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

/ Categories: Research, Transportation

Fair Share Taxes Driven Away by Electric Vehicles

Fair Share Taxes Driven Away by Electric Vehicles Report Cover

The report “Fair Share Taxes Driven Away by Electric Vehicles” examines the growing impact of electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) on Florida’s transportation funding model. It details how the traditional motor fuel tax—collected from gas-powered vehicles and funneled into the State Transportation Trust Fund (STTF)—is increasingly inadequate as more drivers switch to EVs, which do not contribute directly to this dedicated revenue source.

Key findings in the report highlight the explosive growth in EV and PHEV registrations—with EV numbers in Florida skyrocketing by over 2,000% in recent years—and quantify the resulting loss of tax revenue. Estimates suggest that Florida’s motor fuel tax revenue could fall short by as much as $46.4 million to $78.3 million annually as electric and hybrid vehicles replace conventional gas-powered cars.

The analysis delves into current funding mechanisms and offers a critical assessment of policy responses implemented in other states. It discusses alternative measures such as increased registration fees, the introduction of taxes at EV charging stations, and vehicle miles-based taxes (VMT). In doing so, the report identifies practical and political challenges—such as ensuring fairness for visitors and addressing technological and privacy concerns—that must be overcome for any successful policy reform.

In its recommendations, the report advocates for immediate and innovative legislative action. Proposed solutions include redistributing a portion of the sales tax collected at EV charging stations to the STTF and adopting a hybrid approach that combines higher registration fees with targeted EV taxes. These proposals aim to ensure that all drivers contribute their “fair share” toward maintaining Florida’s transportation infrastructure in the face of rapid technological change.

Meet the Author:

Meg Cannan
Meg Cannan
Senior Research Analyst
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