Sales Tax Increase Will Be On Nov. Ballot

[flvegan]

By JEROME R. STOCKFISCH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 25, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Florida voters will decide this fall whether to pony up another penny on the dollar at the cash register in order to slash local property tax bills.

A powerful state constitutional committee decided Thursday to ask voters on Nov. 4 whether to boost the state sales tax from 6 cents to 7 cents on most purchases, excluding food, drugs and some other products. In return, the Legislature would eliminate the portion of local property taxes that goes to schools, which accounts for anywhere from 25 percent to more than 40 percent of a typical tax bill.

<snip>

Eliminating local schools taxes - what's known in Tallahassee as the "required local effort" after state and federal funds are funneled to school districts - would strip $7.9 billion from local school budgets statewide this year. An additional penny on the sales tax would have raised $3.9 billion.

The proposal charges the Legislature with making up the rest through a combination of closing sales-tax exemptions that do not "advance or serve a public purpose," spending reductions, the added revenue that would stem from economic growth or from "other revenues."

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/25/na-sales-tax-increase-will-be-on-nov-ballot/

[Sancho]

1. Basically, Florida has a strong tax base...

compared to Southern states and rural states, Florida has lots of people with money, property, sales, and tourists...so why are we always out of $'s. We have have the most heartless, least progressive, and most unethical state government in the US (well, Texas is also pretty bad)...

A progressive Florida would truly be a magical place, because Florida could afford to be progressive and hardly no one's income would be noticeably changed.


:dem:

[kdmorris]

2. I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop

Just another way to widen the gap between rich and poor. The make it sound so innocent "just another penny on the dollar", but what happens when you have to pay an extra 1% for everything (yes, except food. It's expensive enough!!). 1% more for tires for your car. 1% more for your children's school clothes.. and on and on.

Between this and the property tax bill and the gay marriage amendment and the voucher programs that are all going on the ballot this year...I don't know. Maybe it's time to seriously think about moving the hell out of this state.

[Clovis Sangrail]

3. the funny thing is how many non-property owners vote for this kind of stuff

The majority of people are NOT property owners, but are stupid enough to get suckered into raising taxes on themselves.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Renters pay property taxes, just not directly

When property taxes increase landlords simply pass this added expense to their tenants.

[Clovis Sangrail]

6. but I don't think property taxes are increasing

if I read this correctly they want to lower property taxes and raise sales taxes to do it.

[bluevoter4life]

4. Sounds innocent enough

Until you remember what happened when they told us Lotto would be used to supplement state education. And when the slot machines in Miami and Broward went into effect (which I regrettably admit I voted for. Lapse in judgment). Just another ploy to voters in an attempt to pass it off as property tax reform.

[Clovis Sangrail]

7. how is this 'innocent enough' ?

it's an attempt to shift taxation away from land owners and replace it with a regressive tax across the entire populace.