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

Statement On Passage Of Bill Addressing Mental Health And Substance Abuse Services In Florida

/ Categories: Releases

Earlier today, the Florida House passed Senate Bill 12. This legislation aligns with Florida TaxWatch recommendations that call for Florida’s behavioral health managing entities to be continuously and properly funded.  SB 12 aims to improve behavioral health processes around the state through the creation of a coordinated system of care for those suffering from mental illness, substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders.

Statement on The Passage Of The House Tax Package To The Senate Floor

/ Categories: Releases
This morning, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a tax cut package, moving it to consideration by the full Senate. The tax package is a Senate-amended version of House Bill 7099 and totals $129 million in tax cuts for hard-working Floridians. The package also benefits various industries in the state, encouraging economic growth and boosting job prospects for Floridians.

Statement On Senate Bill Addressing Scope Of Practice For Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners And Physicians Assistants Which Would Improve Healthcare Outcomes And Costs

/ Categories: Releases
Today, the Senate Appropriations committee approved Senate Bill 1250, marking a significant step for expanding scope of practice for advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in the state. Florida TaxWatch has long advocated for this common sense change to help Floridians save money and live healthier lives.
First65666768697071727374Last