Why I am voting NO on Amendment #1

[ButchHowdy]

Yes, our property tax situation is a mess but altering the constitution could have a worse effect. Once you change it, you need all voters (including those who will be given favorable tax status) to change again and the likelihood of that happening is very low.

Knowing taxes can go up 10% plus another 4-5% for schools annually is a disincentive for ownership and is a "bad for business" message. This amendment is akin to putting a Band-Aid on a hemorrhage. We need a complete tax overhaul.

The good news is through the amendment push, ads and discussion about it - good and bad - our elected officials know more now than they did when they were looking to pass this last year. Also, market values are basically in free fall at the moment and there is no doubt the problem of spending on the local level now HAS to be addressed as they are looking at less revenue along with increases in SOH people if they increase millage rates to make up for the shortfall.

That would be disastrous and would certainly motivate people for a tea party for a true tax revolt. We need to set priorities on the local level. And on the state level we need to change some things- mandates, millage on water management districts (rolling back to 2003 or 2004 rates), and most important change the way assessments are done and capping them at a maximum that would never let us be in the situation we are in now with market values being BELOW assessments, leaving people paying taxes now on value that is non-existent.

Go to:
www.floridataxwatch.org
www.proprights.com.
www.cutpropertytaxesnow.com.

Thank you to Dawn Hooley running for District 32 for the insight.

 

[Lyn]

I agree completely.

 

[heath.whiteaker]

thanks for sharing. I've been on the fence about this

 

[Duckman]

I'm still in favor of Amendment #1 after reading these sites.

I think the perfect is being made the enemy of the good here. Amendment #1 will reduce taxes for all homesteaded homeowners. While I agree it would be better to slash property taxes across the board such as cutpropertaxesnow.com's amendment recommends, there is no guarantee that amendment will make it to a vote, or for that matter, whether there is a any guarantee of any cut in property taxes if Amendment #1 is not passed.

 

[qh4dotcom]

I voted YES on Amendment #1 because I have no other choice....there's no other option to cut property taxes...plus my father wants to move and we don't want to lose our Save Our Homes exemption.

 

[LinuxUser269]

Why do they need to amend the state constitution to lower taxes? i vote no

 

[Jay778x]

They need to amend the Constitution because the taxes we are cutting are mandated by the constitution. I voted YES.

 

[minitman]

property taxes is stealing! how can someone who dont even own property have the right to tell you to pay more taxes. and beware! here in Ohio city of toledo is trying to put on a levy for a privet own market. its all a joke and theft

 

[TruthLiberates]

I already voted last week

I voted NO
because it will cause the local government to increase my property taxes AGAIN!!! to make up for the difference they would lose from the exemption.
In the last two years the property appraiser jacked up my house another $100,000 dollars!!!
Then the housing market crashed.
Is the property appraiser out reevaluating our area to LOWER our values back down to where they should be. NO!
You can not vote YES without having any controls on the local government from increasing taxes because they will find a way to make up the difference in the money lost from these state exemptions or tax breaks.(the state controls the public schools budget ...they demanded a 7% increase last year and the schools has to comply which is why our property taxes increased again!)

I am speaking from experience...

It appears Gov Crist is working for the developers to help regain their losses...as he stated he wanted to rejump the housing market.

 

[DowntownGator]

Voted YES, and proud of it.

Time to curb the spending of government, and if these filthy corrupted politicians can't and won't do it, it's time to let the people have a say in it.

FWIW, I've heard that canned phrase likening the proposal to being "akin to putting a Band-Aid on a hemorrhage" so many times it appears as selling out to a cut and paste catch phrase is better and so much easier than thinking about it yourself.

Gov't doesn't want to lower taxes?

Holy moly, what else is new on the menu?

WWRPD?

Vote yes to lower taxes, obviously, if he is to continue being consistent in voting NO on tax increases.

Easy!

 

[mad212]

I'm voting against it, its a tax cut with no real reform. I'm not a home owner, but my mother is so it was a hard choice. With no tax reform this is just like Bush's implementation of fixing the economy.

 

[qh4dotcom]

I voted NO
because it will cause the local government to increase my property taxes AGAIN!!! to make up for the difference they would lose from the exemption.
In the last two years the property appraiser jacked up my house another $100,000 dollars!!!
Then the housing market crashed.
Is the property appraiser out reevaluating our area to LOWER our values back down to where they should be. NO!
You can not vote YES without having any controls on the local government from increasing taxes because they will find a way to make up the difference in the money lost from these state exemptions or tax breaks.(the state controls the public schools budget ...they demanded a 7% increase last year and the schools has to comply which is why our property taxes increased again!)

I am speaking from experience...

It appears Gov Crist is working for the developers to help regain their losses...as he stated he wanted to rejump the housing market.

The property appraiser cannot jackup your house $100,000 dollars if you have a homestead exemption.

 

[Duckman]

Why do they need to amend the state constitution to lower taxes? i vote no

The only thing that does concern me is the fact that this proposed Amendment might be ruled unconstitutional with the U.S. Constitution because it may provide an unconstitutional "preference" for Floridians to relocate within Florida vs. people from other states coming here. I think there might be some merit to that argument. But that would only strike down the portability of the S.O.H. Amendment, not other parts of this amendment such as increasing the homestead exemption itself and providing an exemption for people living in mobile homes (alot in FL) for the first time. It lowers taxes, seemingly no strings attached. The only way it could be better would be if it specifically mentioned what spending would be cut.

 

[TruthLiberates]

The property appraiser cannot jackup your house $100,000 dollars if you have a homestead exemption.

Yes, they can increase the market value. Its one big housing scam. They over valued the houses to pick up the property tax monies.

Gov Crist is dellusioned into thinking that a couple of hundred dollars savings for Some home owners is a tax break. This same delusion is like the Congress giving us a "tax rebate" knowing that in reality this is just an advance on your next year's tax refund. The county commissioners either have to deduct services or increase mils to make up for the shortage. The fact is, mils go up every year because of inflation and now Gov Crist just added another reason for them.



Research study found here: www.cityofpsl.com To watch the video link is on the left "The Proposed Property Tax Amendment"


From FloridaTaxWatch.org:

Amendment 1, the proposed constitutional amendment on Florida property taxes, does not target relief to those who need it most, perpetuates an inequitable system and exacerbates the tax shift to those taxpayers who have suffered the most. This is the conclusion of the latest Florida TaxWatch research briefing released today of the amendment that will be considered by voters on January 29.

The report, "Amendment 1 on Property Taxes Is Likely to Do More Harm than Good," reveals a serious flaw in the amendment that would allow local governments to immediately recoup any lost revenue that taxpayers would gain under the amendment.

The report also states that the "portability" provision may well run afoul of the United States Constitution, according to the expert constitutional advice commissioned by the Legislature. Further, Florida TaxWatch warns that passage of the amendment could mean the end of true property tax reform.

"I talk to the people who work at the Property Appraisers office everyday. They have already been told by upper management that if Amendment 1 passes, they are raising the millage rate. The millage rate is what determines what taxes we pay per square foot on a home. Amendment 1 does NOT stop them from raising the millage rate. Amendment 1 does NOT and will not lower our property taxes. "

 

[Mortikhi]

I will be voting yes tomorrow.

What message will we send when, given the chance to lower our tax bill, we flippantly vote no.

 

[sherpah23]

They need to come up with actual property tax decreases, not a drop in the bucket that is unconstitutional and unfair in the first place. I will be voting NO tomorrow.

 

[SPmachina033]

I voted no.

 

[beachmaster]

I'll be voting against this farce.

 

[TaxProtester]

I'm still in favor of Amendment #1 after reading these sites.

I think the perfect is being made the enemy of the good here. Amendment #1 will reduce taxes for all homesteaded homeowners. While I agree it would be better to slash property taxes across the board such as cutpropertaxesnow.com's amendment recommends, there is no guarantee that amendment will make it to a vote, or for that matter, whether there is a any guarantee of any cut in property taxes if Amendment #1 is not passed.

+1

 

[Mani]

I will be voting yes tomorrow.

What message will we send when, given the chance to lower our tax bill, we flippantly vote no.

This is where I'm at.

I don't like the bill, I think it's a peanut compared to what they were proposing last year. Also there appears to be a couple loop holes and the relief is much less than previously promised.

HOWEVER, if I vote no, WE ARE GIVING THEM A COP OUT!


Oh well, "we proposed tax cuts, and the people have spoken, they don't want it that bad." Sure it's not what we want, but if it's a FIRST STEP, we need to take that first step. I think the damage of giving state officials the idea that we don't want tax reform bad enough, is worse than passing a band-aid bill.

We need to hold our state officials accountable and I think saying, "NO" let's them off the hook. I think we need to send a strong message, "YES" we need tax reform. This is step #1, and not the end game. You better get your act together and keep moving towards reform or else your position is in jeopardy. A "no" vote gives them more leeway and allows them to stay business as usual.

Do we really wait for the perfect tax reform proposal to come around and vote NO until we see it, or do we vote YES and send a strong message that tax reform is a #1 priority and it needs to be addressed by state legislators.