An Introduction to Budget Turkeys and the Sprinkle List

About the Budget Turkey Watch Report

The Budget Turkey Watch report is Florida TaxWatch's annual review of Florida's upcoming budget. The report was started in 1983 and promotes oversight and integrity in the state’s budgeting process based on the principle that: because money appropriated by the Legislature belongs to the taxpayers of Florida, the process must be transparent and accountable, and every appropriation should receive deliberation and public scrutiny. The budget review identifies appropriations that circumvent transparency and accountability standards in public budgeting.

Budget Turkeys are items, usually local member projects, placed in individual line-items or accompanying proviso language that are added to the final appropriations bill without being fully scrutinized and subjected to the budget process.

The Budget Turkey label does not signify judgment of a project’s worthiness. Instead, the review focuses on the Florida budget process, and the purpose of the Budget Turkey label is to ensure that all appropriations using public funds receive the deliberation, debate, and accountability they deserve. While a project may be worthwhile, Budget Turkeys tend to serve a limited (not statewide) area, are often not core functions of government, are more appropriately funded with local or private dollars, and can circumvent competitive bidding or selection as well as oversight and accountability.

Florida TaxWatch is not recommending that the Governor veto any specific project on the Budget Turkey list. We are providing this report to assist the Governor in his budget deliberations, recommending that he not only consider the value and efficacy of a project, but also if it meets turkey-criteria, if it addresses a core state government function, and if it was selected through a fair process that promotes the best interest of taxpayers statewide.

A project that circumvents established review and selection processes or has completed the established process but is funded ahead of much higher priority projects (as determined by the selection process);
Appropriations that are inserted in the budget during conference committee meetings, meaning they did not appear in either the final Senate or House budgets;
Appropriations from inappropriate trust funds; duplicative appropriations; and appropriations contingent on legislation that did not pass; and/or
Appropriations that may have been in the House or Senate budget, but were removed by agreement in conference, only to be added back at the last minute through the supplemental appropriation (“sprinkle”) lists.
/ Categories: Research, Budget Turkeys

2024 Budget Turkey Watch Report

An analysis of the transparency and accountability of the budget process

Florida TaxWatch is proud to present the 2024 Budget Turkey Watch Report, an annual independent review that has been a staple since 1983. This report scrutinizes the Florida FY2024-25 budget, identifying appropriations that bypass established legislative procedures. Known as Budget Turkeys, these appropriations often serve limited areas, are not core state functions, or circumvent competitive bidding and oversight.

Key Highlights:

  • Budget Turkeys: The FY2024-25 budget includes 450 Budget Turkeys, totaling $854.6 million.
  • Additional Scrutiny: Projects totaling $912.2 million, while not qualifying as Budget Turkeys, warrant close examination by the Governor.
  • Proliferation of Member Projects: For the third consecutive year, the budget contains over 1600 local member projects, amounting to approximately $2.8 billion. This surge in member projects highlights the need for a more thorough review and fair selection process.

Recommendations:

  • Reform and Limit Member Projects: To promote a transparent and accountable budgeting process, it is essential to establish a competitive review and selection system for local projects.
  • Adhere to Established Processes: The Legislature should follow its own rules and procedures, ensuring that every appropriation receives proper deliberation and public scrutiny.

The report emphasizes the importance of using taxpayer money judiciously, advocating for a budget process that prioritizes statewide needs and core government functions.

Documents to download

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