Orlando Local Headlines for March 3: Tax Pause, Blood Moon, Film Incentives

Local Headlines

Orlando, FL – March 3, 2026 – Orange County pauses a proposed 1-cent sales tax plan, a dawn ‘Blood Moon’ arrives, and film incentives open soon.


Here’s a quick, local-first roundup for Orlando and Orange County for Tuesday, March 3.

1) Orange County hits pause on a proposed sales tax increase

County commissioners voted Monday to table talks on a local one-cent sales tax increase until 2028, citing affordability and timing concerns. The idea has been pitched as a way to create a dedicated funding stream for major transportation and infrastructure needs, as the county faces more than $22 billion in unfunded projects.

County staff estimated a 1% increase could raise roughly $757 million a year, and officials noted that visitor spending means residents would pay a relatively small share of the total. For now, leaders said the economic climate makes it harder to justify asking voters for a tax hike.

2) A total lunar eclipse creates a pre-dawn ‘Blood Moon’

Early risers across Central Florida had a chance to see the full moon turn a coppery red during a total lunar eclipse this morning. Local viewing was time-sensitive because the moon sat low in the western sky, with the most dramatic stretch happening around the 6 a.m. hour before moonset.

If you missed it, keep an eye out for future skywatching nights — eclipses have a way of turning an ordinary weekday into a neighborhood-wide ‘did you see that?’ moment.

3) Orange County’s film incentive program set to open applications

Orange County staff say applications are expected to open in early March for a county-backed film incentive program designed to attract productions and keep more local film graduates working in the region. The application window is expected to stay open for about three weeks.

The program includes separate incentive tracks for television commercial work and for television/film production, with minimum local spending requirements and caps on reimbursements. Officials say the effort is funded with tourist development tax revenue and is meant to generate local hotel stays and broader business activity tied to shoots.

4) March events: library calendar highlights LEGOs and more

Families can start circling dates now: a major LEGO-themed event is planned for later this month at Orlando Public Library, alongside Women’s History Month programming and other branch events around the county. Some activities require registration, so it’s worth checking details early if you’re planning a weekend outing.

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