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

Florida TaxWatch’s Annual State of the Taxpayer Dinner to be Held Tues., March 14 at the August B. Turnbull III Conference Center in Tallahassee

/ Categories: Releases

Tallahassee, Fla. – With the recent start of Florida’s 2023 Legislative Session, Florida TaxWatch is once again hosting its annual State of the Taxpayer Dinner on Tues., March 14 at 6 p.m. Held at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Conference Center in Tallahassee, the program will offer the state’s elected leaders and policymakers the opportunity to speak directly to the interests of hard-working taxpayers and their families.

Florida TaxWatch Analyzes Compensation and Workplace Issues in the Offices of State Attorneys and Public Defenders

/ Categories: Releases

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released Why Taxpayers Should Care About Workforce Instability with Florida’s Public Defenders and State Attorneys. This report builds on FTW’S previous research, Improving State Attorney and Public Defender Budget Process and Targeting Salary Increases Will Help Achieve Revision 7 Goals- Reduce Trial Lawyer Turnover (February 2004) and When It Costs More To Pay Less(March 2014), to present an updated analysis of how low salaries, heavy caseloads, limited work flexibility, and high turnover rates among assistant state attorneys (ASAs) and assistant public defenders (APDs) impact these critical positions and the Florida taxpayers they serve. Both previous reports successfully led to more competitive salaries and reduced turnover in these offices.

Florida TaxWatch Announces Taxpayer Priorities for 2023 Legislative Session

/ Categories: Releases

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch released a list of taxpayer priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session, which begins on Tues., March 7 and is scheduled to adjourn on Fri., May 5. The list reflects a range of issues that the independent, nonpartisan taxpayer research institute has examined and will continue to closely monitor during the upcoming session. 

*INTERESTED MEDIA* FLORIDA TAXWATCH LETTER TO STATE SEN. JAY COLLINS ON TAMPA BAY PILOTS ASSOCIATION REQUEST FOR INCREASE IN PILOTAGE FEES

/ Categories: Releases

Please find below a letter from Florida TaxWatch President and CEO, Dominic M. Calabro, sent to state Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa), related to the senator’s request that the government watchdog review the Tampa Bay Pilots Association’s request for an increase in pilotage fees prior to the Pilotage Rate Review Committee’s meeting on Thurs., March 2. 

Florida TaxWatch Analyzes Benefits of Extending State Group Insurance to Florida College System

/ Categories: Releases

Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released Extending State Group Insurance to the Florida College System Case Study: Indian River State College. In this briefing, FTW analyzes the benefits of extending the State Group Insurance Program (SGIP) to the 28 colleges that comprise the Florida College System (FCS). Citing a December 2021 Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study, FTW states that offering this defined benefit program – where the employee pays a fixed amount toward the monthly premium (for individual or family coverage) and the state pays the remainder – would be an investment in the continued development of Florida’s specialized workforce.

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