After detailed analysis and scientific exit polling (of my wife and myself) I'm predicting the amendment will pass. Which is odd because I voted against it and my wife didn't vote one way or the other.
I'm surprised this passes (or looks like it will). For one thing, it needed 60% which was supposed to make amendments harder to pass. Second, it doesn't go anywhere near far enough. It would not help people that already own an expensive house (bought within the last few years of this real estate bubble) with their high taxes and it doesn't put seem to help future "first time" buyers very much.
Since more people will be saving more money from their "caps", the tax rate will have to go higher and higher to make the money counties need. Maybe it shouldn't, but this amendment doesn't stop them, so I'm assuming counties will continue to tax and tax. Since more people are covered by the "cap", the gap between what they pay and what first time home buyers will pay will continue to grow and grow.
How is this fair? How is this sustainable?
Plus there is the Federal Constitutional issue of this puts an unfair burden on people moving to Florida (like a struck down car "impact fee").
I vote against it because I wanted to send a strong message for them to TRY AGAIN. Now there will not be as much pressure to do anything.
Property Tax Amendment 1 still getting 60 percent of 'yes' vote -- OrlandoSentinel.com
Amendment 1's approval deserves smart response from government
(http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-ed30108jan30,0,4602339.story)
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OrlandoSentinel.com
EDITORIAL
Our position: Amendment 1's approval deserves smart response from government
Our position: Amendment 1's approval deserves smart response from government
January 30, 2008
The voters couldn't have spoken any louder or clearer Tuesday when they overwhelmingly supported the Amendment 1 property tax cut.
Let's see if Florida's cities and counties finally get the message. Expect to hear them whine about "dire" cuts, but remember how fat their budgets grew over the past few years when property values skyrocketed.
That said, it's equally important lawmakers don't get the wrong message from Tuesday's vote.
Gov. Charlie Crist and lawmakers would be smart to take a break now from tax-cut fever. They need to remember they made promises that cutting property taxes would not come at the expense of Florida's schoolchildren. Keeping that promise will be tough, given Florida's sagging economy.
Mr. Crist, whose leadership was a big part of Amendment 1's success, needs to lead again. His budget would increase money for schools, and he needs to again put his credibility on the line to see that it happens.
The last thing Florida needs now is another divisive battle over tax cuts, particularly with the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission working on tax-reform proposals of its own. The 25-member panel, which has the power to place constitutional amendments directly on the ballot, is debating as many as 13 property tax-cut plans.
Let the commission do its job.
And Florida's mayors and county commissioners had better get to work, too.
During the dramatic runup in property values over the past several years, local government should have lowered their tax rates, but few did. Local spending grew three times faster than population growth or inflation combined.
No wonder people are angry.
It's time to scour budgets and cut unnecessary spending. Here are just three quick examples for local leaders:
Cut your public-relations staffs. Teach managers to write press releases.
Cut your lobbying staffs. Pick up the phone and call members of Congress or lawmakers. They're elected to be your representatives, and you shouldn't have to hire lobbyists to get them to do their jobs.
Reform your overly generous vacation and sick-leave policies that allow workers to bank months of time to cash in for big payouts when they quit or retire -- a practice that most businesses abandoned years ago because it is so expensive.
Surely an honest effort will produce more cuts. It had better.
Amendment 1 is nothing compared to what could happen if voters don't regain confidence in their government -- and fast.
Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel
Well one thing is for sure, I am glad to see the 60% thing in effect. This is something the people REALLY want unlike the PPPA (Pregnate Pig Protection Act). Give me a break!
Just had another thought. The Slantinal article points out that the local tax rates have not fallen and that people are mad about that. I agree, but the question I have is why not? Why hasn't this anger of the people on the local level forced local government to act? I have to blame the local voters for not throwing out a government that is not responsive to their situation. Why does no one really care about their local government? I think perhaps it is because their local government really doesn't have too much power to affect their lives (with the exception of property taxes). I mean go as a co worker who is on the Board of County Commissioners. I'd be surprised to find that my co workers even knew what the board was not to mention who was on it. Why is it that nobody really cares? I'd be interested in knowing any alternate theories to this question.
I think we need HOAs to set the appropriate tax rate for their communities. Power to the HOA!!!
OK, that was just to get Mike spun up! :^)
I guess I didn't realize that this would help homeowners stuck with high taxes.
the Average is about $250 and I think I will save a little less than that. But I only pay $2500 in taxes so people paying $8,000 or $10,000 will save proportionately more, in the range of $800 to $1000 or more.
These are all estimated numbers from talking with Dave, but I just didn't realize how much it would help some people.
First time home buyers are still screwed, but it does help for now, especially since the market is going down. But when it goes up again, there will be more complaints about first time buyers paying too much versus us long time owners who have tax caps.
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