9 Actions Florida Should Take to Help Taxpayers Impacted by Hurricane Ian

1.     Postpone tax notices and waive penalties or interest for late tax filings in affected areas

2.     Extend the date for residents to take advantage of the tax discounts they would normally receive for paying property taxes and special assessments in November and postpone or defer the deadline for property tax installment payments

3.     Protect individual and business taxpayers from the risks for notices that they will likely not receive because their home or business addresses is not accessible anymore

4.     Issue no new audits in severely impacted areas, extend the statute of limitations and postpone existing audits that haven’t reached the assessment stage because these can’t be responded to while entire communities are still recovering

5.     Create procedures for fairly estimating taxes which can’t be calculated because records have been destroyed by the storm, moving away from the current method which significantly overestimates activity if no records are available

6.     Initiate procedures to offer payment plan assistance for late taxes, rather than resorting to the standard collection methods, like liens, levies, or bank freezes

7.     Retroactively apply the recently passed law that provides property tax refunds for residential property rendered uninhabitable as a result of a catastrophic event

8.     Provide tangible personal property relief and allow n on-residential properties rendered uninhabitable to receive property tax refunds

9.     Get Congress to pass a Disaster Tax Relief Act that includes provisions from past packages, including elements such as an Employee Retention Credit, an enhanced casualty loss deduction, and other relief provisions

Other Resources

Florida TaxWatch Statement on Hurricane Ian Recovery

Community Involvement

2024 Florida Legislative Session Wrap-Up

The 2024 Florida Legislative Session Wrap-Up provides a comprehensive overview of the key bills and budget issues addressed during the session. Lawmakers passed a $117.5 billion budget, which includes over $1 billion in tax relief measures and leaves nearly $10 billion in total reserves. The session also saw the passage of significant legislation in areas such as healthcare, education, insurance, and the environment.

Highlights include the "Live Healthy Act" to address healthcare workforce shortages, school choice expansion, property insurance reforms, and major investments in water quality and conservation. The budget funds pay raises for state employees and teachers, increases per-student funding, and supports affordable housing initiatives. A record number of local member projects, totaling $2.8 billion, were also included.

This in-depth analysis covers the bills and budget issues that passed, as well as noteworthy legislation that did not pass. It provides valuable insights into the priorities and actions of the 2024 Florida Legislature, making it a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the current state of Florida policy and its potential impacts on taxpayers and residents.

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