2026 Budget Turkey Watch Report: FY2026-27
Introduction Many in the Florida Legislature have been rightly criticizing local governments for rapidly increasing property taxes and budgets. The property tax debate and the
Florida Manufacturing: A Highly Productive and Integral Economic Driver
Introduction According to Newton’s first law of motion, an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. Florida’s manufacturing sector
Taxpayer Independence Day 2026
Friday, April 17 is Florida Taxpayer Independence Day 2026 — the symbolic date when the average Florida household has earned enough to satisfy all federal, state, and local tax obligations for the year.
Tourism in Central Florida: Why Tourist Development Tax Revenue Should Not Be Diverted
Each year, more than one hundred million visitors come to Florida to enjoy its beaches, warm temperatures, and its numerous parks, thrills, and attractions. Latest FloridaCommerce data confirm that Florida set a new all-time annual record in calendar year 2024 with 143 million visitors an increase of 1.7 percent over the previous record set in 2023. Out-of-state visitors to Florida spent $134.9 billion in calendar year 2024. For every $1 spent by a visitor, 99 cents stayed in Florida’s economy, with 59 cents supporting worker salaries. Tourism supported 1.8 million jobs in 2024 and generated $79.9 billion in wages, including $44 billion in direct wages. Tourism-related activity produced $33.6 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. Tourism accounted for 7.8 percent of Florida’s Nominal Gross State Product (GSP), contributing $133.6 billion to the state’s economy in 2024. Without tourism, Florida households would pay $1,730 more annually in state and local taxes alone to sustain current levels of revenue.
Cost of Living in Florida: A Mid-Decade Check-In
For millions of Floridians, the defining economic question of the mid-2020s isn’t about growth or GDP — it’s about whether they can still afford to stay.
2026 Florida Legislative Session Wrap-Up
For the second year in a row, the Florida Legislature ended its 60-day session without completing its only constitutionally required task — passing a state budget.
Florida Economic Forecast 2025 – 2035
Florida’s economy reached $1.85 trillion in Q3 2025, ranking first among all 50 states and the District of Columbia in economic growth. This fourth installment of Florida TaxWatch’s quarterly economic forecast series — produced in partnership with the Regional Economic Consulting Group — examines whether that momentum is sustainable through 2035.
Building The Force: An Analysis of Florida’s Law Enforcement Apprenticeship Program (LEAP)
Florida’s Law Enforcement Apprenticeship Program (LEAP) is helping address persistent officer shortages, particularly in rural and fiscally constrained communities where recruiting and retaining qualified personnel remains a challenge. Traditional pathways into law enforcement often require candidates to pay for training upfront while forgoing income, creating barriers that limit access to the profession.
2025 MakeMore Manufacturing Summit: Summary Report
Manufacturing is one of Florida’s leading industries and a key driver of job growth and economic strength, contributing more than $80 billion to Florida’s annual GDP.
Clearwater’s Plan to Establish Its Own Municipal Electric Utility Puts Taxpayers at Risk
The City of Clearwater is considering acquiring Duke Energy Florida’s electric distribution assets to establish a municipal electric utility (MEU), citing potential rate reductions and increased local control. Florida TaxWatch’s independent analysis finds that the feasibility study supporting this proposal relies on optimistic assumptions that significantly understate legal, financial, and operational risks.
New General Revenue Forecast Adds $572.5 Million for the Next Budget
The General Revenue (GR) Estimating Conference met on January 23 to adopt Florida’s latest GR forecast—the estimate that tells lawmakers how much is available for the next state budget.
Florida’s Space Coast is Well-Positioned to Dominate the Future of the Aerospace Industry
For more than 60 years, Florida’s Space Coast—anchored by Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS)—has served as a premier gateway to space, driving tourism, high-tech jobs, and statewide economic output. After major federal program shifts in the 2010s led to significant regional job losses, Florida’s modern commercial-space resurgence—supported by Space Florida’s strategy to diversify the supply chain, modernize infrastructure, and attract private capital—has positioned the Space Coast to lead the next era of aerospace growth.
