Kurt Wenner has worked for almost three decades to keep taxes reasonable for Florida residents.
While he no longer lives in the state, the head tax researchers influence at nonprofit Florida TaxWatch can be seen in the groups attempts to lobby the Legislature and governors office to keep government spending low.
A day after this years state budget took effect, he started leading the watchdog groups efforts to reduce the budget deficit for the next fiscal year, 2011/2012.
Wenner, the second-longest-serving staff member of Tax Watch, took a moment after the groups first meeting to speak with Sunshine State News about his career and life.
What is your profession? Director of tax research at Florida TaxWatch
What is your age? 52
Where were you born and where do you live now? I was born in Arizona. Didnt live there long. Moved to Florida, moved back out West when I was young, and then lived in Lakeland, which is where I consider that I grew up. Stayed in Tallahassee for about 20 years.
I actually dont live in Tallahassee now. I live in Atlanta, Ga. I do a lot of telecommuting for my job, come down to Tallahassee when Im needed.
Where did you go to college? I went to Florida State University and got two bachelors degrees. I was a double graduate infinance and communication.
What did you do before this job? Ive been working at Florida TaxWatch ever since I got out of college and started as a communications intern while at FSU. Ive been working here for 28 years. Since 1981. I was promoted to Director of Tax Research in 2007.
Tell us a little about the task forces attempt to come up with ways to reduce the 2011/2012 budget. What are your priorities for how the study should be used?
We are currently holding our second Government Cost-Saving Task Force. We did it last year; we developed about $3 billion in cost-savings for the Legislature to consider. They implemented some of them.
The next budget shortfall is going to be even greater. We dont think tax increases are the right thing at this time, with the economy trying to rebound. We want to take this opportunity to make sure government gets as efficient as it can without hurting services.
What can be done to lessen the budget next year that wasnt done to lessen the budget that took effect June 1?
We have a number of recommendations, some doing with procurement. We have some recommendations in the revenue area that arent tax increases but will help maximize revenue, including maximizing the federal aid that Florida has earned but is not receiving.
Were also going to be looking at duplication in agencies. Were looking at duplication in processes. Were looking at ways to reduce employee costs like pensions and health insurance. Were looking at Medicaid fraud, transportation, the idea of alternatives to incarceration.
What has been your biggest success in this job? Theres actually been a lot of them. Florida TaxWatch has been pretty successful at getting a lot of our recommendations implemented. Weve saved the taxpayers several billion dollars in efficiencies.
We do an annual "budget turkey" report that Im proud of, where we look at the budget and identify member projects, what you might call pork barrel, that didnt go through the normal process.
What has been the biggest failure in your career? One thing that weve been pushing for several years now that hasnt happened is for Florida to become part of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. (States that have the agreement can ask out-of-state and Internet vendors to collect and remit sales tax to the state voluntarily. If enough states join, it can become a requirement in those states.) Ive personally done a lot of reports in that area, done a lot of testifying at committee meetings. And we just havent been able to get that over the hump.
Who do you most admire, dead or alive? My father. My older brother. So probably people in my family. My father was an engineer. Just a hard worker and a good man who tried to do the right thing.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time? I have two young kids. That takes a lot of my time now. Ones 5. Ones 10. I play golf. I listen to music. Ive been a record collector all my life.
I grew up on the big bands of the 1960s; the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and all that. But I really love the original bands of the punk rock era. Im a big fan of The Clash and bands like that.
Reach Alex Tiegen at atiegen@sunshinestatenews.com or at (561) 329-5389.
