Florida TaxWatch News Clips (Aug 1- 15)
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!
PRINT & DIGITAL
Alachua County rejects state's plan for new toll roads (August 11, 2020)
FOX 51 WOGX
The toll road plan has also been the focus of Tallahassee-based Florida TaxWatch, which weighs in on numerous state fiscal issues. TaxWatch has called the proposed 150-mile Suncoast Connector, a “risky project with a significant price tag and little transportation need.”
Florida Capitol legend John Andrew Smith dies (August 11, 2020)
Tallahassee Democrat
“Some would say he was referred to as the 41st Senator respectfully, and some would say he was referred to that way fearfully,” said Dominic Calabro, the CEO of Florida TaxWatch about Smith's commitment to a professional budget process. The two were friends for more than 40 years.
Seeing Florida's recovery through the viewfinder | Opinion (August 9, 2020)
South Florida Sun Sentinel
The Florida TaxWatch report, "Is The Sun Setting on Film in Florida," reported that in 2016, as a result of a 2010 law that created a five-year, $242 million "transferable tax credit for the state's film and entertainment industry," the Florida motion picture and television industry was responsible for more than 150,000 jobs and $2.02 billion in wages. Businesses are greatly affected by the current state of our economy and could receive a boost from a renewed effort to bring film and TV productions back to Florida. But for that to happen, the state has to do its part.
This story was republished in:
Naples Florida Weekly
Gainesville Sun
Palm Beach Post
Palm Beach Daily News
Florida needs federal unemployment benefits extended | Opinion (August 3, 2020)
Tampa Bay Times
Unemployment hovers in the double digits. Weekly jobless claims remain at historic levels. Even Florida TaxWatch, a group known for pinching taxpayers’ pennies, has said that the additional federal benefits are a needed shot in the arm.
Federal UI Lapse Leaves Self Employed and Gig Workers Without Income (August 3, 2020)
Capitol News Service
The fiscally conservative Florida TaxWatch also wants to see the federal unemployment assistance extended. “We don’t have many choices. We either continue this and help ordinary Americans and particularly Floridians... or have more draconian structural damage to our employment system,” said Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic Calabro.
With $600 checks disappearing, unemployed Floridians are facing a ‘perfect storm’ of problems (August 2, 2020)
Tampa Bay Times
Dominic Calabro, president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch, a conservative-leaning group, said concerns about whether the $600 per week payouts are too high are greatly outweighed by the benefits to the economy. “It’s an important shot in the arm in Florida’s economy and very much needed,” Calabro said.
Takeaways 🥡 from Tallahassee 🏛️ — Three more years 📅 (August 1, 2020)
Florida Politics
Florida TaxWatch this week released its list of key strategies for success compiled by award-winning principals ahead of the 2020-21 school year. Those best practices emerged from The latest FTW Education Leadership Roundtable, attended by the nine most recent winners of the TaxWatch Principal Leadership Awards, which the watchdog groups president and CEO, Dominic Calabro, called the state's only data-driven principal recognition initiative
RADIO & TV
Capitol News Service
Watch the video
WJAX Action News Jax
Watch the video
WESH TV (NBC) Orlando
Watch the video
WWSB (ABC) Tampa Bay
Watch the video
Central Florida News 13
Watch the video