Name
Dominic Calabro
Age
54
If you graduated from college, where did you go?
I graduated with high honors from Broward Community College and later received my bachelors degree with highest honors from Florida International University. I also hold a master's degree from Florida State University and will soon complete a second master's in public finance and budgeting.
How long have you live in Tallahassee?
32 years
Where do you work, what is your position there and how long have you worked for this company?
Florida TaxWatch, a statewide, non-profit, non-partisan government watchdog and research institute for taxpayers. I am also the president and chief executive officer. I've worked with TaxWatch since 1980.
Are you married? If so, how many children do you have?
Yes, married with four children.
What brought you to your current job?
Along with the enormous growth in the company came great purpose for me to do what I do now.
Describe what you do?
I have the high honor of working with a very committed TaxWatch Team of respected and influential group of civic and business leaders as well as an incredible Team of extremely bright, dedicated and talented researchers and professional staff. My job is to guide this TaxWatch Team to help make our state and local governments throughout Florida be more effective, productive and efficient, accountable and responsive so that our state and its taxpayers are healthier and more economically prosperous. Essentially, Florida TaxWatch promotes better economic and fiscal stewardship and helps empower taxpayers to become better and more informed citizens.
I help improve government productivity, taxpayer value and citizen understanding, and I encourage responsible participation by Floridians in their state and local governments. This is accomplished through high-quality research and civic engagement, which advance productivity and accountability throughout Florida government.
What were you doing the last five years of your life?
Working with TaxWatch
What do you want to do with your life long-term?
I really enjoy what I do here at Florida TaxWatch -- helping to shape and grow Florida TaxWatch and the fiscal policies of the state to build a stronger and better Florida -- and would like to continue doing this as long as the good Lord and these fine folks permit me to serve.
What do you do in your free time?
The little free time I do have, I like to listen to music, read and fish.
If you could be granted one wish right now, what would it be?
I would like to reduce our national debt of $14 Trillion by half and substantially wipe it out over the next ten-twenty years, become energy independent of the Middle East and dramatically improve our nation's productivity and trade imbalance. Americans and free people across the globe will not be truly free or safe until we change these policies and practices dramatically.
What would you change about Tallahassee and/or the Capitol if you could?
I would like to make Tallahassee a little less partisan, promote a more respectful dialogue and enhance civic engagement. I would also like to change the fundamental counter-productive incentive structure used by our government. Although Florida TaxWatch and our Prudential-Davis Productivity Awards program has accomplished much in this area, saving literally billions of Florida taxpayers' hard-earned money and substantially recognizing, rewarding and replicating outstanding government productivity and excellent public stewardship, there is still much more to do. I am committed to work with our new Governor and Legislature to help modify this reverse incentive structure. I believe we can and should make our government operate more like the way successful non-profit organizations run and more in keeping with how people live their lives, so that Florida is a beacon throughout the nation of good common fiscal sense. The taxpayers of the Sunshine State deserve nothing less."
