| Florida TaxWatch | |
| Formation: | 1979 |
| Type: | Research Institute |
| Headquarters: | 106 N. Bronough St. |
| Location: | Tallahassee, Florida |
| Leader Title: | President and CEO |
| Leader Name: | Dominic M. Calabro |
Florida TaxWatch is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit taxpayer research institute located in Tallahassee, Florida. Founded in 1979 as the Citizens Council for Budget Research, Florida TaxWatch conducts research aimed at improving government efficiency and accountability. Florida TaxWatch is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit educational and research organization.[1] Since 1982, the organization has been led by President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro.[2]
Instead of Centers of Excellence, Florida TaxWatch operates two research institutes:
Additionally, Florida TaxWatch oversees the Citizenship Institute, an applied learning program distinct from traditional research efforts. This program offers 3-4 days of intensive instruction from a diverse group of experts including current or former agency heads, legislators, distinguished university professors, and other state and local officials. Among the prominent instructors is Florida’s 40th Governor, Bob Martinez. With a class size limited to 15-20 participants, the Citizenship Institute focuses on practical government interaction and policy impact, significantly differing from conventional leadership programs.
In 1977, incoming Florida Senate President Phil Lewis approached Mark Hollis, then Vice President of Publix Super Markets, about the business community coming to the Florida Legislature to seek increases in consumer taxes rather than finding ways to hold the line on spending. Following this discussion, the two decided that a state government watchdog was needed.
An organizational meeting convened in Tampa two years later resulted in the formation of the Citizens Council for Budget Research, which five years later was renamed Florida TaxWatch. The founders were Winn-Dixie Chairman J.E. Davis, T. Wayne Davis, Publix Super Markets founder George Jenkins and President Mark Hollis, and Florida State Senator Phil Lewis and Florida State Senator Ken Plante.[3]
Florida TaxWatch is currently located in the former St. James Christian Methodist Episcopal church. Built in 1899, the church was constructed on land purchased by black members of the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church and was, at one point, the oldest African-American church in Tallahassee.[4]
Florida TaxWatch produces a range of influential research reports and briefings that scrutinize various economic and policy issues impacting Florida. The publications aim to foster transparency, accountability, and informed policy-making. Some recent examples as of 2024 include:
| Title | Author(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Florida TaxWatch Census Primer: Agriculture | Meg Cannan, Senior Research Analyst | |
| The 2030 Census Needs Your Attention: A Legislative Primer for the 2030 Census | Meg Cannan, Senior Research Analyst | |
| 2020 Census – How Florida Counties Compare | Meg Cannan, Senior Research Analyst |
| Title | Author(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Addressing Florida's Escalating Physician Shortage: Strategies and Solutions | Meg Cannan, Senior Research Analyst; Contributing Author: Jui Shah, Research Economist | |
| Social Determinants of Health: Health Care Access and Quality | Jui Shah, Research Economist | |
| Social Determinants of Health: Education Access and Quality | Bob Nave, Senior VP of Research; Contributing Author: Jui Shah, Research Economist |
Florida TaxWatch organizes a variety of annual events aimed at promoting efficiency and accountability in state government, as well as recognizing leadership and performance in education:
The TaxWatch Productivity Awards, formerly known as the Prudential Productivity Awards. This event celebrates state employees who significantly increase productivity and promote accountability within state government agencies. [5] The Principal Leadership Awards, which honors outstanding Florida principals at at-risk schools who have achieved remarkable learning gains. [6] Annual Board Meetings in Spring and Fall, which serve as critical times for strategic planning and reviewing organizational progress.The State of the Taxpayer Dinner, an annual dinner event held at the beginning of the Florida Legislative Session to discuss the fiscal conditions affecting Florida's taxpayers. [7]
Source:[8]
Despite claims of non-partisanship, Florida TaxWatch policy positions have been described in the media as consistent with conservative fiscal policy.[9] [10] As a business-backed policy group, some of the watchdog groups' proposals have generated controversy, including selling advertisements on state government-owned road signs, eliminating the traditional pension plan and deferred retirement options for public employees, and increasing requirements for state-backed scholarship programs to reduce eligibility.[11]