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Tax Credit Scholarships Save Florida Money

/ Categories: Op-Eds

It is understandable that new forms of public education — whether they are magnet schools, charters, virtual schooling or dual enrollment — can cause anxiety. The conversation around the teachers union lawsuit to shut down the tax credit scholarship program for low-income children has produced a lot of heat but has shed very little light on the issue. And the issue underlying the lawsuit is allowing parents of disadvantaged students to choose the best educational option that permits their children to reach new levels of academic achievement.

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2017 Economic Preview

/ Categories: Research
As we close the door on a strong 2016 for Florida’s economy, it is time to look at what could lie ahead for the state in 2017.
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Ideas in Action - Aligning Actions with Goals

/ Categories: Research, Guest Columns
Leading a corrections department and prisons is challenging. A successful leader mustwork with government entities, employees, unions, and their accompanying agendas, all while simultaneously dealing with individuals that our society cannot tolerate. An effective corrections leader must balance what is good for inmates and staff with what is good for our shared society.
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Time to Even the Playing Field for Small Businesses

/ Categories: Op-Eds

Small businesses truly are this nation’s backbone. They account for 94 percent of all the country’s businesses and are owned by a diverse array of Americans from all backgrounds. The ability to build a small business is the cornerstone of the American dream.

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Sentencing Doesn't Require Psychic Powers

/ Categories: Blog
As crime in Florida continues to decline and state prison populations continue to exceed 100,000 inmates, policymakers and practitioners are all seeking to mitigate corrections cost by opting for less costly, but just as effective, alternatives.
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1/26/2026
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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2/5/2026
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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2/10/2026
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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