Florida has a diverse and beautiful natural environment, ranging from the Everglades to the beaches of the Florida panhandle. The state is also vulnerable to a variety of extreme weather events, such as flooding and hurricanes, which are projected to become more severe in the coming decades due to climate change. Protecting the state against these events could be a costly undertaking. Various proposals seek to minimize the risks through new infrastructure projects such as sea walls. But in deciding how best to adapt to extreme weather risk, Florida should be sure to consider using the state’s “natural infrastructure” to protect itself in a less costly and more sustainable way.

Florida’s homeowners insurance market is in the emergency room on life support. Homeowners and insurance agents across the state struggle to obtain reasonably priced homeowners insurance. In 2022, the average annual premium for a homeowners insurance policy was $4,231, close to three times the U.S. average of $1,544, and nearly twice Florida’s $2,505 average just two years ago. In 2023, premiums are on track to climb even higher. The Florida state legislature held two special sessions in 2022 focused on making insurance more available and affordable. Although the meetings helped raise lawmakers’ awareness of the cause of the crisis and introduced measures to arrest further market deterioration, reasonably priced insurance is expected to remain hard to find in 2023.

Florida’s economy is strong. If Florida were a country, its gross domestic product (GDP) would rank 14th among economies worldwide, and its ambitions do not stop there. Florida aims to be within the top ten economies by 2030. By this time, two in three jobs are expected to require specialized training, a credential, or a degree. To achieve its economic goal, Florida will need to continue developing its specialized workforce. With 120,000 students completing Florida College System (FCS) programs each year, the FCS plays a critical role in providing the talent pipeline necessary to reach Florida’s economic goal and does so at a very affordable cost to students and Florida taxpayers alike.

Florida has always endured a complex property insurance market due its unpredictable weather and proneness to hurricane catastrophes. Recent issues, however, have nearly pushed the market to the brink of collapse. With the combination of insurance company insolvencies, excessive litigation from fraud, and the recent devastation from Hurricane Ian, Florida’s crisis continues to worsen.

Florida’s general revenue (GR) collections continue their remarkable growth, beating the state’s estimates and adding more and more money for the Legislature to spend. GR collections exceeded expectations in December by $530.5 million.

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: