Homeowners on Property Tax Cut Plans
October 26th, 2007 by flanewsLawmakers will be back at the capitol Monday morning to work on getting a property tax amendment on the January ballot.� The House and Senate bogged down over the House�s proposal to base homestead exemptions on the value of all the homes in a county and to cap business and second home property tax increases at 5 percent a year.� As Chris Casquejo tells us, some voters are confused by it all.
Here it here: Homeowners on Property Tax Cut Plans
On Monday, Florida lawmakers will take their final stab at passing a property tax package in time for a January vote.� The big issue, whether the House and Senate can agree on a plan to create a Save Our Homes type protection for businesses and second homes.� Robert Dodson is skeptical.
�I don�t think they�re doing what the public wants,� Dodson said.
The House and Senate agree on portablity, affordable housing, tangible personal property, working waterfronts and relief for first-time homebuyers.
�They�re getting into these really complicated formulas to ease the tax burden for some, but not for the others,” Dodson continued.� “And I don�t think that�s right.� It needs to be an across-the-board percentage cut for everybody.�
Mary Pridgeon and her husband own three homes.� The retirees pay about $15,000 dollars a year in property taxes.� Only the House plan would help the Pridgeons.
�I do think second homes and small business properties should be limited,” Pridgeon said.� “I know the assessed value has just gone out of sight.�
As lawmakers come dangerously close to their deadline for getting a property tax amendment on the January ballot, a new poll shows a growing number of voters are concerned with the issue.� The Florida Chamber of Commerce says 39 percent of voters believe property tax relief is a top issue.� That�s up 6 percent from February.
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