The TaxWatch Research Blog

The TaxWatch Research Blog is a forum where our research staff can address topics and issues in a short format. Keep an eye on this space during Legislative Session for frequent posts making sense of the activity at the Capitol. 

No Chance to Make a First Impression

/ Categories: Blog

When considering an applicant for a job, one of the first things employers do is run a background check.  These can be as informal as a Google search or as formal as hiring a private screening company, but the goal is the same—to figure out whether or not an applicant could be a risk to the employer.  The typical results of these investigations are arrest records, but they usually don’t tell the full story.

Citation Today, Jail Tomorrow

/ Categories: Blog
“Traditional” sanctions that keep offenders behind bars have cost the U.S. and its taxpayers millions, despite limited returns on investment regarding public safety. Recognizing this, many states have implemented alternative sanctions that focus on reserving prison beds for dangerous offenders and prioritizing treatment for lower-level offenders.

Heads Up, Parents!

/ Categories: Blog
For the first time since the 1980s, the federal government’s role in elementary and secondary education is shrinking. Passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) last December gives states greater flexibility and control over the way student achievement is measured.

Homelessness in Florida: Is there a better way?

/ Categories: Blog
Across the state and nation, homelessness continues to be an issue for many communities. While the state of Florida has seen a drop in the number of homeless individuals over the past few years, cities and counties across the state still struggle to deal with the fiscal and social impacts of homelessness.

I'm Under Arrest For What?

/ Categories: Blog
Over the past several decades, overall crime across the U.S. has been going down, and the situation is no different in Florida; the state is at its lowest crime rate since the 1960s. Despite this decrease in crime the number of people with criminal records in Florida (and the nation) has continued to grow rapidly, which raises the question “what’s going on here?”

FEMA's Disaster Deductible

/ Categories: Blog
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has undertaken rulemaking to consider the establishment of a deductible for its Public Assistance Program. Has Florida taken the right steps to make this new rule a favorable one?

Who is the school nurse?

/ Categories: Blog
There is a high probability that the person known as “the nurse” in your child’s school clinic is not a licensed nurse.  In fact, this individual may not have any formal health care training and has earned this title by virtue of a desk in the clinic.

Host Countries Fail to Medal after the Olympic Games End

/ Categories: Blog

The summer Olympics has now come and gone, and it will certainly be a memorable one. People from around the world cheered on their fellow countrymen, and women, as they put their hearts on the line in pursuit of gold and glory. However, now that the Olympic Games have concluded what happens to Rio de Janeiro? Will the country experience a boost in tourism or economic activity? Or, like our recent obsession for all things gymnastics and swimming, will Rio be forgotten with time?

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