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, Census, Education

Advancing Florida’s Children Issues Begins with a Complete Census Count

A Florida TaxWatch Commentary

This report emphasizes the importance of achieving an accurate census count, particularly of young children, to secure essential federal funding and improve the quality of public services. The 2020 Census revealed that Florida missed counting approximately 750,000 residents, including 113,000 children under the age of five. This undercount has significant implications for federal funding programs such as Medicaid and the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), which directly impact children's health, education, and welfare.

The census undercount results in federal funding allocations falling short of Florida's actual needs, forcing the state to rely heavily on taxpayer dollars to fill the gap. For example, Florida is at risk of losing $460 million annually in federal funding for children's Medicaid services due to the undercount. Similarly, the undercount impacts the state's share of CCDF funds, requiring more state dollars to maintain matching funds.

Florida TaxWatch warns that such shortfalls can affect critical services, from school planning to childcare availability, hindering economic growth and community development. Looking ahead to the 2030 Census, the commentary encourages Floridians to stay informed, promote census participation, and invest in grassroots efforts to ensure every resident is counted. A complete count is essential for securing the necessary resources to support Florida’s children and safeguard the future of its communities.

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