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: Taxes, Cost Savings, Releases

Statement by Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro on Gov. DeSantis Signing Tax Relief Package, Upcoming Sales Tax Holidays

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thurs., May 25, 2023 
CONTACT: Aly Coleman Raschid, aly@on3pr.com, 850.391.5040

 

Statement by Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro on Gov. DeSantis Signing Tax Relief Package, Upcoming Sales Tax Holidays

 

Tallahassee, Fla. – The statement below, to be attributed to Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro, pertains to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signage of HB 7063: Taxation, the state’s tax relief package, and the two upcoming sales tax holidays that will now be implemented on Sat., May 27 (Disaster Preparedness) and Mon., May 29 (Freedom Summer). 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.

 

“For more than 40 years, Florida TaxWatch has served as a trusted government watchdog and vocal proponent of returning state funds to taxpayers whenever possible. We believe this robust tax relief package is exactly what hard-working Floridians and their families need and, perhaps most importantly, what they deserve. Gov. Ron DeSantis should be commended for introducing this record proposal – the largest tax relief in Florida history – and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, House Speaker Paul Renner, and the entire Florida Legislature should also be praised for adding important provisions that align with some of Florida TaxWatch’s key tax reform priorities, such as reducing the business rent tax and placing a freeze on the local communications services tax. 

 

“And now, with Gov. DeSantis signing the tax relief package into law, Floridians will begin to notice savings as soon as this coming weekend. First, Florida TaxWatch encourages them to take advantage of the Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday and prepare for the impending hurricane season by buying supplies to keep their families, including pets, safe from dangerous, destructive storms. We also hope they will make fun, lasting memories with their families during the now 14-week Freedom Summer Sales Tax Holiday, which applies to tickets for events like concerts and plays, as well as gear needed for camping and other outdoor activities.

 

“Florida is the envy of the nation, the best place to live, work, and play, and Florida TaxWatch maintains that this tax relief package and the many sales tax holidays and exemptions that it contains only underscore that.”

 

The Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday begins on Sat., May 27 and ends on Fri., June 9. It will return prior to peak hurricane season, from Sat., Aug. 26 to Fri., Sept. 8. Among other items, and with pricing limits, it includes:

  • Pet kennels or carriers and collapsible or travel-sized food and water bowls
  • Laundry detergent, paper towels, trash bags, and other household items
  • Batteries, portable radios, gas or diesel fuel tanks, and nonelectric food storage containers
  • Smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and carbon monoxide detectors
  • Portable generators

 

The Freedom Summer Sales Tax Holiday begins on Memorial Day, Mon., May 29, and ends on Labor Day, Mon., Sept. 4. Among other items, and with pricing limits, it includes:

  • Tickets to sporting events, fairs, concerts, plays, and more scheduled during the remainder of the 2023 calendar year
  • Tents, sleeping bags, and camping chairs
  • Paddleboards and surfboards, canoes and kayaks, and bicycles
  • Outdoor gas and charcoal grills
  • Sunscreen and insect repellant

 

For more information, 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 (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 taxpayers 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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