Headshot of Florida Phoenix senior reporter Christine Sexton.

Christine Sexton

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Christine Sexton is a senior reporter at the Florida Phoenix. She has spent more than 30 years reporting on Florida health care, insurance policy, and state politics and has covered the state’s last six governors. Before joining the Phoenix, she helped launch the Politico Florida bureau and wrote the weekly health care newsletter, Diagnosis, for Florida Politics. She also worked for the News Service of Florida. Sexton has written articles that have appeared in The New York Times, Bloomberg News, and The Associated Press. She lives in Tallahassee.

It’s up to the voters now: Legislature OKs DeSantis property tax proposal
Florida

It’s up to the voters now: Legislature OKs DeSantis property tax proposal

Jun 02, 2026
Christine Sexton Jay Waagmeester
Florida voters will be asked to sharply curtail the property taxes cities and counties rely upon under a far-reaching resolution championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and approved Tuesday by a supermajority of the Florida Legislature. The proposed constitutional amendment must...
Legislature changes the math on property tax plan to protect schools from DeSantis’ proposal
Florida

Legislature changes the math on property tax plan to protect schools from DeSantis’ proposal

Jun 01, 2026
Christine Sexton Jay Waagmeester
The Florida Legislature is moving quickly to put into play a revamped proposal pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to drastically reduce property taxes, homestead and otherwise, with potential final passage as early as Tuesday. Top legislative Republicans in the House...
National abortion network says assistance calls and related costs are increasing
Florida

National abortion network says assistance calls and related costs are increasing

Jun 01, 2026
Christine Sexton
New data show the need for support for women seeking the procedure has nearly doubled in the four years following reversal of Roe v. Wade, with the number of calls for assistance reaching 158,000 in 2025, up from 82,000 calls...
FY 26-27 budget done, vetoes are coming, and property tax debate lies ahead
Florida

FY 26-27 budget done, vetoes are coming, and property tax debate lies ahead

May 29, 2026
Christine Sexton
The Florida Legislature signed off on a $114.5 billion budget Friday afternoon, even as some legislators worried it falls short of doing enough for schools, healthcare, and the environment. A handful of Democrats also sharply criticized a nearly $300 million...
DeSantis’ property tax plan is different than what was described
Florida

DeSantis’ property tax plan is different than what was described

May 28, 2026
Christine Sexton
New legislation filed in the Senate Thursday doesn’t quite match how Gov. Ron DeSantis described his property tax proposal during a lengthy news conference in Tampa Wednesday. Senate Joint Resolution 2F, is offered by Miami Republican Sen. Bryan Avila and...
Schools, health care, public safety could be hit under property tax plan released by DeSantis
Florida

Schools, health care, public safety could be hit under property tax plan released by DeSantis

May 27, 2026
Mitch Perry Christine Sexton Jay Waagmeester
TAMPA — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday announced his plan for a homestead property tax exemption that could crimp local governments’ ability to fund schools, health care, and public safety. Simultaneously, he called for lawmakers to return to Tallahassee and...
DeSantis discusses push for taxpayer-funded security after he leaves office, budget vetoes
Florida

DeSantis discusses push for taxpayer-funded security after he leaves office, budget vetoes

May 27, 2026
Christine Sexton
Gov. Ron DeSantis thanked the Legislature Wednesday for finally drawing up a state budget — the only must-pass piece of legislation of the year — but warned that vetoes are coming. DeSantis also commented on the Legislature’s refusal to include...
$115B state budget finalized over Memorial Day weekend
Florida

$115B state budget finalized over Memorial Day weekend

May 26, 2026
Christine Sexton
After failing for the second year in a row to pass a budget on time, the Florida Legislature has cobbled together this year’s Appropriations Act, to be voted on and sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis by the end of the...
Eleventh hour budget deal includes $4M compensation for ‘Groveland Four’
Florida

Eleventh hour budget deal includes $4M compensation for ‘Groveland Four’

May 24, 2026
Christine Sexton
Florida legislators gathered Sunday to put the finishing touches on a roughly $115 billion state budget that will affect everyone from AIDS patients seeking crucial drugs to the families of four Black men wrongly accused of rape in 1949. The...
Friday night budget lights: Spending details released after a week of closed-door meetings
Florida

Friday night budget lights: Spending details released after a week of closed-door meetings

May 22, 2026
Christine Sexton
After a week of behind-the-scenes negotiations, budget writers for the Florida House and Senate met Friday afternoon and early evening and produced apparent agreements on a $50 million investment for a Tampa Bay Rays stadium, pay raises for targeted state...
What’s going on: The Florida fiscal year 2026-27 budget and the special session
Florida

What’s going on: The Florida fiscal year 2026-27 budget and the special session

May 22, 2026
Christine Sexton
Billions of dollars for schools, healthcare for the state’s poor, and restoring the Everglades remain up in the air with just days left before the Florida Legislature is supposed to deliver a new state budget. Legislators returned to Tallahassee on...
Some in Gator Nation are growling about UF presidential pick Stuart Bell and his positions on DEI
Florida

Some in Gator Nation are growling about UF presidential pick Stuart Bell and his positions on DEI

May 19, 2026
Christine Sexton
That escalated quickly. Within hours of the announcement that former University of Alabama President Stuart Bell was chosen by a University of Florida presidential search committee as the one and only finalist to head UF, critics took to social media...