While the U.S. Census Bureau is popularly known as the leader of decennial census counts, it is also charged with conducting other surveys throughout the decade to help inform American decision-making. With each survey, the U.S. Census Bureau aims to strike the “best mix of timeliness, relevancy, quality and cost” to gather the data that define our nation’s people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau cannot achieve its goal alone. Like the census count, the participation of all residents is key to ensuring that Americans can fully reap the benefits that the U.S. Census Bureau has to offer.

In December 2022, data for the American Community Survey 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates was released. On January 26^th, the 5-Year Microdata and 1-Year Data Profiles will be available. An accurate decennial census count is important for community and business decision-making. The census count creates data estimates touching nearly every facet of a taxpayer’s life, ranging from average work commutes to how many people have access to broadband. While the census is the basis for such statistics, it is obvious that counting people cannot provide such in-depth knowledge alone. The census has a partner: the American Community Survey (ACS).

The increase of rental prices burdens the budgets of Floridians—whose budgets are already burdened by inflated prices on goods—and results in long-lasting implications for Florida’s workforce.

The annual Florida TaxWatch How Florida Compares: Taxes report ranks Florida’s state and local taxes against those levied around the nation. The nearly 40 tables, charts, and graphs in this report provide comprehensive information on state and local tax rates, tax collections, and other government revenues for all 50 states, and historical information for Florida.

It’s no secret that climate change poses acute risks and costs for Florida. With its extended coastline and geographic position, the state has always been vulnerable
to damage from hurricanes, flooding and sea level rise. While some of the consequences of climate change have been widely circulated in the media and politics, other serious risks have received comparatively less attention. In particular, the risks that rising sea levels and increased flooding pose to Florida’s drinking water supply and to its water infrastructure deserve greater consideration.

FloridaMakes is the manufacturing extension partnership for the state of Florida. FloridaMakes is managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and delivers business growth, talent development, and technology adoption services to manufacturers through regional manufacturers’ associations.

Florida has remained in good financial standing this past fiscal year. This is also true of the state’s debt position. FY 2021-22 marks the ninth consecutive year with a debt ratio below the six percent target established by the Legislature. In addition:

At the state level, taxpayers in Florida have enjoyed tax cuts passed by the Legislature every year since 2009.  However, at the local level, Florida voters continue to vote to significantly increase the taxes they pay.  A 2021 Florida TaxWatch report discovered that since 2010, Floridians voted to increase their own taxes 142 times. This includes voting to extend existing expiring tax levies.

Florida’s Effective Access to Student Education (EASE) grants provide modest tuition equalization to reduce the difference between public and private tuition; make private institutions more affordable to Florida residents; fuel enrollment growth; increase retention and degree completions in Florida; and reduce the tax burden on Florida taxpayers.

Where and how well our school districts spend our education dollars can have a profound impact on student academic achievement and success. Historically, education makes up about one-fourth of Florida’s total budget. Florida TaxWatch believes that shifting education spending away from administrative and other expenses and toward classroom/instructional expenses is beneficial.

The gap between Florida’s infrastructure needs and what Florida currently has is nearly $2.59 trillion over ten years. By year 2039, a continued underinvestment in Florida’s infrastructure at current rates will have serious economic consequences — $10 trillion in lost Gross Domestic Product (GDP), more than 3 million lost jobs, and $2.4 trillion in lost exports. Two creative solutions are public-private partnerships (PPPs) and public-public partnerships (PUPs). Why then, are there not more PPPs and PUPs? 

Upon reviewing the procurement and contract of iConnect, as well as relevant materials within the APD’s long-range program plans and legislative budget requests, Florida TaxWatch found several aspects of iConnect in need of greater scrutiny.