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

Statement by Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro on Final Passage of Tax Relief Package

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Fri., May 5, 2023
CONTACT: Aly Coleman Raschid, aly@on3pr.com, 850.391.5040

 

Statement by Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro on Final Passage of Tax Relief Package

 

Tallahassee, Fla. – The statement below, to be attributed to Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro, pertains to the final passage of HB 7063: Taxation during today’s House session. To learn more and/or schedule an interview with President and CEO Calabro, please contact Aly Coleman Raschid at aly@on3pr.com or 850.391.5040.

 

“Including many of the tax relief proposals recommended by Governor Ron DeSantis back in February, the bill passed by the Florida Legislature today is a clear ‘win’ for all taxpayers across Florida, especially families. It is the largest tax relief package in Florida history at $1.3 billion and creates several sales tax holidays and exemptions for baby and toddler products, oral hygiene products, gas stoves and energy star appliances, and much more.

 

“The bill also includes a full one percentage point reduction in the Business Rent Tax rate, a top priority and longtime recommendation of Florida TaxWatch, which will place Florida companies and taxpayers in a more competitive position, reduce overhead costs for thousands of small businesses, and ultimately grow our state’s economy. 

 

“Not to mention, the bill will place a three-year freeze on the local communications services tax – consistent with another Florida TaxWatch recommendation and a significant step in the right direction to relieve nearly all Florida families and businesses from this burdensome and highly regressive tax. 

 

“Florida TaxWatch commends our state’s strong leadership, particularly Governor DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, and House Speaker Paul Renner, for this family-focused tax relief package that will make a real, meaningful difference in the everyday lives of Florida’s hardworking taxpayers.” 

 

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 (FTW) 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. FTW is supported by its membership via voluntary, tax-deductible donations and private grants. Donations provide a solid, lasting foundation that has enabled FTW 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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