The TaxWatch Research Archives

Squeezing the Greening out of Florida Citrus

Wednesday, May 20, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

Florida's world-renowned, $10 billion citrus industry is an important sector of the state economy, providing thousands of jobs and capital to agricultural regions. As the nation's largest supplier of citrus, the success of this industry is vital to Florida's diversified economy.

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Could Florida Be The Next High-Tech Hub?

Monday, May 18, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

A Central Florida technology research center could help launch the state's high-tech manufacturing industry and ignite economic growth. The development of the Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center through the International Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research will help create, develop and support high-tech Florida companies producing smart sensor technologies for high-tech manufacturing goods.

2015 Legislative Wrap-up

Thursday, May 14, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

The annual TaxWatch Legislative Update recaps legislative action on TaxWatch priority issues.

2015 How Florida Compares: Taxes

Monday, April 27, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

Florida has always had the reputation of being a low tax state. While this common perception is borne out by the newest available data contained in this report, the full picture is more complicated. This report provides detailed tax ranking information for Florida as compared to the rest of the nation.

A State of Incarceration: Florida's Crime and Incarceration Data Over Time

Wednesday, April 22, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

With Florida's crime rate at its lowest point in nearly five decades, this report recommends policy improvements to reduce cost and improve the efficacy of the criminal justice system. The data from the report show the contrast between Florida's falling crime rate and rising prison population.

Ideas In Action: Over-Regulation of Banking Industry Bad for Everyone

Monday, April 20, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

There are so many words that I could use to detail the challenges facing the banking industry in Florida and throughout the country. But, sometimes, a picture really is worth a thousand words...

Ideas In Action: Innovations in Healthcare

Monday, April 20, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

Limited health care resources combined with an increased demand for quality care in Florida has led to essential innovations in our current health care delivery system. Telemedicine is one such innovation that Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare has implemented to expand access to care and extend the reach and impact of health care providers.

Making Room for 100 Million Visitors

Sunday, April 19, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

To bring attention to the current state of Florida’s infrastructure, and whether it can continue to meet the needs of both residents and visitors, this report looks at evaluations of the capacity of various components that support the tourism industry, including airports, roads, and cruise terminals.

Taxpayer Independence Day 2015

Wednesday, April 15, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

Monday, April 20 Florida TaxWatch celebrates Florida Taxpayer Independence Day 2015: the day Floridians are finally earning money for themselves and 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. In 2015, for the average Florida household, paying its taxes takes 110 out of 365 days, or more than three and a half months.

Florida Is The World's Port Of Call

Tuesday, April 14, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

Florida residents are keenly aware that tourism is an important economic engine providing power to the state economy, and several Florida TaxWatch publications provide economic data supporting this observation. Tourism is one of the top providers of jobs for Floridians and a serves as a major source of tax revenue for the state.

Budget Watch - House and Senate Tax Cut Packages

Tuesday, April 7, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

As Florida House and Senate leaders prepare to negotiate the differences in their budget proposals passed last week, one potential sticking point will be tax cut packages. The latest Florida TaxWatch Budget Watch outlines the tax cut options thus far.

An Analysis of the Florida Municipal Power Agency Audit

Sunday, March 29, 2015[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Event] / [EasyDNNnewsLocalizedText:Categories]: [EasyDNNnews:Categories]

The Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) was established in 1978 to provide competitively priced, reliable power and value-added services for its member municipalities. Concern over higher rates has caused some FMPA member municipalities to “break ranks” in pursuit of lower power rates. This report looks at the FMPA, and the oversight, or lack thereof, that currently exists.