Dominic M. Calabro is President and Chief Executive Officer of Florida TaxWatch, a statewide, non-profit, non-partisan government watchdog and research center for taxpayers. Florida TaxWatch was founded in 1979 to improve government productivity, taxpayer value, and citizen understanding and encouraging responsible participation by Floridians in their state and local governments. This is accomplished by advancing productivity and sound investment in Florida government and through research on how tax and spend regulatory decisions affect Floridians' livelihood and quality of life.
Calabro is an "almost native" Floridian, having moved to South Florida from New York at the age of eleven. After attending Catholic school, including four years at Catholic Seminary, Calabro graduated with high honors from Broward Community College, later receiving his Bachelor's degree with the highest honors form Florida International University.
Calabro also holds a Master's degree from Florida State University and will soon be receiving a second Master's degree in public finance and budgeting.
Before joining TaxWatch in the early 1980s, Calabro served as an analyst with the Florida Senate Ways and Means Committee (later split into Appropriations and Finance and Tax).
Under Calabro's leadership, Florida TaxWatch has earned and maintained the respect of the state's most highly regarded and influential leaders and has attracted positive attention from both the citizens of Florida and the state and national media.
In addition to many business and civic honors, Calabro was named by the national Junior Chamber of Commerce as one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans for 1994.
Calabro resides in Tallahassee with his wife, Debbie and four children.
Professional, Civic and Community Service
- Florida Commission on Government Accountability to the People (GAP), Commissioner, 1995-1999
- Florida Education Foundation, Inc., President, 1995-present
- Communities in Schools of Florida, Inc., Chairman, 1996-1998, Board of Trustees, 1991-present
- National Taxpayers Conference, Board Member, 1986-1998, Chairman, 1990-1993, Member 1986-present
- Governmental Research Association–national public/private government research center, Board of Trustees, 1984-1986 & 1993-1997, Member 1984-present
- Leadership Florida Class IV, May 1986-present, Governing Board of Regents, 1991-1993, Candidate Selection Committee 1987-1990 & 1993-1996
- Leadership Tallahassee Inaugural Charter Class, June 1984-present
- Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, Board of Trustees, 1990-1993, Member, 1983-present
- Florida Taxpayers' Bill of Rights Task Force (created by Florida law), Chairman, 1989-92
- Florida Civil Service Reform Commission (created by Florida law), Commissioner, 1991-1994
- Florida Productivity Advisory Board (created by Florida law), Member, 1991-1994
- Florida State University Graduate School of Social Work, Board of Advisers, 1990-present
- Florida Network of Youth and Family Services, Board of Trustees, 1988-present
- Citizens Against Waste, State of Florida Coordinator (for the presidentially-appointed Grace Commission, President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control), 1986-1994
- Graduate, Institute of Organizational Management, United States Chamber of Commerce at the
University of Delaware 1985-1990
- American Society of Public Administration, 1984-present
- American Society of Association Executives, 1985-present
- Florida Society of Association Executives, Committee Chair, 1998-present, Member, 1982-present
- Tallahassee Society of Association Executives, President, 1990, Board of Directors, 1986-1991, Member, 1983-present
- Leon County Mental Health Association, President, 1983-1984, Board of Directors, 1981-1987
- Leon County United Way, Board of Directors, 1985-1991
- United Way of Florida, Board of Directors
- Good Shepherd Catholic Church Building Committee, Chairman, 1991-present
- Governor's Paperwork Reduction Task Force, 1995-1997
- Kids Count Advisory Board, 1990-present
- Knights of Columbus (Fr. Ronn J. Barton) Council #12146, Founding Member and Charter Trustee, 1996-present
- Southern Scholarship Foundation, Board Member 1994-present
