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

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Florida TaxWatch Hosts Annual State of the Taxpayer Dinner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tues., March 14, 2023

CONTACT: Aly Coleman Raschid, aly@on3pr.com, 850.449.8862

 

Florida TaxWatch Hosts Annual State of the Taxpayer Dinner

 

Tallahassee, Fla – Today, Florida TaxWatch is hosting its annual State of the Taxpayer Dinner, providing the opportunity for the state’s elected leaders and policymakers to speak directly to the interests of taxpayers. Once again, the event serves as a forum for Cabinet members, legislators, and key leaders to discuss critical issues that are impacting Florida families and businesses. 

 

This year, Florida TaxWatch’s State of the Taxpayer Dinner is being held at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Conference Center. Remarks are being offered by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, Florida House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast), state Sens. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill) and Ana Maria Rodriguez (R-Doral), and state Reps. Chuck Clemons (R-Jonesville), Randy Fine (R-Palm Bay), Stan McClain (R-Ocala), Bobby Payne (R-Palatka), and Daniel Perez (R-Miami). Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples) are also appearing via pre-recorded videos.

 

Florida TaxWatch Chairman Piyush Patel said, “Florida TaxWatch is once again gathering many of the state’s most influential leaders in one room, at the start of the legislative session, to talk about issues we know – anecdotally and through our own extensive research – are important to taxpayers. We proudly host this State of the Taxpayer Dinner with the hope that it will help equip those in attendance with the insight they need to remain prudent in their spending, especially given that the current budget is already the largest in the state’s history, with projections that it will grow even more in years to come. Florida TaxWatch is here to continue fighting for the best interests of hard-working Floridians and their families.”

 

Chairman Patel is presenting the “State of the Taxpayer” outlook, and Dominic M. Calabro, Florida TaxWatch President and CEO, is providing the “Taxpayer Priorities” update. Together, Florida TaxWatch Treasurer Marva Johnson and Immediate Past Chairman U.S. Sen. George LeMieux are also emceeing the event.

 

Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, “Florida is the greatest state in the nation, in large part because of bold, strategic leaders who are shaping our policy, in both the public and the private arenas. Florida TaxWatch is honored to have so many of these top leaders here with us tonight, sharing how they plan to build on the accomplishments of 2022 and leverage the state’s unprecedented fiscal position to provide ongoing support for taxpayers, from investing in infrastructure projects to increasing access to affordable housing.

 

“As the ‘eyes and ears’ of Florida’s taxpayers for more than 40 years now, we convene this annual event at the start of the legislative session to highlight the opportunities and threats ahead, and to remind leaders that we are both watching and here to help. And we also want to remind everyone that all of this is possible because of the wonderful taxpayers of Florida.

 

“We are excited about the potential that the 2023 Legislative Session holds, and we look forward to witnessing the immediate and long-term benefits it will have on the Sunshine State and its hard working taxpayers.”

 

To access Florida TaxWatch’s taxpayer priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session that are being referenced throughout the program, 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 https://floridataxwatch.org/.

 

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