Press Releases

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch released its review of the Broward County School District’s Safety, Music & Art, Athletics, Renovations and Technology (SMART) program in its report Monitoring and Oversight of General Obligation Bonds to Improve Broward County Schools: SMART Program Quarterly Report Review for the Quarter Ended December 31, 2022.   

Tallahassee, Fla. – With the recent start of Florida’s 2023 Legislative Session, Florida TaxWatch is once again hosting its annual State of the Taxpayer Dinner on Tues., March 14 at 6 p.m. Held at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Conference Center in Tallahassee, the program will offer the state’s elected leaders and policymakers the opportunity to speak directly to the interests of hard-working taxpayers and their families.

Miami, Fla. – On Tues., March 14, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) will honor Dr. Bridgette Tate-Wyche – immediate past principal at Lillie C. Evans K-8 Center in Miami-Dade County, now principal at Miami Northwestern Senior High School – 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. 

Tallahassee, Fla. – With the recent start of Florida’s 2023 Legislative Session, Florida TaxWatch is once again hosting its annual State of the Taxpayer Dinner on Tues., March 14 at 6 p.m. Held at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Conference Center in Tallahassee, the program will offer the state’s elected leaders and policymakers the opportunity to speak directly to the interests of hard-working taxpayers and their families.

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. 

Please find below a letter from Florida TaxWatch President and CEO, Dominic M. Calabro, sent to state Sen. Jay Collins (R-Tampa), related to the senator’s request that the government watchdog review the Tampa Bay Pilots Association’s request for an increase in pilotage fees prior to the Pilotage Rate Review Committee’s meeting on Thurs., March 2. 

Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released Extending State Group Insurance to the Florida College System Case Study: Indian River State College. In this briefing, FTW analyzes the benefits of extending the State Group Insurance Program (SGIP) to the 28 colleges that comprise the Florida College System (FCS). Citing a December 2021 Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) study, FTW states that offering this defined benefit program – where the employee pays a fixed amount toward the monthly premium (for individual or family coverage) and the state pays the remainder – would be an investment in the continued development of Florida’s specialized workforce.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The statement below, to be attributed to Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro, pertains to the tax relief measures Gov. Ron DeSantis introduced as part of his Framework for Freedom Budget.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released Florida Voters Continue to Say Yes to Proposed Tax Increases, a briefing examining the trend of Florida voters approving tax increases at the local level. This report builds on FTW’s February 2021 analysis, A Decade of Self-Taxing, which found that Floridians increased their own taxes 142 times since 2010. The new report focuses on voting patterns in the 2021 and 2022 elections, including voters’ propensity for authorizing county-wide sales and property tax increases, and more.

  Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, in partnership with Associated Industries of Florida, CareerSource Florida, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise Florida, and FloridaMakes, Florida TaxWatch is releasing a report entitled Producing More Talent: MakeMore Manufacturing Summit 2022 Summary Report. The report summarizes presentations made at the fourth annual MakeMore Manufacturing Summit in October 2022, themed “Producing More Talent,” as well as focus group discussions held prior to the Summit among representatives from a variety of companies across the state that depend on a strong manufacturing workforce. 

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released The Importance of Effective Access to Student Education (EASE) Grants. In the report, FTW underscores the financial and economic benefits of the EASE Grant Program, which was established by the Florida Legislature in 1979 to offset declining student enrollment at private colleges and universities.

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) released Using Public-Private Partnerships and Public-Public Partnerships to Meet the Growing Demands for Public Infrastructure, a report highlighting the opportunity for increased private sector investment in Florida’s critical public infrastructure. FTW also outlines recommendations for facilitating such investment, drawing from well-planned and successfully executed infrastructure-related public-private partnerships (PPPs) and public-public partnerships (PUPs) in Florida and other states.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Tomorrow, Thurs., Jan. 5, 2023 – following the recent announcement of all 2022 Florida TaxWatch (FTW) Productivity Award winners – FTW will present 18 awards to individual and team winners from District Four and District Six of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). 

  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The statement below, to be attributed to Florida TaxWatch (FTW) President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro, pertains to the Florida Legislature’s passage of Senate Bill 4-A: Disaster Relief, which occurred today and will provide more than $750 million in financial relief for localities and residents impacted by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. To learn more and/or schedule an interview with a FTW representative, please contact Aly Coleman Raschid at aly@on3pr.com or 850.391.5040. 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) announced its 2022-23 executive officers and seven new board of trustees members who will contribute to the independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit taxpayer research institute’s efforts to improve the productivity and accountability of Florida government. These men and women, who hold prominent positions within highly regarded organizations across a variety of industries, were elected at FTW’s Annual Meeting earlier in December and will serve three-year terms. They join an esteemed executive committee and 89 returning board members.

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Florida TaxWatch released A Key to Overcoming Disasters: Complete Census Data Reinforces Resiliency, a timely commentary highlighting the value of census data throughout the planning, response, and recovery stages of a disaster. The report also points to the estimated 750,000 Florida residents who were not counted in the 2020 Census, leaving up to $2.1 billion per year on the table for the next 10 years – federal funding that could have supported Hurricane Ian recovery efforts.