Press Release October 22, 2010
Contact: Wayne Garcia waynegar@gmai.com 813/468-1925
FLORIDA TAXWATCH, A SHAM "non-partisan" FRONT FOR DEVELOPMENT INTERESTS
The latest so-called economic study put out by Florida TaxWatch is just another attempt on the part of the No on 4 Growth Machine to make up "facts" to scare voters. With the earlier No on 4 study discredited recently by university economists and PolitiFact, they have ginned up another "estimate" that is as flawed as the earlier so-called study by the Washington Economics Group, which is an economic "advisor" to the Florida TaxWatch organization.
What has cost Florida untold jobs and higher taxes is the current system of growth. As Nathaniel Reed, a prominent conservationist and growth management advocate, said in his recent endorsement of Amendment 4, "Amendment 4 would end the boom and bust cycle of Florida real estate speculation and provide a more stable economic platform, resulting in more investment in our state, not less." As a 1999 study showed Florida's comp plans have room for growth for over 100 million Floridians to move here. To say that growth will stop if local governments can no longer willy-nilly change their land use plans is ludicrous given the amount of room for new growth in existing comp plans.
Florida TaxWatch is far from an independent broker in this campaign. Several of its board members, with ties to the development industry, have given money directly to the No on 4 campaign, and others are openly fighting against Amendment 4. TaxWatch is an arm of Florida's retail and development industries and, as such, is very much a part of the No on 4 effort.
To give an idea of how intertwined the opponents of Amendment 4 are with TaxWatch, one of the founding members of TaxWatch is Publix, and it has given $200,000 split among the two PACs fighting A4: Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy and Floridians for Smarter Growth.
Here is listing of dates and data obtained from the Florida Division of Elections campaign finance database:
Via Florida Mainstreet Merchants PAC to Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy PAC
2010 First Quarter 03/11/2010 $ 75,000 PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS _Plus_ $125,000 to Floridians for Smarter Growth
2009 Fourth Quarter 12/12/09 $ 125,000 PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS, INC.
_Publix has two members on the current TaxWatch board, as well as a founding member._
_Robert E. Coker of U.S. Sugar is on the Executive Committee of Florida TaxWatch which has given $75,000 to Amendment 4 opposition_
2007 Second Quarter 4/9/07 $25,000 UNITED STATES SUGAR CORPORATION
2007 Second Quarter 5/29/07 $25,000 UNITED STATES SUGAR CORPORATION
2007 Fourth Quarter 11/19/07 $25,000 UNITED STATES SUGAR CORPORATION
The upshot is that TaxWatch is not an independent watchdog group, it is the creation of Big Business in Florida and it has been doing its bidding in opposition to Amendment 4. Still, several media reports printed Florida TaxWatch disinformation and described the organization as "neutral" or "non-partisan". Another outrageous lie from the people who want to keep citizens from voting on how their communities will develop.
Chairman Dr. Stephen Morrell, Professor of Economics and Finance Andreas School of Business,Barry University, Miami, Florida
Executive Director of the Center for Competitive Florida at Florida TaxWatch
Florida TaxWatch,Tallahassee, Florida
Vice Chairman R Antonio, Dean and research professor of economics, St. Thomas University, Miami Gardens, Florida--Principal Advisor,, The Washington Economics Group, Coral Gables, Florida
TaxWatch Board of Trustees Elects Executive Committee
The Florida TaxWatch Board of Trustees at its December 2007 annual meeting elected the following TaxWatch members to serve on the TaxWatch Executive Committee:
David Smith, Chairman & CEO PSS World Medical, Inc.
Dominic M. Calabro, President & CEO, Florida TaxWatch
Chairman-Elect Martha Barnett, Partner Holland + Knight
Marshall Criser III, President AT&T
Alan Ciamporcero, President Southeast Verizon
Immediate Past Chairman Mike Jennings, Vice President Prudential Financial
Member at Large John D. Baker, President and CEO, Patriot Transportation Holding, Inc.
Member at Large Barney Barnett, Vice Chairman Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Member at Large Robert E. Coker, Senior Vice President - U.S. Sugar Corporation
Member at Large Steve L. Evans, Florida TaxWatch Chief Operating Officer, former TaxWatch Chairman, and retired IBM Vice President
Member at Large Ed Hannum, Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at AvMed Health Plans
Member at Large Martha Korman, President and CEO, National Graphics Imaging
Member at Large Ron LaFace, Shareholder Greenberg Traurig
Member at Large David Mann, Executive Vice President at SunTrust Florida
Member at Large Paul Noland, Senior Vice President, Walt Disney World Resort
Member at Large John B. Zumwalt III, President and CEO, Post Buckley Schuh & Jernigan, Inc.
TaxWatch Membership Elects New Members to Board of Trustees Florida
TaxWatch Members at its December 2007 annual meeting elected the following TaxWatch members to first time terms on the Florida TaxWatch Board of Trustees:
Peter Harris, ADG
Bill Herrle, National Federation of Independent Business
Cindy O Connell, Hill & Knowlton
Bill McBride
Mary Lou Rajchel, Florida Trucking Association
John Andrew Smith, Smith & Smith Consulting
Mark Wilson, Florida Chamber of Commerce
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