Nov 6, 2007 7:46 pm US/Eastern
Petition Seeks Abolition Of Fla. Property Taxes
Plan Would Use Fees, Other Taxes To Handle Budget
TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) ―
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Raineri is leading a petition drive to abolish property taxes in the State of Florida.
CBS
The plan is rather simple: Eliminate Property taxes and create a fair tax. It's not a state income tax but rather increased fees for things like drivers' licenses. In the end it is supposed to ensure everyone pays their fair Pshare.
"This is what I pay $3,400 a year for this," said Landlord Nick Ekonomou as he pointed to a home. "I just got my bill and it's $16,724.86-- about four years ago it used to be about $3,800 to $4,000."
For 14 years Ekonomou has been providing affordable housing in South Florida, but with tax bills now costing him more than he's making, he's considering leaving.
"I can't do it anymore," he said. "I have to sell and get out of here because I only lose about two grand a month here. I can't do it. I'm out of business here."
Ekonomou is now looking for a realtor to save him, but not in the way you would think.
"Something needs to be done and seeing how we can't count on our legislators to get anything done it's high time, it's up to the people at this particular point," said Joe Raineri of Not Good Enough Florida.
Raineri is the founder of Not Good Enough Florida, and is asking you to vote no on their January amendment, and sign a petition to put his plan on the November ballot.
"We want to abolish property taxes altogether," said Raineri. "We feel this is the only equitable property tax plan."
With property taxes wiped out, legislators would be forced to raise $34 billion. Raineri suggests increasing state fees on items like fishing licenses, license plates, and real estate transactions, just to name a few.
Raineri's plan has piqued Ekonomou's interest, as well as politicians who are taking it seriously. The question remains whether he has the voters.
"If we can come together as one I truly believe that in November of 2008, this state will be back on the path to meaningful property tax reform, but also on the path to being the sunshine state," said Raineri.
The group will need to collect 611,000 signatures by February 1st in order to move forward.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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