Drew WilsonFebruary 19, 2019
6min384
Studios want to say "action" in the Sunshine State if lawmakers will let them.
Tag: Florida TaxWatch3d rendering. woman driving with big turkey on car roof.
Drew WilsonFebruary 19, 2019
Peter SchorschDecember 8, 2018
42min363
This may come as a surprise, but state lawmakers don’t have an innate understanding of the legislative process. After all, subjects like bill drafting and budgeting don’t come easy — and they aren’t known to rile a political crowd during campaign season. Legislative leadership hopes to remedy this problem next week through a series of […]
Peter SchorschDecember 1, 2018
43min584
Takeaways from Tallahassee — New Mayor, new style There used to be 11 city-funded positions in the Tallahassee Mayor’s Office. But now that number is four (if you include the receptionist). Newly sworn-in Mayor John Dailey said he cut the seven positions — a mix of paid fellows and interns — because his new team […]
Staff ReportsNovember 29, 2018
10min677
Florida will have to consider economic incentives if it wants television and film productions to shoot here, according to Florida TaxWatch‘s newest research report. That idea has found favor in the state Senate, but runs counter to new Republican House Speaker Jose Oliva‘s stance, who has called production incentives “tantamount to corporate welfare.” Even GOP […]
Staff ReportsNovember 17, 2018
46min443
December 12 will mark twenty years since the passing of Florida’s former Democratic U.S. Senator and Governor Lawton Chiles. Yet, still to this day, the mark left on Sunshine State politics is very visible. Most Democrats will tell you he’s the best governor in modern Florida history. And Republicans aren’t quick to dispute. Supporters, staffers, […]
Danny McAuliffeNovember 7, 2018
5min563
Floridians failed to support Amendment 1, which would have increased the state’s homestead exemption by $25,000. Thus far, the proposal is poised to receive less than 60 percent support, meaning it will not meet the threshold needed to pass. It was the only one out of 12 amendments on the ballot to not break the three-fifths threshold. […]
Danny McAuliffeNovember 6, 2018
4min486
Floridians have successfully passed a permanent extension to an already existing yearly tax increase cap on properties that don’t have a homestead exemption. Amendment 2 was passed by a margin of 66 percent-34 percent as of 8:45 p.m. Tuesday. The proposal needed but 60 percent voter approval to pass. Voters approved over a decade ago the […]
Peter SchorschNovember 3, 2018
44min331
Financially, Florida is equipped to weather the financial losses incurred by Hurricane Michael. That’s according to Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who this week cited a recent analysis of the state’s financial resiliency from credit reporting agency Moody’s Investment Service. “The news from Moody’s Investors Service that Florida will not only weather Hurricane Michael, but […]
Staff ReportsOctober 31, 2018
2min379
It’s that time of year to be frightened — not by ghosts or goblins, but by Florida’s tax rules on candy. Every year, Florida TaxWatch, the nonpartisan government watchdog, uses Halloween to demonstrate the state’s boggling rules on what gets taxed and what doesn’t. “Groceries are generally exempt from Florida sales tax, but candy can get confusing,” the […]
Danny McAuliffeOctober 30, 2018
6min335
While Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum have fundamental differences in how state government should be shaped for the next four years, each will face the important task of ensuring it continues to operate. That’s why the nonpartisan research and policy group Florida TaxWatch is again publishing its “Governor’s Transition Decision Handbook,” a cheat-sheet aimed […]