Florida TaxWatch Suggests Upper Limit Threshold Under Florida Department of Transportation Highway Landscape Spending

Tallahassee, Fla. - Today, Florida TaxWatch released From Roads to Roots: A Review of Florida's Highway Landscape Spending, a report acknowledging that highway landscaping is valuable, and that the legislature should establish an upper limit on landscape spending.

Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, "Not only is the continual developmentof the state's transportation network critical to limit traffic congestion and move people and goods safely and efficiently throughout the state, but the maintenance of well-planned and sustainable highway landscaping provides important safety, environmental, and economic benefits and policies that better protect the investment in highway landscaping should be considered by the Florida legislature.

"Moreover, highway landscaping is an economic driver, with an identified $58 million in value-added impacts from 2008-2013. As visitors enter the state, their first impression comes from the window of a car. Building a sense of culture and beauty along state highways can encourage prospective businesses and tourists to spend more time in the state of Florida."

Each year, Florida makes significant investments in transportation; however, the allocated tax dollars are not used for road work alone. Pursuant to s.334.044(26), F.S., at least 1.5 percent of transportation construction spending must be used to purchase plant materials for highway landscaping. Considering FDOT received $13.6 billion for its Work Program in FY 2023-24, 1.5 percent amounts to more than $200 million of taxpayer dollars.

Highway landscaping serves legitimate purposes. An effective highway landscape stabilizes embankments, minimizes maintenance needs, provides barriers between roads and community developments, supports local ecosystem activities, lowers temperatures, and creates visually appealing gateways to attract businesses and tourists to local communities. Although highway landscaping is undoubtedly valuable, Florida TaxWatch finds it odd that the legislature established a minimum spending threshold but no upper limit on landscape spending. This statute should be reviewed.

In response to a request from Florida TaxWatch, FDOT provided information documenting the evolution of highway beautification costs since 2014. The moving three-year average increases by 37 percent from 2014 to 2023. In part, this trend is due to particularly expensive projects in 2020 and 2023, including the creation of expressways, the construction of the Howard Frankland Bridge, and the widening of state roads and turnpike lanes.

Like Florida, Texas provides a minimum spending requirement based on highway construction contracts. Unlike Florida, however, Texas establishes a maximum spending limit. What is missing is an upper limit to what can be spent on roadway landscaping.

TaxWatch recommends the legislature amend §334.044(26) Fla. Stat. (2023) to: (1) include the tiered pricing system that was included in SB 1226 (2024) or one that is substantially similar; or (2) establish (like Texas) an upper limit to how much can be spent on roadway landscaping. Additionally, the state should fund a comprehensive review of the program that monitors whether highway landscaping is in compliance with maintenance standards-ensuring the state's investment on plant materials is properly protected-and establish a funding mechanism based on an updated compliance program to create a transparent and accountable way to track FDOT funds allocated to highway landscape maintenance.

To learn more and access the full commentary, please click here.

About Florida TaxWatch

As an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog and taxpayer research institute, and the trusted "eyes and ears" of Florida taxpayers for more than 45 years, Florida TaxWatch (FTW) works to improve the productivity and accountability of Florida government. Its research recommends productivity enhancements and explains the statewide impact of fiscal and economic policies and practices on taxpayers and businesses. FTW is supported by its membership via voluntary, tax-deductible donations and private grants. Donations provide a solid, lasting foundation that has enabled FTW to bring about a more effective, responsive government that is more accountable to, and productive for, the taxpayers it has served since 1979. For more information, please visit www.floridataxwatch.org.

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