The 2016 Quality Counts Rankings Put Florida in Context
BlogFor 2016, Florida received an overall score of 72.4 points, a grade of C-, and an overall rank of 30th.
Florida’s 2016 Mid-Year Job Growth
Economic Development, Research, Taxpayer GuideThis Economic Commentary looks at Florida’s mid-year job growth figures, showing that the state has added approximately 244,500 non-farm jobs over the past year.
Taxpayer Independence Day 2016
Research, Taxes, Taxpayer GuideWednesday, April 20 Florida TaxWatch celebrates Florida Taxpayer Independence Day 2016: the day Floridians are finally earning money for themselves and not for the tax collector. This symbolic date assumes that every dollar earned since January 1 goes to pay federal, state, and local tax obligations. In 2015, for the average Florida household, paying its taxes takes 110 out of 365 days, or more than three and a half months.
2016 Budget Turkey Watch Report
Budget & Appropriations, Budget Turkeys, Cost Savings, Research, Taxpayer GuideEach year, the Budget Turkey Report consists of only a very small percentage of the state budget and this year represented just over 0.1 percent. The $82.3 billion budget passed by the Florida House and Senate on March 11, 2016 contains 143 appropriations items worth $104.9 million qualifying as Budget Turkeys.
2026 Budget Turkey Watch Report: FY2026-27
Budget Turkeys, Budget/Approps, Featured Research, Local Government, ResearchIntroduction 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 TaxWatch Announces Friday, April 17 is Florida Taxpayer Independence Day 2026
Press ReleasesFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 CONTACT: Christina Johnson Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch announced today that Friday, April 17 is Florida Taxpayer Independence Day (TID) 2026. This
Florida TaxWatch Releases Report on Government Efficiency Task Force, Recommends Legislature Enact ‘Florida Government Efficiency Act’ in Statute
Press ReleasesFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, August 28, 2025 CONTACT: Christina Johnson Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch released a report Government Efficiency Should Not Be Something We Only Do Every
Instructional Expenses: Prek-12 Education Spending
Blog, Education, ResearchWhere and how well our school districts spend our education dollars can have a profound impact on student academic achievement and success. Historically, education makes up about one-fourth of Florida’s total budget. Florida TaxWatch believes that shifting education spending away from administrative and other expenses and toward classroom/instructional expenses is beneficial.
“Why Human Trafficking Is More Than Just A Moral Issue.”
Blog, ResearchJanuary 2022 marked the 12th Annual Human Trafficking Awareness Month. A recognized memorial since 2010, the designation seeks to raise human trafficking awareness and educate the public about the crime’s heinous impact on millions of people across the world. Given the criminal enterprise nature of human trafficking, there is also an inherent economic cost to communities and the state of Florida when exploitation prevents victims from leading dignified, generative lives. What are the costs and implications of human trafficking in Florida?
Did Florida Undercount in the 2020 Census, Potentially Missing Out on Federal Dollars?
BlogThe 2020 Census is finally over, capping off a historic effort to accurately count every person in the United States during a pandemic. A few interesting stories emerge from the latest enumeration of the nation, such as the growing population shift to the South and New York losing a congressional House seat by only 89 people. Although Florida was one of the so-called “winners” in the current census because it secured an additional seat in Congress, the result was not as spectacular as expected.
