Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMay 4, 2016

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News of The Tampa Tribune’s demise left Allison North Jones “crestfallen,” she said. Jones, a capital bureau reporter for the Tribune from 2003-06, is one of a handful of former employees still in Tallahassee. “My instant reaction was just a little bit heartbroken,” said Jones, who now owns her own PR firm in town, on Wednesday. “I […]

Guest AuthorApril 21, 2016

In mid-April every year, Americans take a quote from Benjamin Franklin to heart – and the bank. He said that “nothing in life can be certain except death and taxes.” At the federal, state and local level, Americans are subjected to various taxes that chip away at their paychecks. While Floridians enjoy one of the […]

Melissa RossApril 12, 2016

Pension reform (not just in Jacksonville, but statewide) was one of the hot topics at the Florida TaxWatch roundtable luncheon hosted by powerhouse legal firm Holland & Knight and attended by a local who’s who of players. The forum, which also featured this website’s own A.G. Gancarski as a panelist, also touched on other issues […]

Dominic CalabroMarch 28, 2016

Florida’s unemployment rate is down almost half from the peak of 11.1 percent during the Great Recession. While it is great news that the state’s annual unemployment rate was down to 5.4 percent in 2015, and down to 5 percent in January 2016, the numbers don’t tell the whole story. An underlying factor that determines […]

Staff ReportsMarch 25, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott signed a raft of bills into law on Friday, including ones to expand medical marijuana to more patients in need. The bill extends the Right to Try Act to include medical marijuana and also gives assurances to dispensing organizations that have already received a license from the Department of State. Susan Driscoll, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 18, 2016

Money for aviation and manufacturing programs at Brevard County public schools. Cash for Hillsborough County Fair and the Hardee County cattlemen’s arena. They might be worthy projects, but they are also just a few of 143 projects on Florida TaxWatch’s annual turkey list. The 2016 list was released Friday, just one day after Gov. Rick […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 18, 2016

The governor may have already signed the budget, but that isn’t stopping Florida TaxWatch from looking for turkeys. Joe Follick, a spokesman for Florida TaxWatch, said the private, nonprofit organization still plans to release a 2016 turkey list. The organization will be in a similar position to 2015, when it issued its report days after […]

Dominic CalabroMarch 15, 2016

In the $82.349 billion state budget approved last week, the Legislature enacted various TaxWatch recommended bills that will improve the future for the state and its residents, including: Permanently extending the sales tax exemption on manufacturing equipment, which will boost Florida’s manufacturing industry, provide high-wage jobs for Floridians and diversify the state economy. Creating a […]

Bob SparksMarch 11, 2016

With the state budget set to be passed Friday, attention will soon turn to the process of identifying dubious local projects funded within the budget deal. Budget “turkeys,” as they are called, are held up for scorn by Florida TaxWatch and often vetoed by the governor. As governor, Jeb Bush established firm criteria for funding […]

Guest AuthorMarch 7, 2016

While most Floridians are working and going to school this week, elected officials in Tallahassee are considering how to spend an eye-popping $80 billion of your hard-earned tax money. That’s nearly $4,000 for every adult and child in the state. Too few Floridians have the time to keep an eye on Tallahassee to make sure […]

Tag: Florida TaxWatch
Image via AP.

Tampa Tribune alumni in Tallahassee mourn the loss

Dominic Calabro: Floridians’ tax burden is less than in many other states

Florida TaxWatch: “We need to look at statewide pension reform”

Dominic Calabro: There's more than meets the eye behind unemployment rate

Capitol Reax: Medical marijuana, abortion restrictions, IT security, criminal justice

Florida TaxWatch: 2016-17 budget includes $104.9 million in turkeys

Gobble, gobble: Florida TaxWatch still planning to release 2016 budget turkey list

Dominic Calabro: Kudos to Legislature for adopting TaxWatch recommendations

Enticing JetBlue to Tallahassee offers statewide benefits

Dominic Calabro: Floridians deserve an accountable, transparent budgeting process