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

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The Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health & Property Values

Good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity, a person’s diet can help one to reach and/or maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of chronic diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and promote overall health. Unhealthy eating habits contribute to obesity, heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer. By making smart food choices, one can help protect one’s self from these health problems.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that more than two in three adults and about one-third of children and adolescents aged six to 19 are considered to be overweight or obese. Among adults aged 20 and older, overweight and obesity affect more than three in four Hispanics and Blacks, and about two in three Whites.

Florida is not immune from these issues. According to the United Health Foundation, Florida ranks 33rd among the 50 states in terms of the overall health of its residents. Specifically, Florida ranks:

  • 14th in cancer-related mortality rate, with 182 reported deaths per 100,000 population;

  • 15th in cardiovascular disease mortality rate (including heart disease and stroke), with 221

    reported deaths per 100,000 population;

  • 37th in the percentage of adults with diabetes (11.2 percent);

  • 7th in the percentage of adults who are obese (26.2 percent);

  • 32nd in the percentage of adults who do not engage in regular physical activity (23.7 percent);

  • 24th in the percentage of adults who are smokers (17.6 percent);

  • 41st in the percentage of adults who have had a heart attack (5.3 percent);

  • 41st in the percentage of adults who have angina or coronary heart disease (5.4 percent);

  • 37th in the percentage of adults who have high blood pressure (34.6 percent);

  • 38th in the percentage of adults who have high cholesterol (40.3 percent); and

  • 38th in the percentage of adults who have had a stroke (3.4 percent).

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