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's Labor Resilience: Navigating the National Cool-Down and Local Market Dynamics

Florida Labor Resilience Report Cover

This Florida TaxWatch commentary analyzes the diverging trajectories of the U.S. and Florida labor markets amid inflationary pressures and Federal Reserve interventions. Nationally, job openings declined from 10.2 million (6.2% rate) in August 2022 to 9.6 million (5.8% rate) in August 2023, signaling gradual cooling. Key sectors like Professional/Business Services (-198,000 openings) and Healthcare (-130,000) drove reductions, though separations remain elevated at 5.7 million nationwide, with 3.6 million being voluntary quits.

Florida presents a contrasting picture:

  • Maintains a 2.8% unemployment rate (vs. 3.8% nationally)
  • Job openings grew 6.2% year-over-year, far outpacing payroll employment growth (3.2%)
  • 2.0 job openings per unemployed person in 2023, exceeding the national ratio of 1.5
  • High quit rates persist, with 284,000 resignations (69% of separations) in April 2023

The report highlights risks for Florida’s tourism-dependent economy, particularly in Accommodation/Food Services, where wage pressures threaten business costs. Despite Federal Reserve rate hikes (5.5%), Florida’s labor market remains "hot," fueled by population growth (+1.9% in 2022) and domestic migration. However, slowing wage growth for new hires (from 12% in 2022 to near 0% in 2023) and a gradual decline in job openings suggest an impending cooldown.

Florida TaxWatch emphasizes adaptive strategies for employers and policymakers to navigate shifting dynamics, leveraging the state’s economic resilience while mitigating inflation risks. The full report includes detailed analysis of labor force participation, demographic trends, and sector-specific recommendations.

Meet the Author:

Jui Shah
Jui Shah
Research Economist
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