[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 155 (Wednesday, December 1, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S8344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO DOMINIC CALABRO

 Mr. LeMIEUX. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 
distinguished career of Mr. Dominic Calabro of Tallahassee, FL, who is 
in his 30th year of public service with Florida TaxWatch, a 
nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog and research institute that 
has served the taxpayers for decades in my home State of Florida. The 
group has been chaired for the past 2 years by the distinguished 
leadership of David A. Smith of Jacksonville, FL.
  Florida TaxWatch first hired Mr. Calabro in 1980 as a senior research 
analyst. His hard work and dedication was quickly recognized, as he was 
promoted to executive director in 1982 and CEO in 1986. Mr. Calabro has 
guided the growth of TaxWatch into a dynamic, influential organization 
dedicated to improving government productivity and taxpayer value 
through research and civic engagement. Approximately 70 percent of 
TaxWatch's recommendations have been adopted by Florida's government, 
saving billions of dollars for Florida taxpayers.
  Under Mr. Calabro's leadership, Florida TaxWatch has grown from an 
organization with a membership of approximately 30 and annual revenues 
of approximately $64,000 to a statewide organization boasting a 
membership of nearly 1,000 individuals and organizations and revenues 
that have grown more than twentyfold to over $1,500,000.
  In addition to identifying and working to improve government spending 
in the public interest, Mr. Calabro and TaxWatch are the key players in 
the annual Prudential-Davis Productivity Awards, a nationally unique 
public-private partnership that recognizes and rewards exceptional 
Florida state employees whose innovative work measurably increases 
productivity and saves taxpayer money. Mr. Calabro has received 
numerous honors and awards, including being named by the National 
Junior Chamber of Commerce as one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans 
for 1994.
  Mr. Calabro has been supported in all of his endeavors by his loving 
wife of 31 years, Debbie. They are devoted to their four children, 
Diana, Dominic, Christina, and Danny.
  Mr. Calabro is also a driving force for improvements in public 
education. He is on the Board of Advisors for Florida State 
University's Graduate School of Social Work. Mr. Calabro also serves on 
the Florida Education Foundation and Communities in Schools of Florida.
  Many Florida TaxWatch recommendations have served as the impetus for 
important changes to Florida budgetary and taxation policy, including 
the Taxpayers Bill of Rights of 1992, the Government Performance 
Accountability Act of 1994, the complete phase-out of the Intangibles 
Tax, and a recent Government Cost Savings Task Force that so far has 
saved the state nearly $3 billion to weather the current economic 
climate.
  I congratulate Mr. Calabro on his 30 years of service with Florida 
TaxWatch, and to wish him nothing but the best in his future 
endeavors.

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