# Florida TaxWatch

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. Since 1982, the organization has been led by President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro.
Instead of Centers of Excellence, Florida TaxWatch operates two research institutes:
* The Census Institute - Focuses on the implications and importance of census data for policy-making and resource allocation in Florida.
* The Institute of Quality Health and Aging - Dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Florida's aging population through research.
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.

## History

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.
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.

## Publications

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:

### Census Research

| 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 |
| Advancing Florida's Children Issues Begins with a Complete Census Count | Meg Cannan, Senior Research Analyst |

### Institute of Quality Health and Aging

| 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 |
| Social Determinants of Health: Neighborhood and Built Environment | Madeline King, Intern |
| Social Determinants of Health: Social and Community Context | Jack Roseman, Intern |
| Social Determinants of Health: Economic Stability | Jui Shah, Research Economist |

### Other Research

| Title | Author(s) |
| 2024 Update: Long-Term Rental Markets In Florida | Jessica Cimijotti, Research Analyst |
| 2024 Florida Legislative Session Wrap-Up | Kurt Wenner, Senior VP of Research |
| Monitoring and Oversight of General Obligation Bonds to Improve Broward County Schools: Q2 (2023-2024) | Bob Nave, Senior VP of Research |
| Session Summary: 2024 Taxpayer Roundup | Kurt Wenner, Senior VP of Research |
| Unleashing Digital Transformation: 2023 MakeMore Manufacturing Summit Summary Report | Bob Nave, Senior VP of Research |
| Florida Taxpayer Independence Day 2024 | Kurt Wenner, Senior VP of Research |
| "If You Build It, He Will Come": Florida TaxWatch Looks At The Tampa Bay Rays' Ballpark Proposal | Bob Nave, Senior VP of Research |
| 2024 Budget Turkey Watch Report | Kurt Wenner, Senior VP of Research; Contributing Authors: Meg Cannan, Jessica Cimijotti, Jui Shah |
| Monitoring and Oversight of General Obligation Bonds to Improve Broward County Schools: Q3 (2023-2024) | Bob Nave, Senior VP of Research |
| Florida Economic Forecast (2023 - 2028) | Jui Shah, Research Economist |
| The Taxpayer's Guide to Florida's FY2024-25 State Budget | Kurt Wenner, Senior VP of Research |
| Briefing: Florida's Property Insurance Market | Meg Cannan, Senior Research Analyst |
| An Independent Assessment of the Economic Impacts of Indian River State College | Jui Shah, Research Economist; Contributing Author: Jessica Cimijotti, Research Analyst |
| Budget Watch: Florida Revenue Estimators Increase Forecast for the Ninth Consecutive Time, Adding $2 Billion to State Coffers | Kurt Wenner, Senior VP of Research |
| Briefing: Are Floridians Ready to Go Back to School? Not Without More Teachers…2024 Update | Meg Cannan, Senior Research Analyst |
| From Roads to Roots: A Review of Florida's Highway Landscape Spending | Meg Cannan, Senior Research Analyst |
| Florida Economic Forecast: Q2 2024 | Jui Shah, Research Economist |
| Florida's Budget Outlook: Is the Party Over? Long-Range Financial Outlook Forecasts Coming Budget Deficits | Kurt Wenner, Senior VP of Research |
| The Florida Taxpayer's Voter Guide for the 2024 Constitutional Amendments | The Florida TaxWatch Research Team |
| Florida Voters Continue Their Generosity, Approving $1.9 Billion in Local Tax Increases and Almost $1.0 Billion in Bond Issues | Kurt Wenner, Senior VP of Research |
| More Than a Store: The Fiscal and Economic Impacts of Goodwill in Florida | Jui Shah, Research Economist; Jessica Cimijotti, Research Analyst |
| The Continuing Decline of Florida's Citrus Industry | Jui Shah, Research Economist |
| Teaching Every Child to Swim Saves Thousands of Lives from Needless Drownings and Taxpayers Millions | Bob Nave, Senior VP of Research |

### Events

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. The Principal Leadership Awards, which honors outstanding Florida principals at at-risk schools who have achieved remarkable learning gains. 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.

## Officers of the Florida TaxWatch Board of Trustees

Source:
* Piyush Patel, Chairman of Florida TaxWatch, Founder and CEO of Kyra Solutions, Inc.
* Dominic M. Calabro, President and CEO of Florida TaxWatch
* James Repp, Chairman-Elect of Florida TaxWatch, Senior Vice President at AvMed Health Plans
* Marva Brown Johnson, Treasurer of Florida TaxWatch, Vice President at Charter Communications
* David Casey, Secretary of Florida TaxWatch, Senior Vice President at Maximus
* George LeMieux, Immediate Past Chairman of Florida TaxWatch, former United States Senator, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Gunster Law Firm
* Samira Beckwith, CEO of Hope Healthcare Services/Chapter Health Systems
* Colin W. Brown, Chairman of JM Family Enterprises, Inc.
* Steve Evans, Retired Senior Executive from IBM
* Tom Hoban, President and CEO of Kitson & Partners
* Dr. Bill Kent, CEO of Team Horner Group
* Belinda Keiser, Vice Chancellor of Keiser University
* Daniel Martell, Vice President at Florida Power & Light Company
* Governor Bob Martinez, Senior Policy Advisor at Holland & Knight
* Raymond Monteleone, President of Paladin Global Partners
* Michael Nachef, Vice President of Government Relations at Lee Health
* John Provenzano, Vice President of Public Affairs at Publix Super Markets, Inc.

## Controversies

Despite claims of non-partisanship, Florida TaxWatch policy positions have been described in the media as consistent with conservative fiscal policy. 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.