TaxWatch News

What began 31 years ago with a desire by legislators and business to curb state government spending has evolved today into Florida′s premier government watchdog, with an impressive record in its first two decades alone of saving taxpayers more than $6.2 billion - approximately $1,067 for every Florida family.

And along the way, the Florida TaxWatch Research Institute has helped constructively shape policy in the areas of taxation, spending, health, education, prisons, transportation, tourism, and local government issues. Its research and recommendations are reported on regularly by the statewide news media.

Press Releases

2011

• Millions in Potential Healthcare Savings for Florida Taxpayers, November 3, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Analysis of Hurricane Insurance System Shows Reforms are Needed but Must Be Carefully Analyzed, November 2, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Commends Govenor Scott for Reform Recommendations, October 12, 2011
• How Does Your County Compare? Taxpayers Now Have a Resource to See How Their Local Governments Stack Up on Taxing and Spending, October 6, 2011
• Government Cost Savings Task Force for FY2012-13 Releases Report with a Menu of 135 Recommendations: More than $4.1 Billion in Cost Savings and Containment Identified, September 15, 2011
• Special Report on Palm Beach County: Analysis Shows County Has Significant Opportunities for Improvement in Management and Utilization of Reserves and Assets, September 7, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Releases Report Touting Importance of Manufacturing to Florida's Jobs and Economic Future, August 8, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Announces Advisory Board for Center for Smart Justice, July 20, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Priorities Become Law, June 30, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Annouces 2011 Prudential-Davis Productivity Award Winners, June 2, 2011
• Governor Vetoes Nearly 90% of Florida TaxWatch's Turkey Dollars, May 26, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch: Most Turkeys Since 2007 Over $200 million spent on Turkeys in the 2011 Legislative Session, May 24, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Applauds Legislature for Adoption of Cost Savings Legislation, May 9, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Praises the Agreement on Elective Single Sales Factor Legislation, April 28, 2011
• Public-Private Partnerships Can Improve Corrections, Safety, April 26, 2011
• A New Model for Florida: A Continuum of Care to Improve Outcomes in Corrections, April 21, 2011
• April 14 is Florida Taxpayer Independence Day, April 14, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch: Renewable Energy Sector Poised for Job Growth, April 4, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch, Grover Norquist to Brief State Leaders on 'Right on Crime' Initiative Conservative voice brings national justice reform initiative to Florida, March 18, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Applauds Passage of the Student Success Act, March 16, 2011
• Smart Justice Reforms Reduce Crime While Saving Money, March 11, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch: Imagine a More Competitive Florida, March 3, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Welcomes Gray Swoope as Next President of Enterprise Florida, February 28, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch: Governor Scott's Budget a Major Step Forward for Improving Taxpayer Value, February 7, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch: Odds of Taxpayers Winning with New Lottery Secretary 100%, February 2, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch: Gov. Scott's Pension Reform Plan is Sound, February 1, 2011
• AIF, Florida TaxWatch: Reform Prisons Texas-Style Florida Groups Welcome Texas Legislator's Testimony on Decreasing Crime, Saving Taxpayer Dollars, January 24, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Welcomes DMS Secretary with Cost-Cutting Expertise, January 21, 2011
• Florida Fails to Collect Fair Share of Federal Grants New Report ranks Sunshine State 48th in nation for revenue collections per capita and finds Florida contributes far more in federal taxes than it receives in grants, January 19, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Furthers Discussion of Corrections Reform Briefing Explores Public-Private Partnerships to Create a Continuum of Care, January 12, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Testifies on Criminal Justice Reform Government Watchdog testifies to Senate Committee on recommendations that will save taxpayers millions without compromising public safety, January 11, 2011
• Florida TaxWatch Announces New Staff Appointments, January 11, 2011

2010

• Florida TaxWatch Announces New Chair and Board Members, December 30, 2010
• Roadmap to a More Efficient, More Effective Juvenile Justice System: New White Paper Shows Redirection Programs Could Save Tens of Millions in Taxpayer Dollars, December 22, 2010
• Former Governors Share Wisdom & Advice with Governor-Elect Scott: 2010 Governor's Transition Decision Handbook Released, December, 16, 2010
• Florida TaxWatch Report Reveals Northwest Florida Retailers Suffered Significant Losses From Gulf Oil Spill Area retailers join forces to secure mitigation funds from BP, December 14, 2010
• Florida TaxWatch Unveils Recommendations to Trim Budget, Sunshine News
• Government Cost Savings Task Force for FY2011-12 Releases Report of 125 Recommendations: More than $4 Billion in Cost Savings Identified, December 8, 2010
• Floridians ready to embrace renewable energy to attract high-tech industry and new jobs, November 10, 2010
• Florida TaxWatch Econometric Analysis Reveals the Economic Impact of Amendment 4 Passage of Amendment 4 will have devastating consequences on jobs, income, and the taxpayer's wallet, October 21 2010
• What if Government Ran Like a Business? An argument for the adoption of the 2007 Solution to balance the federal deficit, October 10, 2010
• Florida TaxWatch Briefing Reveals Potential Costs of Amendment 4 to Taxpayers Passage of Amendment 4 will have devastating consequences on economy and job creation in Florida, October 5, 2010
• Florida TaxWatch Analysis Shows Amendment 8 (Modifying the 2002 Class Size Reduction Amendment) Will Save Billions for Florida Taxpayers, July 26, 2010
• State Employees to be Honored for Innovative Ideas, June 2, 2010
• Florida TaxWatch Releases The 2010 Turkey Watch Report, May 24, 2010
• Tomorrow (April 16, 2010) is Florida Taxpayer Independence Day 2010 , April 15, 2010
• Florida Needs to Improve Remote Sales Tax Collection, April 9, 2010
• Florida TaxWatch Releases Legislative Briefing on Education Personnel Reform: How Senate Bill 6 will help improve Florida's public education, April 5, 2010
• Florida TaxWatch Analysis Reveals Potential Fiscal Disaster Should Hurricane Strike State: Citizens Property Insurance and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, April 5, 2010
• New Florida TaxWatch Briefing supports modernizing the process for estimating the fiscal impact of legislation, March 26, 2010
• Briefing: "Strengthening the Role of the Office of Inspector General Will Improve State Operations and Reduce Costs" Released, March 11 ,2010
• $3.2 Billion in State Government Cost Savings Identified Florida TaxWatch Task Force Urges Legislature to Act, March 4, 2010
• Briefing: Recap of "Five Good Things About Florida's Economy" Forum, February 26, 2010
• Florida TaxWatch Presents Recommendations for Boosting Investment, Economic Growth, and Job Creation: Ideas presented by the research institute in anticipation of the upcoming Florida Jobs Summit, January 14, 2010