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 Economic Forecast: Q1 2025

2024-2030

Florida Economic Forecast Report Cover

Florida's economy has been growing to new heights these past years—reaching nearly $1.5 trillion. The Q1 2025 economic forecast by Florida TaxWatch examines key trends in population growth, employment, income, GDP, and tourism, offering valuable insights for policymakers, business leaders, and taxpayers.

Key Highlights:

  • Population & Net Migration:
    • Florida’s population is projected to grow by 1.4 million between 2025 and 2030.
    • Daily net migration slows from 972 new residents in 2024 to 789 by 2030.
    • Rising costs of living, insurance, and weather concerns are some of the reasons driving people to leave the state.
  • Jobs & Economy:
    • Employment is expected to rise from 10 million to 10.9 million by 2030.
    • Unemployment rate increases slightly, peaking at 4.5% in 2027 before falling again.
    • Real GDP growth slows from 3.6% in 2024 to 2.1% by 2030.
    • Personal income per capita peaks at 5.0% growth in 2027, before decreasing to 4.3% by 2030.
  • Tourism:
    • Florida welcomed a record 142.9 million visitors in 2024, the third consecutive year with record numbers.
    • A study shows that tourism supports 2.1 million jobs and saves each household $1,910 annually in state and local taxes.
    • Visitor growth rate is expected to dip in 2025 down to 0.3%, with an expected zero percent growth in 2027, before gradually rising again at low rates.
  • Florida vs. U.S. Economy:
    • Florida’s unemployment rate remains consistently below the national average.
    • Personal income growth in Florida is projected to surpass the U.S. average from 2027 onward.
    • The state's economic growth trends closely align with national patterns, showing an overall steady performance.

Meet the Author:

Jui Shah
Jui Shah
Research Economist
LinkedIn

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