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

Download the Recommendations

Other Resources

Florida Disaster.biz
FEMA
Florida Department of Financial Services
Florida SBDC
Disaster Contractors Network
Florida Disaster Fund

Florida TaxWatch Statement on Hurricane Ian Recovery

Community Involvement

/ Categories: Releases

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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thurs., March 9, 2023
CONTACT: Aly Coleman Raschid, aly@on3pr.com, 850.391.5040

 

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

 

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 President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, “Assistant state attorneys, or ASAs, and assistant public defenders, or APDs, help fulfill a fundamental responsibility of government by securing the safety and welfare of its citizens. They deserve support – competitive wages, appropriately flexible working conditions, and manageable caseloads that will promote retention – but unfortunately, that has not always been the case in Florida for almost two decades.

 

“While salaries for Florida’s APDs and ASAs have increased over time, they haven’t risen at the same rate as inflation or the general cost of living, and nationally, the state remains in the bottom 10 percent for average compensation. When compounded by general instability in the workplace, it’s clear why these well-educated and highly skilled attorneys are leaving the judicial system for other jobs. 

 

“From Florida TaxWatch’s previous research, we know that this high turnover can lead to victim and witness frustration, case interruptions, lost productivity, justice delayed or denied, and unfavorable outcomes for APD and ASA offices, as some cases may not be able to receive the time and attention they deserve, and others may be assigned inexperienced attorneys who are not familiar with many of the issues they have to address in court. Such high turnover ultimately adversely affects the safety of our citizens and taxpayers.

 

“The nature of lawyering has changed in Florida, and as we have seen, the consequences of failing to adapt can be significant for the APDs and ASAs, as well as the general public. Thankfully, Governor DeSantis has recommended a salary increase for critical attorneys in his 2023-24 Framework for Freedom Budget, and Florida TaxWatch looks forward to continuing this conversation with policymakers throughout the legislative session in an effort to strengthen the entire system and provide for an adequately compensated, well-trained, and ready workforce in State Attorney and Public Defender offices.”

 

According to FTW, as of 2021, 95 percent of Florida's 20 circuit courts paid less than the national average salary for an ASA ($60,439 vs. $66,802), and 85 percent of APDs’ average starting salaries in the state were also below the national average ($60,461 vs. $65,939). 

 

Due to the confidentiality and client interaction involved in the work of APDs and ASAs, remote work in these professions is highly unrealistic. As the workforce continues to recover from the 2022 "Great Resignation," conversations around the ability of employees to work remotely and to achieve a better work-life balance will continue to be top of mind for most people. For APDs and ASAs who have a duty to work in offices open to the public, however, more flexible working conditions becomes an even larger issue.

 

FTW notes that turnover among APDs and ASAs has increased significantly since fiscal year 2014-15, and constantly hiring and training new employees costs the average employer anywhere from 30 percent to 200 percent of the departing employee’s salary. Additionally, when an APD or ASA leaves, their cases have to be absorbed by the remaining staff, many of whom are less experienced and/or already have full caseloads, until a replacement is hired. This puts more stress on the remaining staff, ultimately contributing to job dissatisfaction that accelerates already high turnover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information and to access the full report, please click here. 

 

About Florida TaxWatch
As an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog and taxpayer research institute for more than forty years and the trusted eyes and ears of Florida taxpayers, Florida TaxWatch works to improve the productivity and accountability of Florida government. Its research recommends productivity enhancements and explains the statewide impact of fiscal and economic policies and practices on citizens and businesses. Florida TaxWatch is supported by its membership via voluntary, tax-deductible donations and private grants. Donations provide a solid, lasting foundation that has enabled Florida TaxWatch to bring about a more effective, responsive government that is more accountable to, and productive for, the citizens it serves since 1979. For more information, please visit www.floridataxwatch.org.

 

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