Florida Property Tax Fight Rages On

After weeks of berating city and county officials for abusing property tax dollars, Florida lawmakers began drawing fire for budget proposals that demand a record level of homeowners’ taxes to pay for public schools.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, dueling $70-billion-plus budget plans advancing in the House and Senate both increase public school dollars by $1.2 billion.

But a remarkable 45 percent of the new cash - $545 million - would come from local property taxes, even as lawmakers continue to put heat on city and county spending habits they say are not helping, but rather worsening the burden of property taxes on homeowners.

Local officials quickly struck back, condemning the Legislature’s approach as hypocritical.

“This would have been the easiest and quickest way to provide property tax relief for homeowners,” said Susan Latvala, president of the Florida Association of Counties and a Pinellas County commissioner.

The House and Senate spending plans would force homeowners to steer an unprecedented $7.9 billion toward public schools - more than double the contribution demanded of local property owners only nine years ago.

Budget writers say a stalled Florida housing market has contributed to a nearly $1 billion drop in anticipated tax dollars this year and next. In turn, lawmakers are forced to lean more on the same homeowners they’ve vowed to help through an overhaul of the property tax system.

As Florida mortgage costs have risen beyond the reach of many prospective and current homeowners, real estate taxes have become yet another thorn in their collective side. The Senate’s budget plan was approved by a series of appropriations committees Wednesday.

Then there’s the matter of insurance, which on top of taxes and Florida mortgage loan payments can be the last straw for many homeowners. The Florida House proposal is scheduled to go Friday before its Policy and Budget Council, with floor votes in both chambers to follow next month.

SOURCE: Orlando Sentinel