Florida State Representative Ed Homan

Will The State Win Or Lose As A Result Of The Proposed Tax Savings Legislation?

Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to increase the homestead exemption from $25,000 to 75 percent of the just value of the property up to $200,000 and 15 percent of the just value of the property above $200,000 up to $500,000, to subject the $500,000 threshold to annual adjustments based on the percentage change in per capita personal income, to authorize an increase in the $500,000 threshold amount by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature, and to specify minimum homestead exemption amounts of $50,000 for everyone except low-income seniors and $100,000 for low-income seniors; to provide for transitional assessments of homestead property under the increased homestead exemption that include preserving application of Save-Our-Homes provisions until an irrevocable election is made; to revise Save-Our-Homes provisions to conform to provisions providing for the increased homestead exemption and transitional assessments of homestead property; to require the Legislature to limit the authority of counties, municipalities, and special districts to increase ad valorem taxes; to authorize an exemption from ad valorem taxes of no less than $25,000 of assessed value of tangible personal property; to provide for assessing rent-restricted affordable housing property and waterfront property used for commercial fishing, commercial water-dependent activities, and public access at less than just value; and to schedule the amendments to take effect upon approval by the voters and operate retroactively to January 1, 2008, if approved in a special election held on January 29, 2008, or shall take effect January 1, 2009, if approved in the general election held in November of 2008.

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Florida State Representative Will Weatherford

Both State Representatives Ed Homan and Will Weatherford stressed that strong opposition is currently out there trying to scare people into voting against this tax savings legislation by promising a better solution to reducing taxes some time in the future.

Our opponents are using these scare tactics to convince people that jobs will be lost as a result of this legislation. However, nothing is further from the truth about this legislation. If the cost of owning a home continues at its present pace we will continue to lose people from coming and staying in Florida.

Historically Florida has attracted people because of the lower cost of living, lower housing costs and greater opportunities for everyone.  We have lost that attraction as a result of high housing costs and escalating taxes.  And other states are capitalizing on our loss. We will continue to lose jobs in the housing market to other states where taxes and the cost of living is more attractive.  If the housing crisis continues many more jobs and opportunities will be lost in this state.  And the exodus from the state will continue because people cannot afford to live here anymore.

If the people who are currently paying outragous taxes are scared into rejecting this legislation (special election: January 29th 2008) we do not know when other tax savings legislation will be introduced.

There are pros and cons to any new legislation. However, in the interest of keeping and attracting people to Florida and making the housing market more affordable for home buyers, home owners and renters alike this legislation is over due. 

As legislators our first duty should be to represent the interests of the people we serve. When we see that the cost of living in Florida gets so out of hand that it becomes a burden on the very people we have been sworn to protect our obligation to them should be to swiftly resolve the problem with well planned legislation. The taxes should be reasonable rather than a burden on the people we represent.

We realize that: "Big Government is not a savings machine, it is a spending machine."

When and where will all this big spending end?  I will tell you that it stops right here right now and this legislation is just the beginning of our turn around.  Because enough is enough, we need to have the vision to lead Florida as the most desirable state in the union. However, if we do nothing about our circumstances we will have only ourselves to blame.

Thus, we have heard the cry of the people. When taxes become unbearable we have the responsibility to introduce legislation that will at least lower that tax burden.  This was our promise to the people before being elected to office and will continue to be our promise during our term in office.