Today, Florida TaxWatch announced the 2016 Prudential Productivity Award winners at its Tallahassee office. The program, founded by Florida TaxWatch, has been honoring dedicated state employees since 1989. The Prudential Productivity Awards program recognizes and rewards hard-working state employees who develop and implement innovative cost-saving and efficient improvements.
This session saw a number of bills that advanced Florida TaxWatch recommendations become law. This publication is a final look at the legislation followed by TaxWatch this Session.
As the nation focuses on making criminal justice reform a reality, Florida continues to make strides in ensuring that Floridians who make mistakes are given a second chance to change their lives, receive a quality education and find a job. Today, Governor Rick Scott signed HB 439 into law, joining HB 1149 and HB 293, which were signed yesterday. These bills will not only save taxpayer dollars, but also slow the flow of Floridians into a cycle that has too often kept them imprisoned rather than provide them with the help they desperately need.
Florida’s unemployment rate is down almost half from the peak of 11.1 percent during the Great Recession. While the state’s current unemployment rate of 5 percent is good news, the number doesn’t tell the whole story. An underlying factor that determines whether the job market is truly positive is the labor force participation rate (LFPR). The LFPR is the percentage of able-bodied adults aged 16 and over who are either employed or looking for a job. It is considered a more accurate representation of what really is occurring in the job market.
One key metric that is widely overlooked in the unemployment rate discussion is the labor force participation rate (LFPR), which measures the percentage of the total population aged 16 and above who are currently employed or are unemployed and actively seeking employment. While overlooked, the LFPR is one of the most important metrics to understanding the overall landscape of the job markets.
Florida’s economy has rarely been stronger than it is now with our state’s unemployment at 5 percent and strong growth predicted for the state’s future. However, there is a critical segment being left behind in this economic expansion. Floridians with disabilities account for more than 20 percent of the population, yet only 30 percent of those are employed.
Florida’s elected lawmakers put fewer secret spending projects into the budget in the waning days of this Legislative session, but improvements are still needed to guarantee taxpayers have full openness, transparency and accountability when lawmakers spend their money.
Each year, the Budget Turkey Report consists of only a very small percentage of the state budget and this year represented just over 0.1 percent. The $82.3 billion budget passed by the Florida House and Senate on March 11, 2016 contains 143 appropriations items worth $104.9 million qualifying as Budget Turkeys.
With the traditional hanky drop, the 2016 Legislative session has officially come to a close. The Legislature avoided a Special Session this year, approving the $82.349 billion state budget, which will fund various state agencies and critical needs for all Floridians.
Floridians’ tax burden remains lower than most states, despite local government taxes that are higher than average, according to the 2016 edition of Florida TaxWatch’s How Florida Compares: Taxes . The report helps Floridians understand how state revenues stack up against the rest of the nation.
Have you ever wondered how Florida’s taxes stack up against the taxes in other states? If so, this report is for you. The annual Florida TaxWatch How Florida Compares: Taxes report ranks Florida’s state and local taxes against those levied around the nation.
With the release of the fiscal year 2016-17 budget, lawmakers now have 72 hours to read the final proposed budget prior to voting. The Tax and Budget Reform Commission, with the urging of Florida TaxWatch, was instrumental in enacting the constitutionally required 72 hour “cooling off” period, ensuring that the public, press and all legislators have a chance to examine the budget before a vote is cast. The $82.349 billion state budget will fund various state agencies and critical needs for all Floridians.
Florida TaxWatch has long committed itself to making Florida’s state government more cost-efficient for taxpayers and understands the best way to achieve this goal is to have highly proficient and dedicated public servants who create tremendous value for all Floridians.
Earlier today, the Florida House passed Senate Bill 12. This legislation aligns with Florida TaxWatch recommendations that call for Florida’s behavioral health managing entities to be continuously and properly funded. SB 12 aims to improve behavioral health processes around the state through the creation of a coordinated system of care for those suffering from mental illness, substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders.
This morning, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a tax cut package, moving it to consideration by the full Senate. The tax package is a Senate-amended version of House Bill 7099 and totals $129 million in tax cuts for hard-working Floridians. The package also benefits various industries in the state, encouraging economic growth and boosting job prospects for Floridians.
Today, the Senate Appropriations committee approved Senate Bill 1250, marking a significant step for expanding scope of practice for advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in the state. Florida TaxWatch has long advocated for this common sense change to help Floridians save money and live healthier lives.
Too few Floridians have the time to keep an eye on Tallahassee to make sure lawmakers are making prudent decisions with your money. That’s why Florida TaxWatch – the state’s premier independent government watchdog group – is on the job. It is part of our mission is to ensure that your money is invested wisely in schools, transportation and many other areas while protecting the public’s right to know.
To continue our mission of sharing high-quality, independent research and analysis with Florida’s taxpayers and public officials, Florida TaxWatch is proud to announce Dr. Robert D. Cruz has joined our team as our Chief Economist.
As gas prices have plummeted, consumers are seeing more of their hard earned cash back in their pockets. According to Florida TaxWatch’s February Economic Commentary, Americans will realize savings upwards of $140 billion as a result of tumbling prices at the pump. With the extra money, consumers have improved purchasing power that can be spent in other sectors of the economy.
There are very few products or services that impact, in one way or another, nearly every consumer in the United States. One product that does is gasoline. This Economic Commentary focuses on the impact of the reduction in oil prices on the U.S. and Florida consumers.
For over 45 years, donor support has made Florida TaxWatch the state’s leading independent voice for taxpayer accountability. There are many ways to support our mission.
