Florida TaxWatch is pleased that the Governor Scott has heeded the recommendations of our research to include a 25 percent reduction (1.5 points) in the business rent tax (BRT), saving Florida businesses more than $454 million a year. As the only state in the union with a tax on commercial leases, Florida is at a clear competitive disadvantage with other states.
This morning, the Florida Supreme Court declined to hear the teacher’s union lawsuit attacking Florida’s tax credit scholarship program. This is a huge victory for Florida families. These scholarships provide lower income families, most of whom are minorities, the opportunities to receive a high quality education and are funded through donations from businesses across the state.
With Florida’s prison population one of the largest in the country, lawmakers have made a concentrated push to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the state correctional system. The latest report by Florida TaxWatch, the state’s premier, non-partisan government watchdog, offers a detailed analysis of the state’s sentencing, incarceration, prisoner, and correctional budget histories, allowing policy makers and the public to identify areas in need of improvement regarding corrections.
Florida TaxWatch, the state’s premier, non-partisan government watchdog for almost 40 years, has led the charge for expanding scope of practice for advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) and physician assistants (PAs), which would significantly lower costs for patients while improving access across the state. On January 1, 2017, provisions within HB 423 became effective, making Florida the final state in the country to allow ARNPs to prescribe controlled drugs.
Today, Florida TaxWatch held a press conference outlining the Florida Government Efficiency Task Force (GETF) final report, which details 29 recommendations that would improve government operations while saving hard-working Florida taxpayers’ money. The potential cost-savings the state could realize if these recommendations were implemented could exceed $2 billion annually.
While people are focusing on holiday shopping and travel plans, Florida TaxWatch is looking to 2017 and what it will bring for Florida’s economic outlook. The latest Economic Commentary published by the non-partisan, non-profit research institute finds that 2017 should bring sustained growth to the Sunshine State as people continue to find jobs and payrolls increase.
Charlie was a highly effective Chancellor of Florida's universities and public leader for the taxpayers of the Sunshine State for many decades. Florida and its taxpayers are certainly much better off because of the leadership and effective management skills of Charlie Reed. It was my pleasure and honor to have been his friend for more than 30 years and his loss is a loss for me personally, all Floridians and everyone who cares about education and public service.
Governor Rick Scott could not have made a better choice than selecting my friend and Florida TaxWatch leader Syd Kitson to serve on the Board of Governors of the State University System. Syd was highly effective serving as the innovative Chairman of the TaxWatch Center for Health & Aging, helping TaxWatch be a leader in securing legislation on Telehealth and expanded scope of practice for nurse and allied health professionals in the 2016 Legislative Session.
Florida TaxWatch, the state’s premier non-profit, non-partisan research institute and government watchdog, named its new chairman and welcomed new board members at its 37th Annual Board Meeting on November 17th.
The Florida PTA is dropping out of the Florida Education Association’s lawsuit targeting a tax credit funded scholarship program and this is excellent news for Florida families. These scholarships provide lower income families, most of whom are minorities, the opportunities to receive a high quality education and are funded through donations from businesses across the state. The Florida PTA joins Florida School Boards Association and the Florida Association of School Administrators in dropping out of the lawsuit.
Principals are critical leaders in the education system. They are effective managers, role models and are the face of the school to families and taxpayers. For these reasons and many more, Florida TaxWatch, the independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy research institute, is proud to have established the Principal Leadership Awards program in 2013 to identify Florida’s most effective principals in K-12 public schools.
This year’s top performing principals who have helped students achieve in Florida’s high-risk public schools were recognized on Thursday, November 17th, at the 4th Annual Florida TaxWatch Principal Leadership Awards at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando.
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.
The latest Florida TaxWatch Economic Commentary reports that the United States’s bee population has fallen from about 6 million colonies in the 1947 to just 2.5 million today. Because more than a third of the world’s diet relies on pollinated crops, this dramatic population decline has already stung the food supply chain.
We appreciate and support House Speaker-Designate Richard Corcoran’s efforts to recover taxpayer money provided to Sanford Burnham. The California-based institute received $350 million in incentives from local and state taxpayers yet failed to create all the jobs it promised before announcing earlier this year that it was withdrawing from the state. This includes nearly $155 million in incentives funded by state taxpayers.
For years now, Florida TaxWatch has been a leader in calling for the expansion of telehealth in Florida. In addition to releasing numerous high-quality research reports on telehealth, TaxWatch has presented our research to the Legislature, spoken with elected officials and held summits featuring world-class speakers on this issue.
Today, Florida TaxWatch announced this year’s top performing principals, who help students achieve in Florida’s high-risk public schools. These nine principals will be recognized on November 17th, 2016 at the 4th Annual Florida TaxWatch Principal Leadership Awards in Orlando. At this ceremony, three will take home top honors and an additional cash prize for their work with Florida students.
Enhancing our mission of providing the citizens and public officials of Florida with high quality, independent research and analysis, Florida TaxWatch is proud to announce the debut of a policy- and research-based blog.
Florida continues to receive far less than its fair share of federal grant dollars, according to the latest Florida TaxWatch report. Florida ranks last in in the nation in per capita federal grants, receiving about $22.8 billion in federal grants in FY2014-15 or about $1,125 for each Floridian. The report also found that Florida pays $1.58 in federal taxes for every $1.00 returned in aid, second highest in the nation.
Mitchell is the owner and president of The Mitchell Group in West Palm Beach. In her role with Florida TaxWatch, she will be a leader in continuing the non-profit research institute’s growth and success by expanding membership statewide.
Tough on crime laws of the 1980s and ‘90s have put a significant strain on Florida taxpayers. These policies, especially mandatory minimum sentences, have forced judges to place low-risk, nonviolent offenders behind bars when many pose little or no risk to public safety and have cost taxpayers millions of dollars in a state whose corrections system is already facing understaffing and funding issues.
Lawmakers will have to be a bit more frugal with the money of the hard-working taxpayers of Florida during the upcoming Legislative Session. The latest budget forecast shows the state will have a surplus of only $7.5 million during the 2017-18 fiscal year. In order to craft a balanced budget while funding some of their priorities, lawmakers must consider changes that will save the state significant money.
Florida TaxWatch, the state’s premier non-profit, non-partisan government watchdog, highlights how performance-based contracting, or pay-for-performance, can increase efficiency and create successful outcomes in public sector contracting in its August 2016 Economic Commentary. Evidence shows that when applied correctly, performance-based contracting can minimize the risk to the taxpayer while maximizing project outcomes.
The latest Florida TaxWatch report analyzes our state’s juvenile pre-arrest diversion (JPAD) programs and finds these programs are crucial to keeping juveniles from deeper involvement in the juvenile and criminal justice systems, leading to a decrease in recidivism and improved odds of success in their adult lives. These programs also save significant taxpayer dollars that can be better invested elsewhere.
Florida TaxWatch, the state’s premier nonpartisan, nonprofit taxpayer research institute and government watchdog, has always committed itself to educating and informing Florida voters on critical policy issues affecting them. As part of this critical mission, we have released the 2016 Florida Primary Voter Guide, featuring an in-depth analysis of Amendment 4 that will assist voters in making an informed decision on August 30th.