Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch released a list of 24 taxpayer priorities for the 2024 Legislative Session, which begins on Tues., Jan. 9 and […]
Serving as the eyes and ears of Florida taxpayers, Florida TaxWatch annually reviews the state budget to prepare its Budget Guide, showing how hard-earned taxpayer dollars are spent. This year, consistent with a recommendation by Florida TaxWatch, line item 2923 of the 500-page General Appropriations Act appropriates $500,000 in nonrecurring funds to the Department of Management Services to contract for a comprehensive analysis to determine the fiscal impact and feasibility of extending the State Group Insurance Program (SGIP) to employees of the Florida College System.
Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released Extending State Group Insurance to the Florida College System Case Study: Indian River State College. In this briefing, FTW analyzes the benefits of extending the State Group Insurance Program (SGIP) to the 28 colleges that comprise the Florida College System (FCS). Citing a December 2021 Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study, FTW states that offering this defined benefit program – where the employee pays a fixed amount toward the monthly premium (for individual or family coverage) and the state pays the remainder – would be an investment in the continued development of Florida’s specialized workforce.
Florida’s economy is strong. If Florida were a country, its gross domestic product (GDP) would rank 14th among economies worldwide, and its ambitions do not stop there. Florida aims to be within the top ten economies by 2030. By this time, two in three jobs are expected to require specialized training, a credential, or a degree. To achieve its economic goal, Florida will need to continue developing its specialized workforce. With 120,000 students completing Florida College System (FCS) programs each year, the FCS plays a critical role in providing the talent pipeline necessary to reach Florida’s economic goal and does so at a very affordable cost to students and Florida taxpayers alike.
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