The Taxpayer’s Guide to Florida’s FY2026-27 State Budget
Budget & Appropriations, ResearchDear Fellow Taxpayer, Florida TaxWatch is pleased to present taxpayers with a guide to the FY2026-27 state budget, which went into effect July 1, 2026. […]
A Closer Look At The Deferred Retirement Option Program
Research, RetirementDear Fellow Taxpayer Many of Florida’s longest-serving public employees take part in a program that lets them formally retire “on paper” while continuing to work
Florida TaxWatch Analyzes Florida Sheriffs’ Offices Staffing, Recommends Policies to Retain, Recruit, and Fund Law Enforcement Workforce
Press ReleasesFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, December 18, 2025 CONTACT: Christina Johnson Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its analysis of Florida Sheriffs’ Offices Staffing Analysis to better understand staffing challenges
Florida Sheriffs’ Offices Staffing Analysis
Local Government, Public Safety, Research, Workforce DevelopmentIn May 2025, Florida TaxWatch and the Florida Sheriff Association conducted a joint survey to local sheriff offices to learn more about law enforcement’s workforce challenges.
How Childcare Costs Impact Florida’s Economy
Economic Development, ResearchThe impact of childcare, as the data suggest, is prominent on Florida’s economy. Losses incurred from turnover and absenteeism of working parents can be avoided with friendlier workplace policies and higher investment in affordable childcare. As an important part of the industry, treating childcare workers better financially can help maintain the workforce in childcare and add to the economy of Florida. Impactful measures that can alleviate the pressing childcare issues mentioned can further grow Florida’s economy.
Florida TaxWatch, Associated Industries of Florida Outline Recommendations to Ensure Success of Florida’s Large-Scale Information Technology Projects
Press ReleasesFlorida TaxWatch, in collaboration with the Associated Industries of Florida (AIF), released a report titled “It’s Time to Reform Florida’s Information Technology Procurement and Oversight.” The report highlights Florida’s 25-year history of inadequately executed large-scale IT projects and offers recommendations for reforming the Florida Digital Service’s (FL[DS]) procurement and oversight processes to ensure their success. Key points from the report include: – FTW and AIF identified recurring problems in statewide technology projects, including poor planning, contracting, and oversight, leading to failures in accountability. – Since 1999, Florida has repeatedly restructured its state agency overseeing these IT projects, with the FL[DS] established most recently in 2020. – Public sector IT agencies like the FL[DS] struggle to compete with the private sector in hiring knowledgeable staff due to salary and work condition limitations, leading to an overreliance on consultants and vendors. – The report proposes 10 recommendations for the Florida Legislature, such as forming a joint committee on IT and offering incentives like signing bonuses to attract IT staff. Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro emphasized the need for the state’s IT projects to be delivered efficiently and within budget. AIF President and CEO Brewster B. Bevis highlighted the importance of Florida improving its IT processes for long-term success. For more details and access to the full report, including all recommendations, interested parties are directed to the Florida TaxWatch website. FTW, a nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog, has been working to enhance productivity and accountability in Florida government for over forty years.
It’s Time to Reform Florida’s Information Technology Procurement and Oversight
Research, TechnologyThis report highlights the chronic issues plaguing Florida’s large-scale IT projects, such as inadequate planning, contracting, and management. These issues have led to the repeated formation and dissolution of a state agency overseeing these projects, with the most recent being the Florida Digital Service (FL[DS]) established in 2020. The paper provides a series of recommendations to prevent the failure of FL[DS]. These include forming a joint House and Senate IT committee for oversight, adopting a new governance model, standardizing statewide agency business processes, and revising Florida Statutes for better IT project procurement and vendor evaluation. Furthermore, the paper suggests methods to attract and retain IT talent, like offering signing bonuses, revising job descriptions to focus on skills, and creating a talent pipeline from the State University System. The report emphasizes the necessity for effective project management and strategic decisions to ensure the success of Florida’s IT projects and to safeguard taxpayer investments??.
Florida TaxWatch Analyzes Benefits of Extending State Group Insurance to Florida College System
Press ReleasesTallahassee, 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.
Building a Culture of Success: What Effective Principals Do
Education, ResearchAmong all school-related factors that contribute to what students learn at school, leadership is perhaps second only to classroom instruction. Furthermore, the impact of leadership tends to be the greatest in schools where the learning needs of students are most acute.
Wage Growth and Talent Attraction in the Pandemic Labor Market
Economic Development, ResearchAmid a tight labor market and the ongoing “great resignation,” companies are pursuing creative and concerted efforts to attract and retain talent. Especially for service industries wrestling with existing labor shortages, recruitment methods have included sign-up bonuses, tuition reimbursement, free coding classes, and of course, higher wages. These strategies have produced higher pay for many workers and signaled a reversal from the lackluster wage growth in the years leading up to the pandemic.
