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Revisiting Housing Affordability in Florida – SB 102 Offers Good Solutions

Blog, Research
/ Blog, Research / 2 minutes of reading

As Florida continues to grow, we must ensure that our state remains affordable for people to live, work, and play. Florida’s current population boom saw the state increase its population by nearly 15 percent between 2010 and 2020. The state added a little less than three million residents in under a decade. Florida is currently the fastest growing state in the nation, and we should increase our housing stock to meet these population pressures. 

Florida TaxWatch Releases 2023 Budget Turkey Watch Report

Releases
/ Releases / 5 minutes of reading

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released its 2023 Budget Turkey Watch Report, an independent review of the state’s $117 billion Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget. Since 1983, FTW has provided Floridians with­­ this additional level of oversight by identifying individual appropriations that circumvent a thoughtful and thorough budget process. The annual Budget Turkey Watch Report is based on the principle that, because funds appropriated by the legislature belong to Florida taxpayers, the process must be transparent and accountable, and every appropriation should receive proper deliberation and public debate. 

2023 Budget Turkey Watch Report

Budget Turkeys, Budget/Approps, Research, Taxpayer Guide
/ Budget Turkeys, Budget/Approps, Research, Taxpayer Guide / 5 minutes of reading

This is the Florida TaxWatch annual independent review of Florida’s FY2023-24 budget process. The report was started in 1983 and promotes 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 thorough, thoughtful, transparent, and accountable.  Every appropriation should receive proper deliberation and public scrutiny.  This includes member-requested projects.  

2023 How Florida Counties Compare

Research
/ Research / 3 minutes of reading

Florida relies heavily on local governments to provide services to its residents. The state’s counties, cities, school districts, and special districts raise and spend more money combined than Florida’s state government. The levels of taxing and spending in different jurisdictions across the state vary considerably. This report will help you see how your county stacks up against the other 66 counties. To complement our How Florida Compares series, which compares our state to the rest of the nation, this report looks at the myriad local governments within the state. While property taxes get most of the public attention, they only provide about one-fifth of city and county revenue. The tables, charts, and graphs in this report provide comprehensive information on local tax rates, tax collections, other revenue sources, and government expenditures. Florida TaxWatch provides this report as a reference tool for Florida’s taxpayers, policymakers, and elected officials. 

Taxpayer Independence Day 2023

Research, Taxes
/ Research, Taxes / 2 minutes of reading

Tuesday, April 18, Florida TaxWatch joins the taxpayers in our state in celebrating Florida Taxpayer Independence Day 2023. 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. This measure of tax burden is based on the relative size of all taxes paid in Florida to our state’s total personal income. In 2023, on average, it takes Florida 107 out of 365 days to pay its taxes, or three and a half months. Floridians are experiencing tax collections that are growing faster than the personal income to pay for them, so it will take taxpayers four more days to achieve tax independence than it did last year, when the date was April 10. After Taxpayer Independence Day came earlier in six straight years, this is the second consecutive year the date falls later on the calendar. Independence is coming nine days later this year than in 2020, when the pandemic led to reduced tax collections.

Florida TaxWatch Announces Richardson Sixth Grade Academy Principal Lisa Lee as a 2022-23 Principal Leadership Awards Winner

Releases
/ Releases / 6 minutes of reading

Lake City, Fla. – Today, Thurs., March 30, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) will proudly announce that Richardson Sixth Grade Academy Principal Lisa Lee is among the nine winners of the Florida TaxWatch 2022-23 Principal Leadership Awards (PLA). Through the program, Principal Lee has also identified one deserving student to receive a full two-year Florida Prepaid College Scholarship.  

Florida TaxWatch to Honor Richardson Sixth Grade Academy Principal Lisa Lee with a 2022-23 Principal Leadership Award on Thurs., March 30

Releases
/ Releases / 3 minutes of reading

Lake City, Fla. – On Thurs., March 30, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) will honor Richardson Sixth Grade Academy Principal Lisa Lee with the Florida TaxWatch 2022-23 Principal Leadership Award (PLA), which identifies Florida’s most effective principals in high-risk K-12 public schools, recognizes and rewards their work, and promotes their transformational practices throughout the state. 

Florida TaxWatch Announces Indian Ridge School and Rosenwald Elementary School Principals as 2022-23 Principal Leadership Awards Winners

Releases
/ Releases / 6 minutes of reading

West Palm Beach, Fla. – Today, Thurs., March 16, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) will proudly announce that Indian Ridge School Principal Eugene Ford and Rosenwald Elementary School Principal Bruce Hightower are among the nine winners of the Florida TaxWatch 2022-23 Principal Leadership Awards (PLA). Through the program, Principals Ford and Hightower have also each identified one deserving student to receive a full two-year Florida Prepaid College Scholarship. 

Florida TaxWatch to Honor Indian Ridge School and Rosenwald Elementary School Principals with 2022-23 Principal Leadership Awards on Thurs., March 16

Releases
/ Releases / 4 minutes of reading

West Palm Beach, Fla. – On Thurs., March 16, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) will honor Indian Ridge School Principal Eugene Ford and Rosenwald Elementary School Principal Bruce Hightower with the Florida TaxWatch 2022-23 Principal Leadership Award (PLA), which identifies Florida’s most effective principals in high-risk K-12 public schools, recognizes and rewards their work, and promotes their transformational practices throughout the state.   

Florida TaxWatch Announces Taxpayer Priorities for 2023 Legislative Session

Releases
/ Releases / 7 minutes of reading

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch released a list of taxpayer priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session, which begins on Tues., March 7 and is scheduled to adjourn on Fri., May 5. The list reflects a range of issues that the independent, nonpartisan taxpayer research institute has examined and will continue to closely monitor during the upcoming session. 

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