Jan 14, 2008 9:48 pm US/Eastern
Crist Rallies Support For Prop Tax Amendment
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Governor Crist is in town promoting the latest property tax cut amendment which will only offer the average homeowner $200 in savings. Do you plan to vote for it?
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Trying to rally support for
Amendment 1, Governor Charlie Crist joined members of the Realtor Association of Greater Ft. Lauderdale at Stranahan Park in Ft. Lauderdale to tout the measure's high points.
Crist admitted the amendment is not a fix to the state's property tax crisis, but is more of a start to real property tax relief.
"The people have the right to go to a ballot and cut your taxes," said the Republican governor. "The long and the short of this is simple and very straight forward, essentially you get to double your homestead exemption. In addition to that, as the mayor pointed out, you get portability."
After the rally, Crist walked several Broward County residents over to the nearby Broward County library so they could vote early for property tax reform.
"As realtors, we feel it's important to show our support on this first day of voting, and we're proud to do it alongside Governor Crist," said RAGFL CEO Richard Barkett. "We're committed to revitalizing South Florida's housing market, and this is the first step."
But opponents of amendment 1 say it would slash budgets and hurt those least able to afford it.
"If this passes we are going to devastate education funding, we are going to devastate healthcare and social services and human services funding, we are a state that has not been doing right by our children" said U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, a Democrat, who said she went to the library to vote early and ran into the rally.
The amendment, which has four parts, would save the average homeowner about $240 a year.
Under terms of the plan, it would double the existing $25,000 Homestead exemption for primary homes valued at more than $50,000 but only for non-school taxes.
A "portability" provision would allow homesteaders to take existing Save Our Homes benefits along when they move. Save Our Homes limits annual assessment increases to 3 percent but only for primary homes.
Another provision would provide businesses, second homes and rental properties with a similar cap of 10 percent.
Finally, the amendment would give businesses a $25,000 exemption on equipment and other personal property.
Supporters of Amendment 1 admit it doesn't cure the property tax crisis, does nothing to lower bills for new buyers, for second home owners or businesses, but it is a beginning.
"We'll do more, we'll keep going, this is not the end, this is just the second play," said Crist.
Others believe homeowners might not save as much as they thought if the proposal on the January 29th ballot to revamp the property tax system passes, so they've come up with their own proposal.
Fair Property Tax For All Inc. points out that the amendment will only save the average homeowner about $200 a year in property taxes.
They are seeking support for a constitutional amendment that would limit taxes on all properties to 1.35-percent.
They need 600,000 signatures from various municipalities across the state to get the measure on the January 29th ballot.
Click Here to find out more about the "1.35-percent Tax Plan"
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