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! FIVEforFLORIDA.com!
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! ! A!PROJECT!OF!AMERICANS!FOR!PROSPERITY9FLORIDA! JUNE!2012! !

MAKE%TAXES%FAIR%&%% END%CORPORATE%WELFARE%!
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Florida(tax(policy(is(dictated(by(cronyism.(When(politicians(pick(winners(and(losers( in(the(marketplace(they(hurt(business(owners(and(hardworking(taxpayers.(Florida( needs(fair(and(common(sense(tax(policy(to(promote(jobs(and(financial(security(for( families(and(small(businesses.((( (

The$legislature$needs$to$eliminate$the$corporate$income$tax$$ and$all$targeted$tax$credits$and$exemptions.$
$ This(will(decrease(the(burden(on(businesses,(encouraging(economic(growth(and( job(creation,(while(also(eliminating(the(corporate(welfare(that(is(given(to(the( select,(politically(favored(few.((
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KEY%TALKING%POINTS:%
Lower(corporate(tax(rates(result(in(higher(Gross(State(Product,(more(rapid( employment(growth(and(increased(population(growth.(
Source:(Rich(States,(Poor(States,(5 (Ed.(
th

Lowering(corporate(tax(rates(can(increase(tax(revenues(due(to(the(economic( growth(they(encourage.(
Source:(Rich(States,(Poor(States,(5 (Ed.(
th

Business(taxes(affect(job(creation(and(retention,(business(location(and( competitiveness;(higher(rates(result(in(lower(wages(for(employees(and(higher(cost( products(for(consumers.(Source:(Tax(Foundation(

(

A(states(corporate(tax(rate(is(the(most(relevant(tax(in(the(investment(decisions(of( foreign(investors.(Source:(Tax(Foundation(
(

Tax(credits(impede(the(freeKmarket,(narrow(the(tax(base(and(drive(up(tax(rates(for( those(businesses(or(individuals(who(dont(qualify.(Source:(Tax(Foundation( According(to(the(2012(Florida(Tax(Handbook,(there(are(approximately($3.242( billion(in(targeted(exemptions(and(credits(for(businesses(in(the(Florida(tax(code.(

DONT%MAKE%FINANCIAL%PROMISES% TAXPAYERS%CANT%KEEP%

Floridas(state(and(local(elected(officials(have(been(gambling(with(taxpayer(dollars.( They( continue( supporting( financially( unsustainable( programs,( like( our( current( public(pension(plan(and(Citizens(Property(Insurance,(because(they(don't(want(to( tell(us(a(truth(we(may(not(like(hearing((these(programs(are(financially(unsound.((( (

Require$that$all$new$state$and$local$government$employees$be$ enrolled$in$401(k)Astyle,$defined$contribution$retirement$plans.$
( Our(politicians(must(stop(making(promises(that(taxpayers(cant(afford.(We( must( force(them(to(be(honest(with(us,(and(make(decisions(that(will(protect(us(now(and( in( the( future.( ( We( need( an( honest,( transparent( retirement( plan( that( works( for( both( hardworking( taxpayers( and( government( workers,( and( we( need( a( property( insurance( system( that( will( protect( our( homes( without( jeopardizing( our( future( financial(security.(

KEY%TALKING%POINTS:%
Floridas(Retirement(System((FRS)(serves(more(than(1(million(government( employees,(making(it(the(fourth(largest(public(pension(program(in(the(country.( Source:(James(Madison(Institute( ( The(FRS(is(88%(funded,(assuming(a(7.75%(return(on(investment.(Over(the(last(12( years,(the(fund(has(received(an(average(return(of(3.3%.(Source:(James(Madison(Institute( ( Florida(currently(has(an(optional(defined(contribution(plan,(however(only(16%(of( employees(elect(to(be(enrolled(in(it,(versus(the(84%(in(the(pension(plan.(Source:(James( Madison(Institute( ( Public(sector(pension(programs(guarantee(a(rate(of(return(that(is(3(to(4(times( higher(than(what(private(sector(workers(are(able(to(earn.(Source:(The(Heritage(Foundation( ( The(State(of(Florida(currently(contributes($5.5(billion(per(year(to(the(FRS,(but( would(need(to(double(that(contribution(to($11(billion(a(year(for(the(fund(to(remain( solvent.(Source:(James(Madison(Institute(

BE%STEWARDS%OF%GOOD,% TRANSPARENT%GOVERNMENT%%

Nearly(sixty(percent(of(our(state(budget(is(spent(on(contracted(services,(however( there(are(no(specific(standards(or(oversights(for(these(contracts.((That(means(the( state(is(spending(billions(of(taxpayer(dollars(each(year(for(programs(with(little(or( no(accountability.((( (

It$is$time$that$the$light$is$shined$on$all$state$contracts$$ and$they$are$made$public.(
( The( taxpayers( deserve( to( know( how( the( government( is( spending( their( hardK earned(money(and(what(we(are(getting(for(it.((There(must(be(transparency(for(all( state( contracts,( as( well( as( set( standards( that( detail( what( specific( services( a( contractor( is( expected( to( provide( and( the( financial( penalties( for( failing( to( fulfill( their(contract.!( (

KEY%TALKING%POINTS:%
According(to(the(Florida(Department(of(Financial(Services,(the(State(spends(

nearly($51(billion(annually(on(contracted(goods(and(services.( ( $13(billion(in(taxpayer(dollars(may(be(lost(each(year(due(to(poorly(written(and( managed(contracts,(when(applying(an(average(error(rate.(Source:(FLDFS( ( Under(the(current(system,(contracts(are(paid(by(the(States(Chief(Financial( Officer,(however(they(are(only(reviewed(by(the(when(payments(are(called(into( question((often(times(resulting(in(lengthy(settlement(negotiations(or(litigation.(

EMPOWER%KIDS%WITH%THE%% BEST%EDUCATION%%
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Parents(and(students(should(be(in(control(of(their(education,(not(bureaucrats(or( administrators.(( Florida( has( excellent( opportunities( available( to( students( that( don't( want( to( take( the( traditional( public( school( path,( including( charter( schools,( virtual(school,(homeschool,(and(scholarship(programs(like(StepKUp(for(Students.( (

Floridas$school$choice$programs$should$be$expanded$and$$ given$the$tools$necessary$for$success,$and$parents$should$have$the$ ability$to$turn$around$failing$schools.$

( Florida( kids( deserve( a( future( rich( with( opportunity.( ( We( must( empower( each( parent(and(student(with(the(freedom(to(choose(the(best(education(for(them,(and( give(all(kids(the(skills(to(achieve(their(dreams.!
( ( (

KEY%TALKING%POINTS:%
Floridas(StepKUp(for(Students(scholarship(program(served(38,032(students(in(2012:(70%(were( in(grades(KK5,(87.7%(are(below(the(poverty(line(and(56%(are(in(singleKparent(households.( Source:(Foundation(for(Government(Accountability(
(

In(2012,(charter(schools(served(179,900(Florida(students(in(grades(KK12,(ranking(us(3rd(in(
charter(school(enrollment(in(the(country.(Source:(Florida(Department(of(Education(

( In(2011K12,(64%(of(Floridas(charter(students(were(minorities(and(47%(were(free(or(reduced( lunch(eligible.(Source:(Florida(Department(of(Education(
(

Disproportionate(funding(puts(charter(schools(at(a(disadvantage(over(traditional(public( schools((with(charters(receiving(only(68K71%(of(district(FTE(funding.(Source:(Florida(TaxWatch( ( A(higher(percentage(of(students(score(a(3(or(better(on(FCAT(reading,(math(and(science(tests( in(charter(schools(vs.(traditional(public(schools.(Source:(Florida(DOE( ( The(bipartisan(U.S.(Conference(of(Mayors(voted(unanimously(to(support(parent(trigger(laws( that(allow(parents(to(turn(around(their(childrens(failing(schools.(Source:(Reuters,(18(June(2012( (

FREE%ENTREPRENEURS%TO%PURSUE% THE%AMERICAN%DREAM%
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Bureaucratic( delays( and( government( overKregulation( are( stifling( the( entrepreneurial( spirit( and( blocking( job( creation.(Every( Floridian( deserves( the( chance( to( achieve( their( own( personal( success( without( government( hassles( standing(in(the(way.(( (

Unnecessary$regulations$and$licensing$laws$$ must$be$eliminated$and$the$permitting$process$should$be$$ transparent$and$streamlined.$

( Burdensome(regulations(and(licensing(laws(should(continue(to(be(examined(and( eliminated.(( The( permitting( process( also( often( responsible( for( unnecessary( and( unacceptable(delays.(Local(governments(should(be(required(to(report(to(the(state( how(long(it(takes(them(to(approve(permits,(creating(transparency(for(businesses( and( encouraging( local( governments( to( make( the( process( faster( and( more( streamlined.( (

KEY%TALKING%POINTS:%
Florida(has(the(4th(most(burdensome(licensing(laws(and(is(the(7th(most(onerously( licensed(state(in(the(nation.(Source:(Institute(for(Justice( ( Floridas(burdensome(licensing(laws(deter(entry(into(45(of(the(102(lowK(and( moderateKincome(occupations(surveyed.(Source:(Institute(for(Justice( ( Burdensome(government(regulations(and(permitting(can(delay(creation(of(new(jobs( by(weeks,(if(not(months.(Source:(Foundation(for(Government(Accountability(
(

A(oneKweek(delay(for(a(new(Florida(startKup(company(results(in(approximately($2,700( in(lost(wages(for(a(typical(staff.(Source:(Foundation(for(Government(Accountability( ( A(one(week(delay(for(Florida(startKups,(which(created(173,236(jobs(in(2009,(costs(the( State(approximately($9.9(million(in(lost(revenue.(Source:(Foundation(for(Government(Accountability(