Harrell Only Rep for People
April 27, 2007
When rapidly increasing taxes keep people from moving, others from buying and businesses from expanding, there’s a problem.
Florida legislators have come to the rescue — as scary as that might sound — with two plans of their own:
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• The House plan, which would increase the sales tax up to 2.5 percent while eliminating property taxes for homesteaders, is best for relatively new Floridians who have expensive homes. It sells out longtime, middle-income homeowners, while benefits accrue to wealthy homeowners.
Unfortunately, this plan has bamboozled local state Reps. Stan Mayfield, Ralph Poppell and William Snyder, who voted in lockstep with their Republican leaders. The only local GOP House member to vote for the people was Gayle Harrell, R-Port St. Lucie.
• The Senate plan, shepherded by Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne, was crafted after numerous hearings across the state. Like the House plan, it caps future increases in taxes, but does not roll back taxes as much as the House plan.
At this point, though, Floridians need fewer handouts and more plans for long-term sustainability for people of all incomes. That’s what the Senate plan does, by:
• Providing relief for business taxpayers with a $25,000 exemption for tangible property personal property.
• Giving first-time homebuyers an additional $25,000 homestead exemption, which phases out as other tax relief kicks in. This helps to make homes more affordable and limits the unexpected tax sting of a new home. It might make sense to increase this.
• Allowing homesteaders to take with them up to $500,000 in exemptions created by the Save Our Homes law, which limits the increase in taxable value each year. The exemption could phase out by up to 10 percent annually. The Senate should consider reducing this so-called portability to $250,000.
There are several other revisions, which make the Senate plan almost as complicated as the U.S. tax code. A conference committee, which will try to bridge the gap between the House and Senate, must iron out some of those funky details, which include credits for affordable housing.
The conference committee also must agree to require property appraisers statewide to assess property the same way. Earlier this week, Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, leader of the committee’s House delegation, was standoffish, saying that the property tax elimination and sales tax increase were critical for the state.
“If (the senators) are not willing to look at that, I would consider that something they ought to rethink,” Cannon declared.
Senate Majority Leader Daniel Webster, R-Winter Garden, was more realistic.
The Orlando Sentinel quoted him as saying: “It would get the lowest vote total ever in the history of constitutional amendments.”
He’s right.
Cannon ought to back off the House’s plan — as should local House members — because the Senate’s is less draconian to governments and the poor, and helpful to all homeowners.
CONTACT YOUR LAWMAKERS
Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, pruitt.ken.web@flsenate.gov
Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne, haridopolos.mike.web@flsenate.gov
Rep. Ralph Poppell, R-Vero Beach, ralph.pop-pell@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Stan Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, stan.mayfield@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Gayle Harrell, R-Port St. Lucie, gayle.harrell@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. William Snyder, R-Stuart, william.snyder@myfloridahouse.gov
Rep. Richard Machek, D-Delray Beach, richard.machek@myflorida-house.gov
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