A new national report ranking Florida’s business climate as 5th best in the nation highlights the state’s strengths but may overstate the attractiveness of Florida’s tax system, according to this report. The ranking is from the Tax Foundation’s 2015 Business Tax Climate Index, an annual publication that analyzes how tax structures compare across states.
Florida lawmakers are expected to have a small budget surplus when they come to Tallahassee in 2015. State economists have predicted that funding a continuation budget next year will leave $336.2 million in available General Revenue funds. This is the fourth surplus in four years, despite being less than half of the surplus in fiscal year 2013-14.
Florida’s latest cycle of revenue and expenditure estimating conferences show that Florida is still in a healthy post-recession recovery; however, the conferences have resulted in forecasts with slightly tempered expectations. Generally, projections of revenues were reduced from the previous estimates, even though the funds are expected to continue to grow year over year.
This infographic shows job growth in Florida over the past year.
On the precipice of college football kickoff, this report highlights the economic benefits of Florida’s seven Division I NCAA football teams, and explains how football
Investment in Floridas tourism industry resulted in nearly 76,000 jobs created in 2013, according to this report. The independent analysis shows that the state should
When the 2015 Legislature convenes in Tallahassee, it is expected to have nearly $30 billion in General Revenue to create the state budget for FY
From August 1-3, Floridians will save nearly $40 million in taxes while they shop tax-free for back-to-school supplies. Florida families can purchase clothing, school supplies,
All the bills passed by the 2014 Legislature have now been evaluated by the state’s revenue estimators, resulting in a revenue reduction of more than
This years Budget Turkey Report finds $120 million in projects slipped into the budget without a full and transparent review.
The 2014 Session has come to a close, and this Florida TaxWatch report details all of the issues that we followed this year.
This BudgetWatch report compares the FY2014-15 House and Senate budgets in each spending area, and shows the change versus the current fiscal year.
Florida could save significant corrections costs by reducing prison sentences for nonviolent offenders, according to data analysis in this report. The report calls for the
The competing House and Senate tax cut proposals have many differences that need to be worked out, but there are beneficial provisions in both plans,
Florida TaxWatch commends the Legislature for passing and Governor Scott for signing the first tax relief bill of the 2014 Legislative Session to reduce vehicle
Since voters approved a 2002 Constitutional Amendment to reduce class sizes, taxpayers have spent more than $27 billion (including capital facilties and operating costs) to
In the second yearly installment of the TaxWatch look at the issue of Trust Fund sweeps, this report looks at two consecutive years of sweeps
Florida’s Assistant State Attorneys and Assistant Public Defenders are significantly undercompensated, as shown in findings from this research report. The new report analyzes Assistant State
Already enjoying what is called a more than $1 billion budget surplus to appropriate during the 2014 Legislative Session, lawmakers were given another $150 million
A new honeybee research facility could make Florida a global leader in agricultural research and is estimated to return more than $1 million in state
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