The state of Florida has found itself in familiar territory. It is once again the center of a national discussion.
In this iteration, the country is watching Ron DeSantis, who is running for the Republican nomination for president in the upcoming 2024 election.
DON'T MISS: DeSantis Makes Boldest Charge Yet Against Disney
At the same time, he has picked a famous fight with Orlando, Fla.'s prized Disney (DIS) -).
And in the process, he's put himself in the middle of a culture confrontation about LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and education priorities.
The governor is doubling down on his positions concerning academic principles, including critical race theory (CRT), which is a matter of dispute between intellectuals and those who arguably appear to use it for political advantage.
Florida is a state that, on first look, would be a fabulous destination for anyone looking for work. But in one field, there appears to be some apprehension, based on the current Florida political environment.
Florida May Be Experiencing a 'Brain Drain'
A Florida newspaper suggests there may be a trend with potential academic professionals becoming wary of moving to the state.
"The Tampa Bay Times reviewed records showing an upward tick in staff departures at some of Florida’s largest universities," an NBC News story reported. "And, as the Board of Governors discovered this spring, doubts about the state’s academic workplace are spreading fast. Matthew Lata, a music professor at Florida State University, told board members that candidates were turning down positions in his college 'because of the perceived anti-higher education atmosphere in the state.'"
A "brain drain," apparently, is possibly to blame for a philosophy department job left open after a potential applicant refused a job at the University of South Florida for a "lower-ranked" school in another state, "pointing to Florida's political climate," according to the NBC story.
Florida's Economy Heats Up
This news comes as Florida is, nevertheless, becoming one of the country's hottest economies.
Inflation, a key factor of the warm economy in the state, is a boon for homeowners.
Florida is America’s inflation hotspot, thanks to rising housing costs.
"The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area has the highest inflation rate of metro areas with more than 2.5 million residents, with a 9% inflation rate for the 12 months ended in April," CNN reports.
The popular move to Florida, which has increased housing costs, was exacerbated, according to economists, by the pandemic-induced trend of working from home.
"A lot of people are still coming to Florida because the economy is really strong, and many like the fact that we don’t have an income tax like in New York, for example," said Amanda Phalin, an economist at the University of Florida, according to the CNN story. "And in places like Miami, we’re seeing a lot of real estate demand from non-Floridians or non-American investors -- generally wealthy folks who want to have a nice home here."
"Both the rental and purchasing markets are seeing upward pressures on prices from all these factors," Phalin said, according to CNN. "A lot of homes are converting themselves into Airbnbs and some homeowner associations prohibit people from renting out their homes."
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