FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, August 28, 2025 CONTACT: Christina Johnson Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch released a report Government Efficiency Should Not Be Something We Only Do Every […]
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch – the renowned taxpayer research institute and trusted government watchdog for more than 40 years – announced a roster of new hires and staff promotions.
If you are looking for a wild ride in the legal system, Florida is the place to be. Florida has taken significant steps to mitigate the effects of the state’s tort environment, specifically as it relates to the challenging property insurance marketplace. The legislature convened in May and December 2022 to pass crucial legislation (Senate Bill 2D and Senate Bill 2A) intended to help the marketplace heal from frivolous lawsuits, insurance company insolvencies, and issues resulting from natural catastrophes. (For perspective, Florida makes up 79 percent of homeowners insurance lawsuits nationwide, but only accounts for 9 percent of all homeowners insurance claims). Yet there is still a great deal of room for improvement.
The annual Florida TaxWatch How Florida Compares: Taxes report ranks Florida’s state and local taxes against those levied around the nation. The nearly 40 tables, charts, and graphs in this report provide comprehensive information on state and local tax rates, tax collections, and other government revenues for all 50 states, and historical information for Florida.
Where and how well our school districts spend our education dollars can have a profound impact on student academic achievement and success. Historically, education makes up about one-fourth of Florida’s total budget. Florida TaxWatch believes that shifting education spending away from administrative and other expenses and toward classroom/instructional expenses is beneficial.
Florida’s housing market is raging, with growth in property values not seen since the housing bubble. Property appraisers certified the state’s taxable value for 2022 on July 1 and these values are currently being used by local governments and school districts in setting new property tax rates and developing budgets for FY 2022-23. The growth in property values has set the stage for what could be significant tax increases for Florida’s citizens and businesses.
On Thursday, April 14, Florida TaxWatch joins the taxpayers in our state in celebrating Florida Taxpayer Independence Day 2022. 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 2022, for the average Florida household, paying its taxes takes 103 out of 365 days, nearly three and a half months.
Have you ever wondered how Florida’s taxes stack up against the taxes in other states? If so, this report is for you.
Today, Florida TaxWatch announced that tomorrow, Fri., April 9 marks the 2021 Florida Taxpayer Independence Day. This symbolic occasion assumes that every dollar Floridians earned since the start of the year goes to pay federal, state, and local taxes, but now, they will finally begin earning for themselves. This year, it took Florida taxpayers an average of 98 days, or more than three months, to satisfy their tax obligations.
Last month, Florida TaxWatch released an independent research report entitled “The Best Defense Is A Good Offense: The Economic Impact of Protecting Responsible Floridians from COVID-Related Civil Liability.”
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.
