McKay Proposes a Constitutional Amendment to Cut Property Taxes by 45%
CIVIC Concern | | 
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Former state senator John McKay, a member of the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission (FTBRC), has filed a proposed constitutional amendment that would require the Legislature to review and repeal many of the hundreds of sales tax exemptions on non-essential goods and services.
The amendment would use the resulting increase in sales tax revenue to fund schools, replacing most of the education property taxes. The current exemptions for food, prescription drugs, health services, and residential rent, electricity and heating fuel will be maintained.
Read the full article here.
Do you support this proposal? Do you think these are special interest tax breaks that ought to be repealed, or are they incentives that help support Florida's businesses and economy? Plenty of folks agree that luxury skyboxes in pro sports arenas should be taxed, but what about lawn services?
property taxes, Budget Reform Commission, FTBRC, John McKay, Sales Tax Exemptions (all tags)
Special Session Ends; Results Uncertain
CIVIC Concern | | 0
The Legislature ended its special session on property taxes today after passing two bills touted as the solution to the tax crisis. There is no consensus, however, that the legislation will result in relief for those that need it most, and many are concerned about the impact on education funding and government services.
The "roll-back bill" requires local governments to reduce taxes this year and caps their future revenues. The second bill creates a proposed constitutional amendment. If passed by 60% of voters in January, the amendment would allow homeowners to give up their Save Our Homes assessment cap in exchange for a much larger homestead exemption.
Read CIVIC's article for full details.
Tell us what you think of the legislature's plan.
Property taxes, special session, constitutional amendment (all tags)
The Property Tax Puzzle
Property tax reform is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, issue facing the state legislature this year. There has been much hand wringing all around. Many hare brained schemes have been floated. Civic Concern has just published a thoughtful, reasoned history of the property tax problems in Florida and proposed some solutions.
Some commenters on the St. Peterburg Times Buzz Blog piece on this report claim that
The people want major reduction in property taxes
Others argue
I don't think "the people" want a bunch of half-cocked, sound bite ideas.
... Recent polls show they're pretty skeptical of all the various proposals.
If you want my opinion...
Cross Posted from Florida Kossacks
http://fl-kossacks.blogspot.com/
Civic Concern, Florida Kossacks, Florida Legislature, growth, impact fees, Leadership Florida, local politics, property taxes (all tags)