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Fiscal Year 2023: Florida’s Continuing Success in Debt Reduction

Blog

The 2023 Debt Report for Florida highlights the state’s strong financial standing, with a debt ratio below the 6% legislative target for the tenth consecutive year. Florida’s debt and debt service have decreased, while General Revenue collections increased by $3.3 billion. Rating agencies affirmed AAA ratings and a stable financial outlook. The report details Florida’s debt management strategies, including limiting debt accumulation and maintaining high reserves, contributing to a strong debt capacity and reduced future costs. Local government debt, however, remains comparatively high. The state’s prudent financial practices are underscored, benefiting taxpayers and indicating a healthy fiscal future.

Comments to the Honorable Ana Maria Rodriguez, Chair, and Members of the Senate Committee on Finance and Tax Regarding SB 982 – Tax Refund Program for Qualified Target Industry Businesses

Releases

The Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund Program is a performance-based incentive program, that incentivizes the creation of high-quality, high-wage jobs – the higher the wage, the larger the refund – in sought-after targeted industries and offers a bonus for new jobs in rural areas of the state, incentivizing businesses to locate in economically disadvantaged counties.

Florida TaxWatch News Clips (July 15 -31)

In the News

Florida TaxWatch is constantly looking to spread the word about our research, recommendations, and programs, all in pursuit of serving each and every taxpayer in Florida. Below is just a selection of where we’ve popped up in the last few weeks!

Florida TaxWatch News Clips (June 15 – 30)

In the News

Florida TaxWatch is constantly looking to spread the word about our research, recommendations, and programs, all in pursuit of serving each and every taxpayer in Florida. Below is just a selection of where we’ve popped up in the last few weeks!

Transferring Utility Profits to a Municipality’s General Fund Increases the Risk of Undercapitalization of Water Assets and Violate Taxpayer Accountability

Local Government, Research, Taxes

Setting water utility rates that incorporate the recovery of the costs associated with standard operating expenses and debt obligations is essential to ensuring the short-term and longer-term financial stability of the utility. Once these costs are covered, many publicly owned utilities make transfers to the General Fund (a practice known as “sweeping”) ostensibly to help pay for governmental services that do not generate revenue (e.g., roadway maintenance, public safety, etc.) and to help keep property taxes lower. Keeping property taxes low often means higher municipal utility rates to balance the general budget, a habitual practice that burdens utility customers with cross-subsidies and normalizes underinvestment in infrastructure.

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