October 9, so the drop is significant—down 8.7% in one month. As a reminder, the price of regular gas was $2.86 per gallon on November 9, 2025.
Translated with Deepl