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 2025 Legislative Session Wrap-Up

Pre-Budget Edition

Legislative Session Wrap-Up Report Cover

Florida TaxWatch’s 2025 Legislative Session Wrap-Up report provides a concise but comprehensive overview of the extraordinary budget impasse that extended this year’s session to June 6, 2025, the narrow scope of allowed legislation (including the General Appropriations Act, budget conforming bills, the House and Senate tax packages, and the Rural Renaissance bill), and the high-stakes negotiations that will resume on May 12 in conference committee.

The analysis delves into the key policy divides—most notably the $4.4 billion gap between the chambers’ budget proposals and the record tax relief plans ($5.5 billion in the House vs. $2.1 billion in the Senate)—and assesses how deep partisan disagreements and procedural tactics have shaped both the final bill count (255 passed) and the broader fiscal outlook for Florida.

Finally, the report highlights major measures that did pass—from targeted property tax relief and expanded infrastructure funding to education reforms and environmental resilience initiatives—and outlines Florida TaxWatch’s recommendations for the upcoming budget conference, offering clear, actionable steps for lawmakers to complete the budget, reconcile tax relief priorities, and improve government efficiency.

Meet the Author:

Kurt Wenner
Kurt Wenner
Senior Vice President of Research
LinkedIn

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