BY THE FLORIDA COURIER STAFF

FORT LAUDERDALE – Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie was arrested April 22 by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and charged with a single count of perjury in an official proceeding, a third-degree felony in Florida punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Here’s a paraphrased summary of the single charge:

…Defendant ROBERT W. RUNCIE, while testifying under oath in an official proceeding, to wit, the Twentieth Statewide Grand Jury… did make a false statement which ROBERT W. RUNCIE did not believe to be true, in regard to a material matter…in violation of…the Florida Statutes.

The single false statement allegedly occurred during a two-day, 18-hour interrogation of Runcie by the grand jury on March 31 and April 1, according to court pleadings filed by Runcie’s attorneys.

Continuing conflict

Runcie’s indictment is the latest battle in the wake of the Feb. 14, 2018 Marjorie Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School killing in Parkland, a Broward County suburb.

On that day, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, a former MSD student, opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others before fleeing the scene on foot by blending in with other students.

Community split

Multiple subsequent investigations split much of Broward County into camps, particularly with regard to the professional fate of Runcie, who was the Broward County superintendent on that tragic day.

On one side are many of the MSD parents; their sympathizers and supporters, many in law enforcement around the state; and Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis.

The most hostile Runcie critics hold him personally accountable for the massacre. They have also criticized the Broward school board members for alleged delays in making state-required security changes under Runcie’s leadership, and the district’s alleged failure to administer an $800 million bond issue designed to substantially improve Broward County schools.

All of those issues are the subject of the statewide grand jury investigation that indicted Runcie.

Pro-Runcie support

On the other side are Runcie, who has refused to resign and has survived multiple attempts to fire him; and a still-supportive majority of the Broward County School Board.

He also has energetic supporters in South Florida, many of whom are Black, including a substantial and politically powerful Afro-Caribbean community that feels a sense of kinship.

Runcie was born in Jamaica into an impoverished family before emigrating to the United States. A Harvard University graduate, he was the first member of his family to attend college.

Protests underway

On April 23, Black elected politicians, leaders of organizations including a local NAACP branch and the local National Urban League chapter, and small local businesses owners held a press conference in front of the Broward Public Schools administrative building to publicly support Runcie. A public rally in his support is also in the planning stages.

Supporters believe that Runcie is a scapegoat who became the personal focus of the anger and frustration of MSD parents and their supporters immediately after the tragedy. Their argument is that the decades-long institutional structures and procedures in place that failed on the day of the MSD murders existed before Runcie came to Broward County.

Multiple investigations support their argument. All of the investigations place responsibility for blame of the tragedy solely on Cruz, the shooter. However, lack of coordination among law enforcement agencies, first responders, and Broward schools; incompetence; poor planning; confusion; lack of training; individual cowardice; and other factors were cited as major contributing causes to the tragedy.

Quiet role model

Runcie’s supporters have praised him for increasing Broward County’s graduation rate and generally improving schools throughout the district.

Black parents particularly see him as a role model for their children. Runcie often shows up unannounced at school events, large and small, and is seen as accessible and easygoing. Many Black students know him by sight.

He also has been responsive to other issues of concern to Black parents, including setting up programs preventing criminalization and disproportionate punishment of Black students.

Not afraid of charters

Another issue Runcie has weighed in on the statewide level is charter schools. Florida’s teachers’ unions and their substantial Black membership consider charters as a Republican-led existential threat to public schools with the long-term goal of putting the education of Florida’s children in the hands of large corporations.

They resent the fact that that charter schools are substantially funded with public dollars and are not subject to the same legal and financial scrutiny, regulations, and standardized testing and academic standards as are public schools.

However, many of Florida’s larger Black churches have established charter schools focused on religious and Black cultural education. Also, Black low-income parents have used Florida’s school choice vouchers to transfer their kids from poorly performing public schools to higher-performing charter schools, taking state education money allotted to their children with them.

The voucher program is especially popular in families with children headed by single Black women. Such Broward County families strongly support Runcie, who was one of the few Florida school superintendents to initiate and support a years-long statewide effort for Florida’s school districts and the charter school community to work together.

‘High character’

Runcie has retained Johnny L. McCray, Jr. of Pompano Beach as co-counsel of his criminal defense team. McCray sees the indictment as retaliation.

“I am confident when the dust settles, that he (Runcie) will be acquitted of this charge,” McCray said in an exclusive interview with the Florida Courier. “He’s a man of high character.

“This indictment is an attempt to besmirch Mr. Runcie’s reputation and destroy his career because the majority of Broward County school board members still support him.”

Grand jury system

In Florida, a statewide grand jury consists of a minimum of 12 citizens appointed by the Florida Supreme Court. Grand juries have the power to investigate, report and file criminal charges in a document called a “Bill of Indictment.”

Grand jurors hear witnesses and other evidence usually presented only by prosecutors. Very rarely does a grand jury hear both sides of a case. After the presentation of evidence, grand jurors vote to determine whether crimes have been committed and then identify defendants who should be brought to trial for criminal violations.

Grand juries proceed in secret. Under Florida law, the grand jury sessions, deliberations, and voting are closed to the public and to the press.

Grand jury ‘sham’

McCray immediately took aim at the legal process.

“There’s a saying in criminal law that ‘A grand jury and a prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich,’ McCray challenged. “Regular citizens serving on grand jury often go along with prosecutors who point them to an outcome that’s already pre-determined. That’s what happened here.

“Look at the three purposes for which this statewide grand jury was formed. All of them exactly track the complaints that MSD parents have had about Mr. Runcie. They mention words like ‘fraud’ and ‘incompetence’ before any investigation was completed.

“This grand jury proceeding was not searching for the truth about what’s happening with construction projects, the bond issue, the MSD murders, or anything else in the Broward County schools. It’s all about one thing: Running Robert Runcie out of the Broward County school district by any means necessary,” McCray declared.

“I’m not aware of any other mass school shooting in America — Columbine, Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech — where the superintendent or top administrator was fired or criminally prosecuted. None of them were Black.”

DeSantis’ hidden hand?

“It’s interesting that the single criminal charge was filed in Tallahassee, the state capital. It wasn’t filed by the independent local prosecutor in Broward County, where Mr. Runcie works and lives. And there were no charges filed against him as a consequence of a previous Broward Sheriff’s Office investigation. 

“My client was charged after an investigation involving the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which is essentially controlled by Gov. [Ron] DeSantis, who would fire Mr. Runcie and remove his supporters on the Broward County School Board if he could,” McCray explained.

“But the governor knows he can’t legally terminate Mr. Runcie or the school board. As a former federal prosecutor, DeSantis knows exactly how the grand jury system works. That’s why he’s using it in Tallahassee. He knows it’s all he can do. It’s his last legal resort.”

Can’t even respond

McCray said that the single felony was too vague for the defense team to even respond.

“We immediately filed a motion to dismiss the indictment because it gives Mr. Runcie no notice as to the crime he allegedly committed,” McCray said. “If the judge doesn’t dismiss the case, we also alternatively filed for a bill of particulars to make the state identify exactly the ‘false material statement’ he allegedly made,” McCray explained.

Splitting Broward Democrats

McCray also sees politics at work.

“Whether DeSantis runs for re-election in 2022 or for president in 2024, he needs to split Broward County’s overwhelmingly Democratic voters in order to win statewide. He’s cynically using the MSD tragedy to sew dissention and a split between Parkland voters – a number of whom are Jewish Democrats who otherwise wouldn’t support him – and Runcie supporters who are Black Democrats.

“It’s disgraceful.”

Parkland and Broward County

A statistical look at the economics, race and politics of Broward County shows the stark differences between Runcie’s opponents and supporters.

According to University of Florida statistics, Parkland is a relatively small city of approximately 35,000 people that is growing rapidly. U.S. Census data from 2013-2017 indicates that more than 73 percent of Parkland’s citizens are White; 13 percent are Hispanic; 6.5 percent are Black; and 6 percent are Asian.

The median income of Parkland households is more than $131,000, by far the highest in Broward County. Only 3 percent of Parkland’s population lives in poverty. That’s compared to Broward County’s median household income of $59,000, and where 14 percent of the county’s population lives in poverty.

The median value of a Parkland home is more than $548,000. That’s double the median value of homes in the rest of Broward County.

The political calculation

McCray says DeSantis’ motive for alleged maneuvering to indict Runcie using law enforcement tools under the governor’s control is all about winning Florida’s statewide elections. Here’s where he has a point.

Florida Democrats have lost six consecutive gubernatorial campaign covering 24 years, many by razor-thin margins. The last Democratic governor in Florida was Lawton Chiles, who won a close re-election campaign against a young Jeb Bush in 1994 by ½ of one percent – about 64,000 votes out of 4.2 million cast.

Over those 24 years, Republicans have won Florida governor’s races by 10.6 percent in 1998, 13.2 percent in 2002, 7.1 percent in 2006, 1.2 percent in 2010, and 1 percent in 2014. In 2018, current Florida Governor DeSantis beat Democrat Andrew Gillum by four-tenths of 1 percent – about 32,000 votes out of more than 8.1 million cast.

On the presidential side, Democrats have fared much better, winning five of the last seven presidential elections. And because Florida generally has 10 percent of the Electoral College votes that determines the presidency, it’s almost a national political rule that whoever wins Florida wins the presidency.

Same strategy

For more than three decades, Democrats have tried to win Florida statewide elections only one way: run up the number of Democratic votes overwhelmingly in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties; try to be competitive in the I-4 corridor including St. Petersburg, Tampa, Orlando and Daytona Beach; and hang on while the Republicans win the rest of the state

Democrats can’t win a statewide or presidential campaign without winning Broward County by massive margins. Anyone paying minimal attention to Florida politics knows that. That’s why McCray’s accusation isn’t far-fetched.

DeSantis could use the MSD murders as a possible political “wedge” issue to split off a relatively few Democratic votes in a small, reliably Democratic Broward County city. His efforts could take campaign contributions, public campaign supports and crucial votes from a county Democrats must win by crushing margins to have a chance at winning any statewide election, including a DeSantis run for re-election in 2022 or for the presidency in 2024.

About Robert Wellington Runcie

Runcie holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Harvard College and Master of Business Administration degree in Management from Northwestern University.

He founded a management consulting and technology company before making a switch into education by working with Chicago Public Schools, the third-largest school district in the nation with 410,000 students.

In Chicago, he served in a number of executive positions, including chief information officer, chief administrative officer, chief area officer, and chief of staff to the Chicago Board of Education.

He joined Broward County Public Schools in 2011, has been named superintendent of the year by various organizations, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Nova Southeastern University for his work in education.

The post ‘TARGET ON HIS BACK’ appeared first on Daytona Times.

SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES

Hiram C. Powell, Ph.D., has been named Interim President of Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) after a vote by the university’s Board of Trustees on Thursday.

Powell, who graduated in 1976 from B-CU with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education, currently serves as Dean of Performing Arts and Communications and has worked at the university since 1977.

Powell will begin his term on June 1, 2021.

The post Bethune-Cookman University names interim president appeared first on Daytona Times.

Five years after his sudden death, the icon Prince’s estate is releasing new music that is sure to excite his still loyal fanbase.

The new “Welcome 2 America” CD marks the first time Prince’s estate is releasing never-before heard music from the megastar’s famous Paisley Park vault.

Fans got a preview recently on CBS’s “60 Minutes’’ and Prince’s longtime guitarist, Brown Mark, sat for a special interview with the Black Press on April 15.

The 12-track disc was recorded in 2010 to accompany a tour of the same name but never released.

The estate plans to debut the new music on July 30.

About the music

“‘Welcome 2 America’ is a document of Prince’s concerns, hopes, and visions for a shifting society, presciently foreshadowing an era of political division, disinformation, and a renewed fight for racial justice,” Prince’s estate noted in a statement.

Never a big fan of social media, Prince sings about how superficial social media could be, corporate monopolies in music and reality television.

On the title track, Prince sings: “Welcome 2 America, the land of the free – home of the slave.”

Songs from CD

Prince fans know the track is reminiscent of his 1985 song, “America,” from his “Around the World in a Day” album.

In that song, the Purple One sings: “Aristocrats on a mountain climb, making money, losing time/Communism is just a word, but if the government turn over, it’ll be the only word that’s heard/America, America/ God shed his grace on thee/America, America Keep the children free.”

Songs from the new CD include “Running Game (Son of a Slave Master),” “Born 2 Die” and “One Day We Will All B Free.”

Prince also sings about “Distracted by the features of the iPhone/Got an application, 2 fix Ur situation.”

During the “Welcome 2 America” tour, which lasted for three years beginning in 2010, Prince performed over 80 shows. The estate doesn’t explain why he never released the accompanying CD.

Prince died on April 21, 2016, at the age of 57. 

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This commentary is provided

How does someone get into the medical marijuana business? It’s a booming industry, so the opportunity is calling.

According to a report by Leafly and Whitney Economics, Florida cannabis businesses added nearly 15,000 jobs in 2020, and sales for the same year grew to $1.2 billion, more than double the amount recorded in 2019. 

Knowing this, one could see why the Medical Marijuana Education and Research Initiative (MMERI) at Florida A&M University receives dozens of calls and emails each week from people in the minority community asking for insight into starting a business or career in the industry.

Breaking into cannabis

Roz McCarthy, Erik Range, and Rebecca Colett are good sources of information on getting into the cannabis space. Each has made inroads in the billion-dollar cannabis industry and are working to help more minorities explore this young industry. 

“Florida is the number one state with regards to career opportunities in this industry,” said McCarthy, founder of Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM) Inc., an Orlando-based 501© (3) nonprofit.

M4MM is an advocacy, outreach, and training resource focused on helping marginalized communities realize the economic benefits of medical marijuana while ensuring they are afforded adequate access to care despite their financial situation. The group has a presence in 28 other states. 

McCarthy started M4MM to help people of color get into an industry that lacks diversity and inclusion. Nationally, less than 5% of businesses are Black-owned, according to a survey conducted by Marijuana Biz Daily.

It’s no mystery why minorities are underrepresented in the cannabis industry. The application and license fees for “plant” businesses can be an obstacle, and loans aren’t an option as banks are regulated by the federal government, which treats all types of marijuana as an illegal substance.

A support role

To apply for a license to operate a medical marijuana treatment center (MMTC) in Florida, you have to pay a $60,830 nonrefundable application fee.

That’s why McCarthy and Range, an Orlando entrepreneur in the cannabis space and chair of M4MM’s board, are encouraging minorities interested in entering the cannabis trade to consider taking on a supporting role.

For example, Range owns ART 420, a fine art company that provides cannabis-inspired art to marijuana businesses throughout the country. 

“Not everyone needs to be in a dispensary or in a grow business,” said Range.

“Minority businesses can get involved in cannabis with everything from janitorial services to landscaping to general contracting. We have minority businesses that provide services across the gambit.

You don’t necessarily have to start a new business or anything but look at how you begin to market your services to this particular industry.”

Skill sets

McCarthy was inspired by her son’s medical marijuana treatment for sickle cell anemia to leave her successful health care career and start M4MM. She sees a nascent industry that is full of opportunities for minorities. 

“Cannabis is at mile marker number three or four, so there are many opportunities from an entry point,” she said.

“If you’re someone who wants to enter, really look at your skill set and figure out how that transfers over into the cannabis industry. And that’s where we as an organization can help you figure that out. That’s what our job is.”

Colett, a Florida A&M University graduate, owns a medical-grade, plant-based business, just not in the Sunshine State.

Do your research

She is the CEO of the first African American women-owned and operated cannabis cultivation brand in the Midwest. The company, Calyxeum, is based in Detroit. 

She said she’s often asked how to get into the cannabis industry.

“First, do your research. Do your research and see what the opportunities are. If you want a license, research what licenses are even available and what are the application fees What’s the application process?” Colett said.

“You have to equip yourself with the education of the business and what it’s going to require from you. If you’re in a city with dispensaries everywhere, who’s supplying them Who’s distributing to them? Look at the supply chain and see where the gaps are.”

Colett is an advocate for growing the representation of African American women in the cannabis industry.

“I’m very passionate about getting more people that look like us to hold these business licenses, especially women of color,” she said.

“It is a purpose and goal of mine to educate people about this plant and educate them about the supply chain of the sophisticated industry we have. We’re not just selling weed out of parking lots; we have vendors and seed-to-sale tracking systems. We’re very sophisticated.”

To learn more about business opportunities in the legal cannabis industry, click here to watch MMERI’s Conversations on Cannabis Virtual Forum featuring Roz McCarthy, Erik Range, and Rebecca Colett on YouTube. For more information on medical marijuana, visit MMERI’s website at http://mmeri.famu.edu/

The post How minority entrepreneurs could break into the medical cannabis industry appeared first on Daytona Times.

President Joe Biden has nominated Clarke to lead the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Justice Department. The U.S. Senate is now considering her nomination.

In a just world, there would be no question about her confirmation. Clarke has the skills, experience, and character for the job.  

Sadly, as we all know, having the best qualifications is often not enough to keep extraordinary Black women from being overlooked or dismissed. Or worse.  

Latest smear campaign

Clarke is the latest woman of color nominated by President Biden to be smeared by the right wing. 

Tucker Carlson, whose popular show on Fox TV has become a megaphone for white nationalist ideology, has attacked Clarke multiple times. He allowed one of his guests to make the false and ridiculous claim that Clarke “hates white people.”  

Even before Clarke’s confirmation hearing last week, right-wing senators had signaled their intentions to take the low road.

During the earlier confirmation hearing for Attorney General Merrick Garland, who will be Clarke’s boss at the Justice Department, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) started asking questions implying that Clarke should be rejected based on bogus charges of anti-Semitism going back to her days as a college student. Garland, who is Jewish, cut Lee off, defended Clarke’s integrity, and declared that he knows she is opposed to discrimination of any kind. 

Indeed. Clarke has spent her career as a champion for people facing discrimination. Her first job after law school was in the Civil Rights Division she will be leading once she is confirmed.

She prosecuted civil rights violations and handled investigations involving police misconduct, hate crimes, and human trafficking. When she went to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, she focused on protecting voting rights.  

Women’s rights advocate

When she led the Civil Rights Bureau in the New York state Attorney General’s office, she investigated and prosecuted cases of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, source of income, and disability status. 

She helped a group of women at Consolidated Edison, one of the largest energy companies in the U.S., bring a lawsuit against sex discrimination and harassment of female workers—and win an important settlement.

Susan Kartell, a woman who worked at ConEd for 26 years, tells the story in an ad from People For the American Way’s Her Fight Our Fight campaign, which defends women of color nominated to high-level government positions and facing racist and sexist attacks. 

Civil rights activist

Earlier this year, as president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Clarke sued the violent right-wing group Proud Boys for vandalizing the historic Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., after an event protesting Donald Trump’s loss in the presidential election.  

Clarke has been so effective at bringing communities together to address difficult issues that she has won the respect of people from across the political spectrum.

Her confirmation is supported by the human and civil rights community and by many law enforcement organizations. 

We urgently need Clarke’s experience and expertise at the Justice Department—and we need it right now.  

Ben Jealous is president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation. He also is the former president and CEO of the NAACP. 

The post We urgently need Kristen Clarke appeared first on Daytona Times.

Chauvin faces up to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder, up to 25 years for third-degree murder and up to 10 years for second-degree manslaughter.

Minnesota law allows these sentences to be served concurrently if the judge so allows. It is expected that Chauvin will be sentenced in approximately 10 days.

This is an especially important time. A time for reflection, jubilation, and celebration. The Floyd family won the civil lawsuit, and the state won the criminal suit.

Seeing former officer Chauvin led from the courtroom in handcuffs by his former colleagues was a wonderful sight. The Floyd family is now able breath. The country can now exhale. Crowds are cheering at the conviction of Chauvin not cursing the system for another anticipated failure.

Justice or accountability

As we celebrate, we must ask ourselves if this was justice or accountability? Justice is a fair and moral process within a system of law in which every person receives his/ her/it’s due from the system.

Accountability is the obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions. Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd. He took away the one thing most precious to Mr. Floyd and his family, his life. Chauvin took him away from his family, friends and loved ones.

That can never be returned and with that, justice can never be served. The system has held Chauvin accountable and for that fact we are appreciative, and we celebrate.

Remember Martin and Jean

On Feb. 26, 2012 George Zimmerman fatally shot and murdered 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder and found not guilty. Beyond the travesty of the murder, it was unfortunate for young Mr. Martin that there was no video of the ordeal. Justice was not served.

On Sept. 6, 2018 off-duty Dallas Police officer Amber Guyger mistakenly burst into the apartment of her unarmed neighbor Mr. Botham Jean and murdered him.

He was watching television and eating a bowl of vanilla ice cream in his own living room. Guyger claimed that she entered the apartment thinking it was her own and thought Mr. Jean was a burglar.

She was convicted of murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison even though the prosecutor requested that she be sentenced to 28-years. Beyond the travesty of the murder, it was unfortunate for Mr. Jean that there was no video of the ordeal.

She is eligible for parole after serving 5 years of her sentence. Mr. Jean is gone forever. Justice was not served.

‘Good’ not new day

I have heard a few commentators refer to Chauvin’s guilty verdict as a turning point, a “new day” in America. I believe that is a bit optimistic. Yes, officers from the Minneapolis Police Department broke rank and the “thin blue line” and testified against a fellow officer. This is still the exception not the rule.

Yes, a jury found Chauvin guilty of murdering an African-American man while performing his duties. This is still the exception not the rule.

It is not a new day in America, but it is a good day. George Floyd minus video equals Trayvon Martin, and countless others. Say their names!

Dr. Wilmer Leon is producer/host of the nationally broadcast call-in talk radio program “Inside the Issues with Wilmer Leon,” on SiriusXM Satellite radio channel 126. Contact him via www.wilmerleon.com.

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BY RON HURTIBISE
SUN SENTINEL/TNS

Florida on Monday enacted a new law requiring out-of-state online merchants to collect and remit sales tax, which supporters say will bring in an additional $1 billion a year that previously went uncollected. Here’s what it means to consumers.

What changes?

Online shoppers will have to pay sales taxes in cases where they weren’t. The law requires online merchants who have no presence in Florida to charge the tax to Florida residents who buy from them.

How much will that cost me?

About $40 to $50 a year on average, says Jared Walczak, researcher for Tax Foundation, a nonprofit tax policy advocacy organization.

We’ve been paying $70 to $80 a year up to this point for online purchases from retailers, such as Target and Best Buy, that have a physical presence in the state. Prior to the 2018 Supreme Court ruling, retailers without a physical presence in the state were not required to collect sales taxes.

Is this a new tax?

Not technically. Florida law has long required consumers to voluntarily remit unpaid sales taxes on purchases if those sales taxes were not collected by the seller. Few consumers were aware of this requirement, few complied, and the state did little to enforce it. As a result, consumers remitted only about 2% of what they owed.

Why did Florida enact this?

Business groups, including Florida TaxWatch and Florida Retail Federation, have been urging the state to enact the law since 2018. That year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in South Dakota vs. Wayfair that states can require online businesses to collect sales taxes even if they do not have a physical presence in the state.

After the ruling, most states quickly created laws or rules requiring sales tax collection by out-of-state online retailers. By the time Florida enacted its law, 43 other states had such laws on their books.

Why do business groups favor this?

Online businesses that don’t collect sales taxes have an advantage over brick-and-mortar businesses that do collect them. The higher the price for a good or service, the bigger the advantage.

Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic Calabro called the enactment “major tax reform and modernization that will keep sales and use taxes the preferred method of taxation in Florida for another generation.”

Businesses affected

The law, which takes effect on July 1, is mainly concerned with what are called “marketplace facilitators” — platforms such as eBay, Etsy, Overstock and Amazon Marketplace through which independent sellers promote and sell their goods.

Those platforms already have software that calculates and adds sales tax to the purchase price based on where the buyer lives. The platforms, not the sellers, are responsible for sending sales tax revenues to states.

Wait, I already pay tax when I buy goods on Amazon. What’s different about this?

Amazon collects sales tax on its own sales but not on third-party sales through its marketplace platform.

Other platforms

What are some other marketplace platforms that must now collect Florida sales tax?

Platforms that sell apps that we download to our phones, computers and tablets. Those include Google Play store, Apple’s App Store and the Microsoft Store.

What businesses are not affected?

The law exempts any business that sells less than $100,000 a year in Florida.

The post What you should know about new online sales tax law appeared first on Daytona Times.

BY ANDREAS BUTLER
DAYTONA TIMES

On Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that makes it illegal for protesters to riot, loot, burn or destroy buildings and property during or following a protest.

DeSantis called it, “The strongest anti-rioting, pro-law enforcement bills in the country.”

The legislation was passed by the Florida Senate days this month and in the House in January.

On April 15, Equal Ground, a Florida voter education organization, held a State of the Legislature Zoom event to inform Volusia County residents on what legislation is in the works in Florida, including the anti-riot legislation.

The online event also educated people on who their state representatives and state senators are and how a bill becomes a law. Equal Ground leaders, including Genesis Robinson, talked about the anti-riot bill. Robinson is the Volusia County Coordinator for Equal Ground’s education arm.

“It cuts at the heart of the First Amendment. It takes away people’s right to protest and petition government. It opens up for folks to be arrested even if, they are attending a peaceful protest,” said Robinson about the anti-protest law.

“It leaves a lot of discretion to law enforcement. In more liberal places and larger cities and more progressive cities.”

Opposing new law

Democrats, civil rights organization and activists oppose the law. Daytona Beach/Volusia County NAACP President Cynthia Slater referred to a statement from the NAACP Florida State Conference.

“The bill is racist, discriminatory, unwise, unlawful and unjust,” said Florida NAACP State Conference President Adora Obi Nweze. The governor put his stamp on this discriminatory law filled with disenfranchisement aimed at Black and Brown Floridians.”

Local activists also weighed in on the law.

Shyriaka “Shy’’ Morris is president of the Southeast Volusia NAACP Chapter. She also led Black Lives Matter protests in New Smyrna Beach.

“We actually stopped doing protests back in November when this law was first proposed,” said Morris. “We didn’t want to get our people in trouble.”

Jennifer Howard leads Black Lives Matters protests in Ormond Beach with the group Ormond Neighbors United.

Instills fear

“The language of the law is too vague. It allows law enforcement to capture anybody who is peacefully protesting at a protest which turns violent through no fault of their own,” said Howard.

“The point of this is to instill fear in Floridians who want to exercise their right to peacefully assembly. What riots happened in Florida? It’s wasted legislation and taking a way of civil rights.”

Dyrell Johnson, also known as Rell Black, also has led protests in Daytona.

“This law is one of the worst tragedies,” he said. “For centuries, our government has enacted polices such as poll taxes, voter identification laws and now anti-protest laws to keep citizens of color silent and docile.”

Hopes for repeal

Morris says actual protesters don’t want to riot or loot.

“Those who rioted had nothing to do with the protests,” Morris said. “I think most of them were opportunists. Those who were there for the movement want to make change and are not there to loot and burn down buildings.”

The anti-riot law will be fought in hopes of being repealed. “We won’t sit silent on this issue and we won’t let this stop peaceful across the state of Florida,” stated Nweze with the NAACP.

Dyrell Johnson added, “My organization has been working with many groups since January to get this bill overturned.’’

Difficulties and restrictions

The anti-riot law also does the following:

• Makes it difficult for local governments to defund law enforcement, allows local elected officials to challenge these budgets and gives the state more power to amend local budgets.
• Allows local government to be sued if they fail to stop a riot.
• Defines riot as public disturbance involving three or more people acting with common intent resulting in injury to others, damage to property or the imminent danger of injury or damage.
• Enhances penalties for those who commit crimes during a riot.
• Creates a new second-degree felony called “aggravated riot” which occurs when there are more than 25 participants.
• Causes great bodily harm or more than $5,000 in property damage, uses or threatens to use a deadly weapon, or blocks roadways by force or threat of force. 

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On April 20, the Volusia County Council confirmed Helene Wetherington, disaster recovery director for Monroe County, as Volusia’s next emergency management director. Wetherington replaces Jim Judge, who retired in January. Her start date is May 17.

Wetherington brings more than 20 years of expertise to the job in local, state, federal and international emergency preparedness, planning, response and recovery. She has been the disaster recovery director for Monroe County since 2018, where she has been coordinating long-term recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

Prior to that, Wetherington’s experience includes serving as assistant director of the Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management, a planner with the Florida Coastal Management Program, area coordinator and community assistance consultant for the Florida Division of Emergency Management and emergency management services director for Calvin, Giordano & Associates, Inc.

Florida Atlantic and FSU grad

Between 2014-2016, she served as the disaster management advisor to the Caribbean Overseas Territories for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

“We’re very lucky to have attracted such a great candidate,” County Manager George Recktenwald said on April 20 in bringing his choice of Wetherington to the council for confirmation.

The incoming director has been an instructor of FEMA courses and for various educational institutions and is certified as an emergency manager by the International Association of Emergency Managers and an assessor for the national Emergency Management Accreditation Program.

Wetherington, who holds dual master’s degrees in public administration from Florida Atlantic University and planning from Florida State University, told the council that she’s excited for the opportunity to build on Volusia County’s well-regarded emergency management program.

“It’s a pleasure to be able to pick up on this program and hopefully enhance it in some areas,” Wetherington said. “I hope we can build a stronger, better and safer Volusia County.”

“Thank you, and welcome,” County Chair Jeff Brower told Wetherington moments after her confirmation was approved. “We’re glad you’re here.’’

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BY ANDREAS BUTLER
DAYTONA TIMES

While millions across the globe waited for the Derek Chauvin verdict to be announced Tuesday, local law enforcement authorities prepared for the worst.

The jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man. Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Nevertheless, many African Americans and other communities of color were unsure if the former officer would be convicted. Many predicted riots if Chauvin walked.

Local law enforcement, like many others across the nation, have protocols for dealing with protests that turn violent.

“We had a plan in place in place, but I had faith in this community that we would be OK,” Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said. “I would be foolish to think nothing could go on. We had a plan, but we wouldn’t go overboard.”

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office learned from large crowd incidents during the summer of 2020.

“We do have a plan. We learned from that summer that we were lacking in crowd equipment,” Volusia County Sheriff Michael Chitwood said. “We have emergency response teams where every police department can send members trained in crowd control and go into these hot spots.”

Law enforcement were hopeful that protests would be peaceful, but prepared for the worst.

“With the verdict, I don’t think we’ll see anything. We’re prepared for anything,” Chitwood said. “Protests can happen anywhere. God forbid they get violent.”

Young echoed, “We hope for the best but we are prepared for the worst. We have been through this when the original incident happened and we were good. Hopefully, that’s the same case if anything happens.”

B-CU students react

Local college students voiced relief and hope for future change after the verdict was announced.

“I was happy that justice was finally served for the murder of George Floyd. [But] as time went on, I realized that this verdict was just an exception to police brutality and fatal police shootings, not the standard,” said Kezia Dentley, a Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU)
sophomore from Dillon, South Carolina.

“Until we hold all policemen accountable for wrongful and unnecessary deaths on their end, justice will never truly be served. However, I do hope that this verdict is a step in the right direction for change within the system,’’ Dentley added.

Others said justice was a long time coming.

“I’m very relieved with the outcome. Of course, everyone had that little doubt that he would get away with murdering George Floyd especially with all the injustices that are going on today dealing with the color of our skin,” said Ashonti Dean, a B-CU senior from Tampa. “It was nice to see an officer finally deal with the consequences of their actions for once.” 

Groups stand down

Local activists, groups and social justice organizations that have held Black Lives Matter (BLM), anti-racism, inequality and injustice protests didn’t have any planned protests.

Ormond Neighbors United in Ormond Beach, a Black Lives Matter protest group, holds protests on Wednesdays at the Grenada Bridge.

“We will be out there for as long as needed. America must honor the contract and live by the words all people are created equally,” said Jennifer Howard. “We planned to continue our usual protests regardless of the Chauvin trial outcome.”

The Black Lives Matter Campaign for Racial Justice in New Smyrna Beach no longer does protests but still fights injustice.

“We continue to advocate for justice and change, but now in other ways, mainly through education initiatives,” responded Shyriaka “Shy’’ Morris. “We want to educate people, mainly the youth, on things like land, property, finances and so forth, so that they can build a better foundation.”

Dyrell Johnson, president of Community Healing Project, a non-profit community improvement organization, also has held protests in Daytona Beach. In June 2020, a driver ran over Johnson’s foot during a protest on the International Speedway Bridge.

“We didn’t plan any protests but just watched developments of the trial,” he said.

‘A baby step forward’

Those fighting for social justice are pleased with the outcome of the Chauvin trial, however, they note that there is still a long way to go toward ending inequality and injustice.

“I thought it was extremely interesting. I am happy with it. I think it is great, but we still need reform in the entire justice system,” Morris said.

Johnson added, “It is justice. It is now time that our communities take law enforcement transparency seriously and continue to demand accountability. The war on injustice continues.” Most said they hope that the verdict is the beginning of change in America.

“The verdict is a baby step forward. There was only a trial because the video evidence was undeniable,” Howard said. “George Floyd was not the first; just look back at Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin and so many others whose families have never been given justice.”

Bethune-Cookman University seniors Victor Minikwu and Samyra Jones contributed to this report. The mass communications majors are Daytona Times interns. 

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