The 2026 Florida legislative session ended without a budget, no meaningful relief on homeowners insurance, and no resolution on property taxes — even though Governor DeSantis made property tax reform his signature issue and never offered a plan. Veteran journalists Michael Williams & Brian Crowley break down the session's biggest wins, failures, and what comes next — including special sessions on the budget, property taxes, and redistricting.

They also look ahead to Florida's 2026 governor's race, where Congressman Byron Donalds holds an early commanding lead on the Republican side, and where Democrats Jerry Demings and David Jolly are seen as the frontrunners. With gas prices rising, the war in Iran escalating, and affordability still a top concern, they examine whether Trump's political coattails will still be an asset by November.

Top of Mind Florida drops every Tuesday at 5 AM on all major podcast platforms.

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Distinguished American history professor Dr. Robert Watson of Lynn University joins hosts Michael Williams and Brian Crowley for a wide-ranging conversation on America's 250th anniversary. Watson, a Smithsonian fellow and author of Declaration, argues the nation faces its gravest threat since the Civil War — and draws on the founders' own fears to explain why.

Topics include the founding principles of cooperation, compromise and consensus; slavery's role in the Declaration and Constitution; Lincoln's Gettysburg framing; the Electoral College; social media algorithms and the collapse of critical thinking; the erosion of local journalism; and what's being planned for the national commemoration.

Florida Historian, America 250th anniversary, US Constitution crisis, Robert Watson historian, founding fathers history, Electoral College reform

Taylor Morgan, founder of Kind Diners Society, joins hosts Michael Williams and Brian Crowley on Top of Mind Florida to talk about a Palm Beach-area movement that's quietly changing how Floridians treat restaurant workers.

Kind Diners Society members pay $8.99/month, save 20% at 160+ local restaurants, and help fund a monthly surprise tip — always $500 or more — for a deserving hospitality worker. Since launching, the organization has given back $21,000 to local restaurant employees.

Taylor also shares a major milestone: Kind Diners Society was chosen out of 30 local businesses to be the pilot episode of "Brick and Soul," a documentary from Hot Focus Media in Boca Raton, currently being shopped to Netflix and major streaming services. The premiere party is expected at a local theater in late March or early April.

The conversation covers the post-COVID collapse of courtesy in restaurants, why hospitality workers are leaving the industry in record numbers, and what led Taylor to walk away from an afternoon drive radio career to build something that matters.

Turn down the heat in Florida politics and beyond. Join Brian Crowley and Michael Williams every Sunday at 9:00 AM EST for the analysis you’ve been missing since our broadcast TV days.

In this episode, we dive into a potentially big budget gap facing Florida lawmakers and the surprising bipartisan support for school vaccine mandates.

We also take a hard look at the "profound anxiety" in American politics following recent violence in Minneapolis and the shooting of a VA nurse by ICE agents.

Plus, is a "Wind-Only" insurance model the key to solving Florida's affordability crisis?

#FloridaPolitics #TopOfMind #FLBudget #InsuranceCrisis

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Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link joins hosts Michael Williams and Brian Crowley to break down critical voting legislation moving through the 2026 Florida Legislative Session.

Link discusses three major bills under consideration: documented proof of citizenship requirements, vote verification procedures, and mandates for pen-to-paper voting that could eliminate popular Express Vote machines. She explains why Florida has become the national gold standard for election administration and addresses ongoing attacks on mail-in voting despite its security and popularity among Florida voters.

The conversation explores signature verification processes, the benefits of pre-certification audits, and why hand counting ballots isn't the solution critics claim. Link also reveals that Palm Beach County has reached a historic milestone with 35% of active voters now registered as no party affiliation, raising questions about the future of Florida's political landscape.

With March municipal elections approaching, Link provides crucial deadlines and encourages voters to witness the transparent election process firsthand at the new Palm Beach County elections facility. Guest: Wendy Sartory Link, Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections

Hosts: Brian Crowley & Michael Williams

Production: Ko-Mar Productions

New episodes every Sunday at 9 AM on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

Holly Baltz, editor and reporter at Stet News and former Palm Beach Post investigative editor, joins Michael Williams and Brian Crowley to examine the possible connection between disappearing local news coverage and the too frequent disappearance of competitive democracy in Florida. With 50 plus unopposed races in Palm Beach County alone the conversation reveals how the absence of accountability journalism leaves voters uninformed and discourages candidates from running.

Holly discusses her transition from decades at the Post to nonprofit journalism, the challenges facing credible reporting in the social media age, and why Stet News represents a sustainable model for community coverage. The discussion covers media business failures, the toxicity driving people from public service, innovative programs like Community Voices training high school students to cover city government, and a sobering reality: hundreds of Florida cities operate with zero news coverage and no one watching how tax dollars are spent.

Essential listening for anyone concerned about informed citizenship, government transparency, and the future of local accountability in Florida.

New episodes every Sunday at 9 AM.

The 2026 Florida Legislative Session is here, and the biggest fight on the table is the future of property taxes. While some leaders push for total elimination, others warn of a massive funding gap for vital local needs. Florida Senate Minority Leader Lori Berman joins Michael Williams and Brian Crowley to explain why "tax relief" might come with a catch.

In this episode:

• Property Tax Reality Check: Why "zeroing out" your bill could end local services.
• Florida DOGE: The push to audit state land buys and voucher programs.
• The 2026 Affordability Agenda: Targeted help for seniors and first-time buyers.
• Foster Care Reform: A personal bill to give kids in the system a sense of dignity.

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Your Taxes Your Money The Florida Fight

Florida House Representative Toby Overdorf, a Treasure Coast Republican joins the podcast to discuss the 2026 legislative session's biggest priorities. We break down the proposed constitutional amendments for property tax relief, the potential for Byron Donalds to succeed Ron DeSantis as Governor, and why Florida might be looking toward small modular nuclear reactors to power its AI future. Plus, a look at the return of cursive writing and the bill to finally eliminate yellow registration stickers on license plates.

🎧 NEVER MISS AN EPISODE Subscribe to "Top of Mind Florida" on your favorite platform: ▶️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/top-of-mind-florida/id1818339119 ▶️ RSS Feed / All Platforms: https://rss.com/podcasts/top-of-mind-florida/ 📺 WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@TopOfMindFlorida