Budget Turkeys are items, usually local member projects, that are added to the appropriations bill in during the budget conference that circumvent established competitive review processes. The Budget Turkey label does not signify judgment of a project’s worthiness.
July 1 marked the first day of Florida’s 2016-17 fiscal year with the new $82.3 billion budget and 159 laws going into effect. The budget, the largest in Florida history, funds all types of services for Floridians, ranging from education and health care to state parks and court renovations. Passing a state budget is required by the Florida Constitution and involves extremely difficult decisions. Still, it is imperative that our elected officials exercise accountability and transparency in the budgeting process. The hardworking taxpayers of Florida rightfully expect that lawmakers will thoroughly vet all appropriations before adding them to the budget. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
This Special Report details how Escambia County is seeking creative solutions to dealing with the recession.
This Florida TaxWatch publication, Improving Transparency and Accountability in Escambia County Government, is available for download via the document link attached to this post.
This Florida TaxWatch publication, Process to Amend Local Government Charters Should Be Amended to Ensure Accountability- Integrity- and Transparency, is available for download via the
This Florida TaxWatch publication, 2005 Turkey Watch Report Budgeting With Integrity Transparency and Accountability: A Final Thought, is available for download via the document link
Florida TaxWatch supports the concept of a centralized management system for the fleet of state[1]owned motor vehicles, maintenance facilities, and fuel depots.
Florida TaxWatch has undertaken an independent review to assess the impacts of certain key changes proposed by MFAR that would have a far-reaching and dramatic impact on Florida’s Medicaid program, Florida’s safety-net providers, the 3.8 million Medicaid-eligible Floridians, and Florida taxpayers. Florida TaxWatch is pleased to present this summary report and its recommendations, and we look forward to a continued discussion with Florida lawmakers and policymakers.
For nearly four decades, Florida TaxWatch has called for transparency in the budget process with our annual “turkey list” which highlights items that were inserted into the state budget with no opportunity for public review.
Despite lawmakers’ efforts to increase transparency while crafting the 2015-16 Florida state budget, 189 projects worth $167 million were inserted into the budget without sufficient public scrutiny, or circumventing established budget processes, according to the Florida TaxWatch 2015 Budget Turkey Watch Report: An analysis of the accountability and transparency of the budget process.
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