The data from the 2020 Census will be used to allocate this funding for the next 10 years! This makes the upcoming 2020 Census vital to the quality of life in your community and all of Florida.
Barney Barnett, Vice Chairman of Publix Super Markets, Inc., was honored on Friday, April 20th during the Florida TaxWatch Spring Meeting Awards in Orlando, FL. Though Mr. Barnett was unable to attend the event, his son Wesley and daughter-in-law Ashley were present to accept his award and to Skype Mr. Barnett into the luncheon.
In 1977, incoming Senate President Phil Lewis approached Mark Hollis, then Vice Chair of Publix Super Markets, Inc., about the need for a line of communication between the business community and the Legislature. From there, the idea for a government watchdog was born, and Florida TaxWatch (then known as the Citizens Council for Budget Research) was created two years later. Senate President Phil Lewis was not only a founder of Florida TaxWatch but a legislative leader dedicated to making the sunshine state a force to be reckoned with.
With an audit nearing completion, state DMS reported today that 1,825 ineligible dependents have been dropped from the SGIP, saving close to $9.5 million.
Today, Florida TaxWatch and t he Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce announced a strategic partnership that benefits the taxpaying citizens of Florida. The nature of the strategic partnership is founded on a shared vision of advancing economic vitality and sound public policy. Leaders from both organizations recognized that synergies and common interests currently exist, which can be optimized by working together to achieve their respective missions.
On Saturday, Floridians will celebrate the first day of the year where taxpayers are finally earning money for themselves and not for the tax collector. Taxpayer Independence Day, calculated by Florida TaxWatch, assumes that every dollar earned since January 1 goes to pay federal, state, and local obligations.
Saturday, April 14, Florida TaxWatch joins the taxpayers in our state in celebrating Florida Taxpayer Independence Day 2018. On that day, Floridians are finally earning money for themselves–not for the tax collector. This symbolic date assumes that every dollar earned since January 1 goes to pay federal, state, and local tax obligations.
In Florida, the expansion of hospice programs and other health care facilities and services is guided by the “Certificate of Need” (“CON”) process. Since the CON approval requires that providers enroll all eligible individuals seeking care within their assigned service area, hospices in Florida see relatively high utilization rates. In this report, Florida TaxWatch recommends the CON process be retained, and that hospice regulators continue to identify ways that Florida hospice providers can better control hospice costs, improve the quality of hospice care, and direct investments into medically-needy areas.
Florida’s elderly population continues to grow at a rapid rate, and so does the number of Hospice enrollees. Hospice is the primary model for end of life care in the United States, and is currently regulated in Florida by a process known as “Certificate of Need.”
Florida TaxWatch’s annual independent review of Florida’s FY2018-19 budget, the Budget Turkey Watch Report , was released today. The report promotes additional oversight and integrity in the state’s budgeting process based on the principle that: because money appropriated by the Legislature belongs to the taxpayers of Florida, the process must be transparent and accountable, and every appropriation should receive deliberation and public debate.
The $88.7 billion budget passed by the Florida House and Senate for FY2018-19 contains 87 appropriations items qualifying as Budget Turkeys worth $147.5 million. Since projects were not added to the budget during conference this year, most of these were flagged because they circumvented established selection processes. This includes 56 local transportation projects worth nearly $120 million. These member projects, for which there is no formal evaluation and selection process, bypass the transportation planning process, potentially diverting funds from projects that are in the DOT work program.
Find out all about what happened this Session with the TaxWatch Legislative Wrap Up.
The Constitution Revision Commission is considering a proposal (P88) that, if approved by the voters, would create a new section in the Constitution to establish a “bill of rights” that expands litigation for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Florida. Florida TaxWatch has undertaken an analysis of P88 to guide Commission members in their deliberations regarding P88 and its committee substitute (CS/P88), and to educate the voters should the Commission recommend CS/P88 be placed on the ballot for the November 2018 General Election.
FloridaMakes , a statewide partnership designed to improve the productivity and technological performance of manufacturers, is making the Sunshine State more competitive.
The House unveiled its 2018 tax cut package (HB 7087) almost a month ago, while the Senate’s did not appear until week 8 of the session when it was amended onto SB 620 in the Appropriations Committee. The bills have a lot of similarities, but there are big differences that will have to be negotiated before a final tax cut package is approved.
Distributed to the Bond Oversight Committee on February 28, 2018, this report examines the SMART program quarterly report for Q2 of FY2018.
The 2018 Legislature has an opportunity to strengthen and increase the independence of an important taxpayer safeguard—the Florida Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate. Senate Bill 826 and House Bill 1345 would make the needed changes to the law.
On February 14, 2018, the House Ways & Means Committee unveiled and passed its proposed tax cut package. The bill contains numerous tax relief provisions, covering sales taxes, property taxes, corporate income taxes, documentary stamp taxes and traffic fines. Several temporary exemptions to provide tax relief for agriculture and homeowners impacted by hurricanes are included.
Greyhound racing and other pari-mutuels still stirring debate after all of these years.
As the Florida Legislature prepares to go into conference budget negotiations to finalize the FY2018-19 budget, state estimators gave lawmakers a bit of good news. Florida’s General Revenue (GR) Estimating Conference met on February 9 and forecast that the state would collect an additional $461.8 million in FY2017-18 and FY2018-19.
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.
