Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Michael MolineDecember 15, 2016

Florida TaxWatch on Thursday welcomed a rosier new state revenue forecast, but said the extra money won’t pay for big-ticket investments sought by Rick Scott and legislative leaders. “Money will be tight this year and lawmakers who are concerned about a tough budget year should find ways to cut costs and save money,” TaxWatch President […]

Darryl PaulsonNovember 30, 2016

(Part two of two) In the first part of this article, I focused on the origins of the felon vote in Florida and the consequences it creates for both those convicted of a felony and on the Florida taxpayers. This part will focus on the various options concerning the felon vote. We know that over […]

Darryl PaulsonNovember 29, 2016

(First of two parts) Over a half-century ago, CBS News and journalist Edward R. Murrow aired a documentary about Florida’s migrant farmworkers called “Harvest of Shame.” Murrow documented the long hours and low wages of the migrant farmers, along with the poor health care, housing and education for the migrant families. A similar documentary could […]

Staff ReportsNovember 23, 2016

David Mann, an executive with SunTrust Bank, has assumed the chairmanship of FloridaTaxwatch, the government watchdog organization. The transition came during TaxWatch’s board meeting on Nov. 17 and was announced Wednesday. Former state Sen. Pat Neal of Neal Communities, a homebuilding company, became chairman-elect. Former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, chairman of Gunster, is treasurer, and […]

Terry RoenNovember 15, 2016

Florida TaxWatch, a nonprofit government watchdog, has urged state leaders to hold Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute accountable for the $155 million in tax incentives they received to move to Florida. The Florida Department of Economic Development (DEO) asked Sanford Burnham last month to return half, or $77 million in taxpayer money, if it […]

Joe HendersonNovember 11, 2016

Mike Fasano, the Pasco County Tax Collector and former state legislator, lives near incoming Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran. They are friends and they speak frequently with each other. Sometimes they agree on policies, sometimes they don’t. But they are in total accord about the dramatic changes regarding lobbyists and other measures Corcoran has planned […]

Phil AmmannOctober 31, 2016

For many Floridians, the most unsettling part of Halloween isn’t ghosts, goblins, or zombies. It’s figuring the state’s tax rules on candy. The innocent goody bag can become a minefield of tax policy, with often-confusing rules governing grocery store purchases statewide and throughout the country. Florida TaxWatch, the nonprofit bipartisan government watchdog, uses Halloween to demonstrate exactly […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 12, 2016

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Anita Mitchell of West Palm Beach’s The Mitchell Group has joined Florida TaxWatch as corporate vice president, the government spending watchdog announced. “She will be a leader in continuing the nonprofit research institute’s growth and success by expanding membership statewide,” according to a press release. Mitchell “is one of Florida’s most respected leaders in marketing and corporate relations,” […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterSeptember 8, 2016

It’s been overlooked for years, but criminal justice reform could be coming down the pike. Sen. Jeff Brandes said he hopes to make reforming the system a top priority, but told the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists it could take years before reforms are achieved. Calls for reform aren’t new, but they are growing louder. […]

Michael MolineAugust 25, 2016

The state could have saved $218,000 in policing costs alone in a single year by sending low-level juvenile offenders into civil diversion programs instead of arresting them, a government watchdog group said Thursday. Florida TaxWatch said juvenile misdemeanor pre-arrest diversion programs — JPADS in Tallahassee parlance — “are crucial to keeping juveniles from deeper involvement […]

Tag: Florida TaxWatch
Image via Palatka Main Street.

TaxWatch: Revenue boost won’t pay for state leaders’ wish lists

The Shame of Florida: Options on the felon vote

The Shame of Florida: How Florida’s felon vote is ruining lives and costing taxpayers

Personnel note: SunTrust’s David Mann is Florida TaxWatch’s new chairman

Florida TaxWatch blasts Sanford Burnham’s escape plan

Joe Henderson: New House rules put lobbyists in their place and increase transparency

A real fright for Halloween: Florida tax rules on candy, treats

Personnel note: Anita Mitchell joins TaxWatch

Jeff Brandes turns attention to criminal justice reform

Watchdog: Civil juvenile diversion saves taxpayers money