Government & Politics

Local government meetings, elections, policy and civic updates

Nonprofit Wants Downtown New Port Richey's Empty Health Department Building to Become a Kids' Science Center

Brainstorms NPR, Inc. will pitch the City Council on Aug. 18 to turn the vacant three-story building at 5640 Main St. into a hands-on STEAM discovery center, complete with a hurricane simulator. It's up against developers eyeing restaurants, retail and apartments.

Aug 14 min read

Government & Politics

Pasco County Is Hiring: On-the-Spot Interviews at July 30 Career Fair in Dade City

County managers will conduct interviews on the spot at a July 30 career fair in Dade City, with openings from 911 dispatchers and firefighters to bus drivers and engineers.

Jul 263 min read

Government & Politics

Pasco Voters Have Until Monday, July 20 to Register or Switch Parties for the Aug. 18 Primary

Florida's closed-primary rules mean your registered party decides which races you can vote in — and with two open Pasco school board seats on the ballot, the deadline to fix that is just days away.

Jul 154 min read

Government & Politics

Pasco Commissioners to Cast Final Vote Today on 12-Month Freeze for Big Data Centers

Pasco County commissioners meet in Dade City on Tuesday for a binding vote on a one-year moratorium that would halt new large-scale data centers over water, power and flooding concerns.

Jul 144 min read

Government & Politics

More Than $290,000 in Unclaimed Cash Is Waiting for Pasco Residents — With a Sept. 1 Deadline to Claim It

The Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller's Office is holding over $290,000 in uncashed checks owed to local residents and businesses. Searching the list takes minutes — but claims must be filed by September 1, 2026.

Jul 113 min read

Government & Politics

Two Rivers Megaproject and Its 35-Acre Surf Park Clear a Key Pasco Vote — Over Neighbors' Objections

Pasco planners recommended approval of nearly 4,000 homes, 2,500 apartments and Tampa Bay's first surf park along SR-56. The final call now belongs to county commissioners — and residents still get to weigh in.

Jul 104 min read

Government & Politics

Pasco Widens $585M 'Better Future' Storm-Repair Aid to $137K Earners — and Sets 3 Sign-Up Events This Summer

Households earning up to about $137,640 for a family of four can now apply for Pasco's hurricane home-repair money — but with roughly 1,300 applications started and funding that could run out around 2,000, the county is urging residents to move fast.

Jul 94 min read

Government & Politics

Your 2027 Pasco Tax Bill's Ceiling Gets Set This Summer — Not in September. Here's Why That Vote Matters

Pasco commissioners are entering budget season, and the proposed property tax rate they approve this summer becomes the maximum printed on every owner's TRIM notice. Under Florida law, that rate can be lowered later — but never raised.

Jul 65 min read

Government & Politics

Pasco Data Center Freeze Faces Final Vote July 14 — Here's What's at Stake for Your Neighborhood

Pasco commissioners are set to cast a binding vote July 14 on a 12-month moratorium halting new data centers, after residents raised alarms over water use, noise, power demand and flood-prone building sites. One more public meeting stands between neighbors and the freeze.

Jul 35 min read

Government & Politics

DeSantis Vetoes E-Bike Speed Limits and Four Other Bills, Leaving Pasco's Rules in Local Hands

Gov. Ron DeSantis rejected five bills in late June, including a statewide e-bike safety measure — meaning Pasco County and its cities keep setting their own rules on the increasingly common bikes.

Jun 284 min read

Government & Politics

Ridge Road Extension Slips Again: Two-Lane Opening Now Eyed for 2027, Full Road in 2028

Pasco County has pushed back the next leg of the long-awaited Ridge Road Extension, with a partial opening now targeted for 2027 and the full four-lane road not expected until early 2028 — largely because of the new CSX railroad bridge.

Jun 214 min read