The TaxWatch Research Archives

2021 Budget Turkey Watch Report

An analysis of the transparency and accountability of the budget process

Monday, May 24, 2021[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

The 2021 Budget turkey Watch report: an analysis of the transparency and accountability of the Budget processis the result of an annual independent review of Florida’s FY2021-22 budget by Florida TaxWatch. 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.

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Beyond the Pandemic: Long-Term Changes and Challenges for Health in Florida

Friday, May 21, 2021 / Categories: Research, COVID Recovery

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED THE HEALTH CARE LANDSCAPE ACROSS THE U.S. From ushering in broader adoption of telehealth services to increasing the incidence of behavioral health issues, the pandemic has created long-term changes and challenges that will likely persist beyond the official end of the public health emergency.

State COVID-19 Restrictions & the Road Back to Economic Normal

Thursday, April 29, 2021[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

In the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly changed the world, with much of the country implementing various measures to minimize the negative health and economic impacts of widespread infection. State responses to the pandemic have been diverse and complex, with some instituting strict restrictions on businesses and others rolling back restrictions at a faster pace. At the same time, vaccine rollouts are accelerating, and state economic recoveries seem to be on varied paths with some approaching pre-pandemic levels of employment faster than others. The present analysis offers a cursory look at the relationship between state COVID-19 restrictions and their respective economic recoveries by running a preliminary correlation test between the two measures.

Revisiting Efforts to Deregulate Florida’s Electric Power Market What We Learned from Texas' Blackouts

Tuesday, April 27, 2021[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

Florida’s economy depends in large part on the availability of reliable and affordable electric power. Like most states, Florida has a regulated energy market that considers electric power to be an essential service for its economic well-being.

The Backbone of the Economy: How Small Businesses in Florida Have Fared During the Pandemic

Thursday, April 22, 2021[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

Small businesses are major drivers in the U.S. economy, spurring local job creation and innovation while also fostering entrepreneurship among women, minorities, veterans, and other portions of the population.

Letter to the Governor on E-Fairness

Thursday, April 22, 2021[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

On behalf of the members, staff, and distinguished volunteer leadership of Florida TaxWatch, led by our Chairman, U.S. Senator George S. LeMieux, I strongly encourage you to sign Senate Bill 50 – The Randy Miller Act – known by most as the 2021 E-Fairness bill or the taxpayer penalty relief endeavor.

Budget Watch - Comparing the House and Senate Budgets

Friday, April 16, 2021[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

As the chambers get ready to head into conference, this Budget Watch takes a look at the two chambers' budgets as they passed on the respective floors.

Calling for Clarity: Florida’s Confusing and Conflicting Scheme for Taxing Government Leaseholds Needs Legislative Attention

Wednesday, April 14, 2021 / Categories: Research, Taxes

Florida’s taxation of government-owned property when it is leased by a non-government entity falls well short of the goals for good tax policy, including fairness, simplicity, transparency, and ease of administration. It has been shaped more by the courts than the Legislature.

An Independent Assessment of the Value of Broward up

Tuesday, April 13, 2021[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

Broward UP (“Unlimited Potential”) is an innovative, community-centric approach to delivering necessary workforce education in communities most impacted by high unemployment and low education attainment. Pioneered by Broward College, Broward UP seeks to increase college access, improve degree and certificate attainment, and raise economic mobility in six Broward County ZIP codes with disproportionately higher rates of unemployment and lower educational attainment relative to surrounding areas. By providing free, in-demand courses, Broward UP holistically reduces the perpetuation of poverty in communities.

Budget Watch - New Estimates Add More than $2 Billion to Available GR for the Budget Now Being Developed By The Legislature

Friday, April 9, 2021[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

The General Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) met on April 6 and increased Florida’s general revenue (GR) projections by $1.476 billion in the current budget year and $551 million in FY2021-22.

Taxpayer Independence Day

Thursday, April 8, 2021[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

On Friday, April 9, Florida TaxWatch joins the taxpayers in our state in celebrating Florida Taxpayer Independence Day 2021. On that day, Floridians are finally earning money for themselves–not for the tax collector. This symbolic date assumes that every dollar earned since January 1 goes to pay federal, state, and local tax obligations.

Calling all Cars? Florida’s Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS-2) Underscores the Need for Procurement Reform

Tuesday, April 6, 2021 / Categories: Research

The Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) is a single 800 MHz unified digital radio network that permits state law enforcement officers and other first responders across the state to communicate more effectively.