Florida TaxWatch has released a report highlighting the approval of significant local tax increases and bond issues by Florida voters. According to the report, titled "2024 Florida Tax & Bond Referenda: Florida Voters Continue Their Generosity," voters in 24 counties endorsed 31 county-wide sales and property tax increases or extensions, amounting to $1.9 billion annually. Additionally, 18 bond issues totaling nearly one billion dollars were approved.
The trend of approving local tax hikes has been consistent since 2010, with voters agreeing to increase taxes on 177 occasions between then and 2022. This pattern persisted through the recent elections, as noted by Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro. He stated that while state-level taxpayers have benefited from tax cuts every year since 2009, local taxes are rising due to reliance on cities, counties, school districts, and special districts for government funding.
Florida TaxWatch Executive Vice President Jeff Kottkamp emphasized that taxpayers are willing to pay more if taxes serve specific purposes and are time-limited. Many referenda have established citizen oversight committees to monitor spending, which Florida TaxWatch supports.
Since beginning its compilation in 2010, Florida TaxWatch has documented voter-approved tax referenda worth $8.9 billion and bond issues totaling $8.4 billion after the latest election cycle.
For further details on this topic or access to the full report, visit www.floridataxwatch.org.