TaxWatch Says Legislative Bills Will Save State $1 Billion-Plus

Totaling up the bills passed by the 2011 Legislature, Florida TaxWatch figures the state will save more than $1 billion.

TaxWatch President and Chief Executive Officer Dominic Calabro commended lawmakers for enacting several of the recommendations of TaxWatch's Government Cost Savings Task Force. If signed into law, as expected, these bills will save the taxpayers well over $1 billion in FY 2011-12, Calabro said.

"The 2011 legislative session was a successful one for Floridians," said Calabro. "We are pleased that our report was put to good use -- and used extensively -- by the Legislature and provided such a tangible benefit to the taxpayers of our state."

In December 2010, Florida TaxWatch released its Government Cost Savings Task Force report of more than 120 ideas worth more than $4 billion in cost-savings. The task force was comprised of current and former government officials, business leaders, organizational experts and renowned academics.

TaxWatch called pension reform the biggest cost-saver, with the state requiring government employees, for the first time, to contribute 3 percent of their pay toward their retirement.

Medicaid reform and criminal and juvenile justice reform, two of the task force's main areas of focus, generated the most significant amount of legislation this session, TaxWatch said.

See the list of cost-saving legislation here.