June Session Set For Property Taxes
State lawmakers on Wednesday officially called themselves back to work in June, according to the Palm Beach Post, saying they want another chance to cut the property taxes local governments impose.
“There is no doubt property taxes are too high and must be reduced,” Senate President Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, said, announcing the June session.
“We are committed to doing everything we can to provide meaningful and responsible relief to those who are being crushed under the weight of soaring property taxes.”
The special session will focus only on property tax cuts, which have hurt second home buyers as well as primary residents, according to Pruitt and House Speaker Marco Rubio.
Some lawmakers have appealed to Gov. Charlie Crist to expand the focus of the special session to address other unfinished business from the regular session that ended Friday - particularly improving access for the poor to health care through the state KidCare program and whether or not to keep Florida’s “no-fault” auto insurance law from expiring.
“The governor has been considering these things, but his priority right now is giving people relief from skyrocketing property taxes,” said Crist spokeswoman Vivian Myrtetus.
The taxes, along with skyrocketing insurance costs and already-high Florida mortgage payments, are considered one of the critical factors impeding the recovery of the housing market.
In fact, many would-be Florida home mortgage seekers have said that taxes and insurance have been a deal-breaker. Nonetheless, the governor and legislature have not come to a consensus as to how to address this growing concern. Yet.
For now, we wait as home sales lag. The special session will last from June 12-22, and hopefully, when it ends, there will be progress this time.
Lawmakers said that reducing the amount of property taxes local governments can impose was the top goal of their annual 60-day spring session, but the House and Senate could not settle differences between their packages.
“I’m pretty optimistic that we’ll be doing something significant during the special session,” said Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale. “There’s a high expectation out there and we need to meet it.”
Bogdanoff is one of several local lawmakers on the joint committee that will meet May 21 and June 4. Others include Sens. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach; Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton; and Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne.
SOURCE: Palm Beach Post
