2017 Final Tax Package Analysis

/ Categories: Research, Budget/Approps, Taxes, Taxpayer Guide
This Session Spotlight is a look at the provisions in HB 7109, comparing the Senate amendment to the original House bill, and an examination of other bills and proposed constitutional amend- ments dealing with property taxes that have passed or are expected to pass and that could also reduce the taxes Floridians pay.

2017 Taxpayer Independence Day

/ Categories: Research, Taxpayer Guide
On April 17th, Floridians will celebrate Taxpayer Independence Day 2017, the first day of the year where taxpayers are no longer working to pay off their tax bill but are working for themselves. This symbolic date, calculated by Florida TaxWatch, assumes that every dollar earned from the start of 2017 went to pay taxes at all levels of government.

The Show May Not Go On: An analysis of the cost of severe cuts to Florida's tourism marketing

/ Categories: Research, Budget/Approps, Economic Development, Taxpayer Guide, Tourism
Florida tourism is an absolutely critical industry to the state, employing millions of people and contributing millions of dollars to state coffers. Despite its importance to the Sunshine State, tourism is in the crosshairs of the Florida House, a costly decision according to this report.
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Florida’s Space Coast is Well-Positioned to Dominate the Future of the Aerospace Industry

Florida’s Space Coast is Well-Positioned to Dominate the Future of the Aerospace Industry

For more than 60 years, Florida’s Space Coast—anchored by Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS)—has served as a premier gateway to space, driving tourism, high-tech jobs, and statewide economic output. After major federal program shifts in the 2010s led to significant regional job losses, Florida’s modern commercial-space resurgence—supported by Space Florida’s strategy to diversify the supply chain, modernize infrastructure, and attract private capital—has positioned the Space Coast to lead the next era of aerospace growth.

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New General Revenue Forecast Adds $572.5 Million for the Next Budget

New General Revenue Forecast Adds $572.5 Million for the Next Budget

The General Revenue (GR) Estimating Conference met on January 23 to adopt Florida’s latest GR forecast—the estimate that tells lawmakers how much is available for the next state budget. The updated forecast adds $572.5 million to the amount available for the upcoming budget year, but while meaningful, it amounts to only about one percent of total GR collections.

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Clearwater’s Plan to Establish Its Own Municipal Electric Utility Puts Taxpayers at Risk

Clearwater’s Plan to Establish Its Own Municipal Electric Utility Puts Taxpayers at Risk

Florida TaxWatch examines the City of Clearwater’s plan to acquire Duke Energy Florida’s electric distribution assets and establish a municipal electric utility (MEU) in response to concerns over electric rates and service quality. While the City’s feasibility study projects modest short-term rate savings, Florida TaxWatch finds those projections rely on unrealistic assumptions—most notably an “overnight” conversion that ignores the likely decade-long, costly eminent domain process required to acquire Duke’s assets. Drawing on national municipalization case studies, the report highlights high failure rates, underestimated acquisition and severance costs, loss of economies of scale, and substantial financial exposure for taxpayers. Florida TaxWatch concludes that the proposed MEU represents a high-risk endeavor with limited upside and recommends the City pursue a renegotiated franchise agreement with Duke Energy Florida as a more prudent path forward.

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