[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Normal

In 2006 all was doom and gloom for the homestead exemption increase…None of which happened!
Did we lose our police or fire protection?
NO
Did schools close because of it?
NO
Did libraries close?
NO
Did it still pass and are you enjoying it today if you have claimed it since it’s passage in 2006?
YES
The negative chicken littles are a bit much.

The previous exemption didn't include restrictions on the municipalities, on where they could apply the property tax revenue. The current one does. It also provides a path for permanent 100% exemption, which is dangerous because one idiot (or vindictive) administration can tip the whole thing upside down and crush the municipalities completely.

[kingofbeer]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

The previous exemption didn't include restrictions on the municipalities, on where they could apply the property tax revenue. The current one does. It also provides a path for permanent 100% exemption, which is dangerous because one idiot (or vindictive) administration can tip the whole thing upside down and crush the municipalities completely.

True

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

The previous exemption didn't include restrictions on the municipalities, on where they could apply the property tax revenue. The current one does. It also provides a path for permanent 100% exemption, which is dangerous because one idiot (or vindictive) administration can tip the whole thing upside down and crush the municipalities completely.

I have no problem with the restrictions stated in the amendment:

Public safety (law enforcement, fire, EMS); education and public schools; infrastructure including roads and stormwater; natural resource projects including flood control; bonds and debt service; employee retirement benefits; and county administration and operations, except expenditures prohibited by general law.

We don't need a county or municipality erecting a 60 foot statue of Antonio Benedetto Carpano, the inventor of Vermouth or building a museum of medieval farm implements on the taxpayers' dime.

And what kind of future administration would want to crush all 67 Florida counties and to what end? Disenfranchise every voter in the state? Turn an entire bureaucracy against him? (Actually, I have an answer to that, but it would violate TOTV guidelines)

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I have no problem with the restrictions stated in the amendment:

Public safety (law enforcement, fire, EMS); education and public schools; infrastructure including roads and stormwater; natural resource projects including flood control; bonds and debt service; employee retirement benefits; and county administration and operations, except expenditures prohibited by general law.

What makes you believe there will be sufficient funding to continue all of that at the current level after a 15% - 25% cut in revenue?

We don't need a county or municipality erecting a 60 foot statue of Antonio Benedetto Carpano, the inventor of Vermouth or building a museum of medieval farm implements on the taxpayers' dime.

I was not aware of any of that happening in Sumter, Lake, or Marion. Have the broken ground on it yet?

And what kind of future administration would want to crush all 67 Florida counties and to what end? Disenfranchise every voter in the state? Turn an entire bureaucracy against him? (Actually, I have an answer to that, but it would violate TOTV guidelines)

The fact that this thread keeps reappearing shows that many have trouble seeing the obvious answer to that question.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by bill14564

what makes you believe there will be sufficient funding to continue all of that at the current level after a 15% - 25% cut in revenue?

we'll see.

i was not aware of any of that happening in sumter, lake, or marion. Have the broken ground on it yet?

that's what this amendment will prevent (hopefully). I would give the prime example of local government wasting $12 million plus future maintenance on total special interest garbage, but it would be politically incorrect and probably violate guidelines.

the fact that this thread keeps reappearing shows that many have trouble seeing the obvious answer to that question.

i agree, but not in the way you might think

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

i agree, but not in the way you might think

Haha! My post count is climbing - I've been on this forum a while. I would be very surprised if I didn't have a very good idea.

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

That's what this amendment will PREVENT (hopefully). I would give the prime example of local government wasting $12 million plus future maintenance on total special interest garbage, but it would be politically incorrect and probably violate guidelines

When the county *DOESN'T* waste money some will vote to punish them to prevent them from not doing what they are already not doing? Yep, makes a sort of sense.

Watch out for the unintended consequences (which we may have seen a little of already). If I were building a budget with this amendment hanging over my head I would forget trying to save money like I had been doing and instead make sure to pad everything possible in case it actually passes. Whether "preparing for the worst" or "if I'm going to get blamed for it I might as well do it", either way I would stop trying as hard as I had been to protect the tax dollars of the unappreciative constituents.

[kingofbeer]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I have no problem with the restrictions stated in the amendment:

Public safety (law enforcement, fire, EMS); education and public schools; infrastructure including roads and stormwater; natural resource projects including flood control; bonds and debt service; employee retirement benefits; and county administration and operations, except expenditures prohibited by general law.

We don't need a county or municipality erecting a 60 foot statue of Antonio Benedetto Carpano, the inventor of Vermouth or building a museum of medieval farm implements on the taxpayers' dime.

And what kind of future administration would want to crush all 67 Florida counties and to what end? Disenfranchise every voter in the state? Turn an entire bureaucracy against him? (Actually, I have an answer to that, but it would violate TOTV guidelines)

I am responding to a fictionalized opinion. Sumter County tax rate is much lower than St Lucie County for example.
St. Lucie County has a combined property tax millage rate of near 22 to 22.4 mills (where one mill equals $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable property value), making it one of the highest overall property tax rates in Florida. The general Sumter County operating millage rate is 4.8900 mills ($4.89 per $1,000 of taxable property value). That is why I moved here. We don't have spending or tax problems here.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

The previous exemption didn't include restrictions on the municipalities, on where they could apply the property tax revenue.

We need the restrictions here in Wildwood! It’s better than our commissioners continuing to spend like cash drunken sailors.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Haha! My post count is climbing - I've been on this forum a while. I would be very surprised if I didn't have a very good idea.




When the county *DOESN'T* waste money some will vote to punish them to prevent them from not doing what they are already not doing? Yep, makes a sort of sense.

Watch out for the unintended consequences (which we may have seen a little of already). If I were building a budget with this amendment hanging over my head I would forget trying to save money like I had been doing and instead make sure to pad everything possible in case it actually passes. Whether "preparing for the worst" or "if I'm going to get blamed for it I might as well do it", either way I would stop trying as hard as I had been to protect the tax dollars of the unappreciative constituents.

And therein you may be correct. Getting government off the taxpayer teat is harder than kicking a crack habit. Will they nickel and dime absolutely everything they can to preserve the revenue that they will earmark for even more wasteful spending? Yes, yes there may be some county somewhere that has no waste and may have problems with the 7 essential services outlined in the amendment, but I'm not sure they exist or are simply urban legend. I am disappointed that they dropped the codicil from the original proposed amendment stating the state would supplement any county that couldn't provide the 7 essential services (as long as they weren't building a memorial to victims of the Salem witch trials)

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Normal

We need the restrictions here in Wildwood!

I recently read about a GPS device being required in other states in cars of "super speeders." Similar to a DUI ignition interlock device but this GPS device prevents the car from exceeding the speed limit - press the accelerator all you want, the car won't speed.

Using examples from select cities across the state as an argument to apply amendment 3 to EVERY county and municipality sounds a lot arguing that since some drivers speed and drive drunk we should require the ignition interlock and GPS speed control on EVERY vehicle in Florida.

[kingofbeer]

Originally Posted by Normal

We need the restrictions here in Wildwood! It’s better than our commissioners continuing to spend like cash drunken sailors.

Wildwood has a small budget with little waste. Prove there is waste. You will mention the new garage, and the theater purchase. What else do you have?

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

...

I am disappointed that they dropped the codicil from the original proposed amendment stating the state would supplement any county that couldn't provide the 7 essential services (as long as they weren't building a memorial to victims of the Salem witch trials)

Interesting that you bring that up. Why is it somehow acceptable to believe the state has some huge stack of money sitting around waiting to be used? Isn't that an indication that it is the State imposing higher taxes than it should? Let's cut the state sales tax to 4% and see how that works. I'm sure that would keep more money in my pocket than amendment 3 will.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I have no problem with the restrictions stated in the amendment:

And what kind of future administration would want to crush all 67 Florida counties and to what end? Disenfranchise every voter in the state? Turn an entire bureaucracy against him? (Actually, I have an answer to that, but it would violate TOTV guidelines)

If you feel this is an actual possibility, then you would not want to give [insert whoever you're talking about] the ammunition to do exactly what you claim to know about.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Normal

We need the restrictions here in Wildwood! It’s better than our commissioners continuing to spend like cash drunken sailors.

Then vote for restrictions in WILDWOOD. This is a you problem, not an us problem.

[kingofbeer]

Originally Posted by Normal

It was all about the governor pledging to get rid of property taxes. He didn’t get the consensus in state government support for total tax elimination, so he had to reach for the middle ground. The amendment was then written to where it would garner the most votes for passage.

Local tax revenues have risen much higher than inflation over the past 7 years and something had to be done. The huge revenue surplus the state government continues to exasperate the obvious “do something” pressure. The last homestead exemption raise was 20 years ago back in 2006 and was an easy out.

All of this garnered from the problem of housing affordability in Florida. Some believe insurance is the culprit, others taxes and yet others the combination of the two. That’s why amendment 3 is on our ballot.

The legislature made their own proposal and told the governor no thanks.
"Local tax revenues have risen much higher than inflation over the past 7 years and something had to be done. The huge revenue surplus the state government continues to exasperate the obvious “do something” pressure. The last homestead exemption raise was 20 years ago back in 2006 and was an easy out."
Tax revenue increased because the appraised value of the houses increased. Not due to inflation. This is the dumbest proposal that I have seen. I prefer no homestead exemption and lower the millage rate instead. Remove the "disabled veterans" exemption, many of them are not disabled. It's fraudulent.