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Jackie Colson-Miller

Jackie Colson-Miller, CIPS
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Property Tax Reform Passed by the Senate…Will The Voters Agree?

Today, the Florida Senate passed a tax-cut plan that would cut the average tax bill.by a mere pittance. The new system would increase homestead exemptions, giving homeowners a 75 percent write-off on their first $200,000 in market-based ”just value” and an additional 15 percent write-off on the next $300,000. Those homestead properties who would receive a greater benefit with the current Save our Homes plan would be allowed to keep that. I have not seen any plan to cut the actual millage rate, which also needs to be shaved .

The problem, as I see it, the tax cut is not enough. I doubt the proposed change to the constitution will fly with 60% of the voters, which is required.

Yes, owners of the under $200,000 price range will benefitbut in certain cities, including Tampa, that price point is far less than the price of a starter home. Beyond that, most property owners over the $300,000 range, who have been in their home over 3 5 years, will STILL be stuck in their homes, unable to move, do to a high tax bill.

My prediction this plan will NEVER pass with the 60% vote required. In order to give up the Save our Homes amendment, Floridians need to see their local governments cut the millage rates and, cut the fattened budgets of the past five years. Im not talking about a mere 5 10%I MEAN CUT OUT ANYTHING THAT WAS CREATED WITH ANY AMOUNT OVER A 4 5% ANNUAL INCREASEnew positions, new departments, all that NEWNESS that was created with the windfall created by the rise in property values. Cut back salaries that were increased more than 4 5% per year.across the boardin every city and county government. Voters are not stupidwe all know that our governments have simply gotten themselves into uber budget situations. And, they thought no one would notice????

I would like to see a hybrid plan that offers major homestead exemptions at all price levels, cuts millage rates, cuts government spending back to the levels of 4 years ago AND adds additional taxes to non-essential itemscigarettes, alcohol, hotels, .tourism is not likely to suffer over any of that.Disney World isnt leaving the state and while the price of a ticket to Disney, along with the food in the concessions, is nothing short of ridiculous, the increased visitor traffic tells you that a small tax increase will not stop anyone from visiting Mickey, or Florida. More gambling, in already existing pari-mutual locations, would add additional revenue. Perhaps we need to send our legislators to Monaco, to get a glimpse of a country without property taxes.

Those are my thoughtsthe plan is a NON-PLAN What do you think?

Here are some of my previous articles on Tax Reform:
Special Session on Tax Reform Begins Today

The Latest News on Property Tax Reform

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This entry was posted on Thursday, June 14th, 2007 at 7:04 pm and is filed under Property Taxes in Florida, Real Estate News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

10 Responses to “Property Tax Reform Passed by the Senate…Will The Voters Agree?”

  1. Lenny Gurvich says:
    June 15, 2007 at 1:13 pm

    Jackie,

    You’re right. When I do the math, if I’m correct, I don’t see any incentive to move up (my situation). I still feel the cuffs. In south Tampa , moving up for me would be into a $600k or so property. My taxes would still go from $1800 to $9500. Granted I’d get the benefit of the appreciation of the higher valued property, but that’s a big difference in taxes! Am I calculating that correctly?

  2. Jackie Colson-Miller says:
    June 15, 2007 at 2:27 pm

    Lenny:

    Exactly…this plan only benefits the new and recent buyers in the under 200k market…not EVERY property owner, as promised. Most people are still much better off with the current “cap” and are still “stuck” in their homes…

    Until governments cut way back, millage rates are cut AND there are substantial homestead exemptions for everyone, there will not be a good solution.

  3. george says:
    June 18, 2007 at 7:27 am

    How will Florida tax reform effect non-homesteaders?

  4. Jackie Colson-Miller says:
    June 18, 2007 at 9:39 am

    George:

    There is a slight tax break for commercial businesses and investment homes, but not much.

  5. Calum MacKenzie says:
    June 18, 2007 at 6:13 pm

    Jackie,

    I’m a little concerned that many voters will vote ‘yes’, because some reduction is better than none, instead saying ‘no’ and telling lawmakers to come back to us with plan that is fair and equitable to all Floridians. Too much of the tax burden will still fall on new residents with this plan.

    Calum

  6. Jackie Colson-Miller says:
    June 18, 2007 at 9:00 pm

    I agree…we must vote NO and sent them back for a better solution!

  7. Keith Jeppson says:
    June 18, 2007 at 9:38 pm

    Wow, the home value increase must have a devastating impact on the fixed-income retirement population in Florida. And only a 7% reduction.

  8. Sharon Simms says:
    June 20, 2007 at 8:44 pm

    Jackie – my vote is to eliminate the property tax entirely and raise the sales tax to 10%. Most of the people I’ve talked to agree – but I guess that’s too simple.

  9. Jackie Colson-Miller says:
    June 20, 2007 at 8:55 pm

    Sharon

    That works for me…see my new poll today…we must find a solution

  10. Russell Rich says:
    June 21, 2007 at 10:45 am

    Jackie, you are right on girl..You already know where I stand on these issues. We must send them back to Tallahassee so they will understand..”We mean real property tax reform!”
    As we have discussed in the past, when the city and conty governments were getting fat on all the increases to their repsective treasuries,(from the backended tax increases), what did they do, let’s see…employee pay increases way above the CPI or GDP numbers.(And remember once you give these pay increases you must adjust the pension plans too), oh and Mayor Pam Iorio wants to(I’m sorry, already has) provide 3 million dollars to “design” a recreation center in Sulfur Springs because they “need one with all the kids” and then fund it at $500,000 a year.
    Stop the madness!
    Why has the budget gone up 2.5 times in 6 years and the population has gone up only 10.9% and inflation compounded at total of 15%.
    Furthermore, will somebody tell me why education is off the table. Where in the world can you continue to throw money at something and still turn out an inferior product, and they still want more tax dollars..Beware of our politicians when they say things like “but what about our children”. “We need this money for our schools”.
    I have about had it with our politicians and it is time for people to get off their “collective behinds” and get vocal about it!

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