[tallrick]

Anyone else impressed with the Nightline segment on property taxes? We can't let the fight die, but need to keep this a contreversial issue until something is done about it. Let's prove that Floridians have more guts that Northeasterners who willingly submitted to high taxes and defend them to this day!

[killaloe]

Originally Posted by tallrick

Anyone else impressed with the Nightline segment on property taxes? We can't let the fight die, but need to keep this a contreversial issue until something is done about it. Let's prove that Floridians have more guts that Northeasterners who willingly submitted to high taxes and defend them to this day!

Tallrick - I missed the show - can you summarize what they said?

[tallrick]

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=3177798&page=1

[riveree]

I've had the experience of the little old lady next door who pays next to nothing in taxes, regardless of her income (she was well off).

I couldn't help but think that somehow others, including myself, were picking up the burden since the city was only collecting $500/yr from her.

She had the school system to use if her grandchildren came to live with her, she had garbage and recycling pickup, our road was repaved which was to her benefit, police and fire available, etc., all for only $500 a year!

The money she saved on taxes was used to update her home, lawn service, etc.

My home on the other hand, was in desperate need of updating - much of it was still original circa 1940's, yet my home was assessed much higher than hers....and we had the same house/same floor plan.

We do need a new system, this one really isn't working too well.

[tallrick]

828.1211 Felling cattle.--A person who, for the purpose of practice, entertainment, or sport, intentionally fells, trips, or otherwise causes a cow to fall or lose its balance by means of roping, lassoing, dragging, or otherwise touching the tail of the cow commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. As used in this section, "cow" means any animal of any registered breed of the genus Bos, or any recognized hybrid thereof.

The legislature ignored taxes, but they did review a bill for "cow tipping"!

[doggiebus]

I don't know what is fair, either way someone is not going to like what ever decision is made. We need to consider the elderly in this however. For instance, the lady across from me, has lived there for 30 years, she can barely afford her bills today, she doesn't put gas in her car any more, she walks two miles one way to the grocery store, she doesn't run her air condition, she can't buy new clothing. She can't move because if she does her taxes will be higher for a smaller place, yet the neighbors would love her to move so that someone can move in to fix the house up which she can't afford to fix. She pays I think $1,500 in property taxes the new guy two doors down pays $8,000. It isn't fair yes, but we need to think of the elderly when we make this decision what to do with property taxes, not all of the elder are well to do...

[riveree]

Originally Posted by doggiebus

I don't know what is fair, either way someone is not going to like what ever decision is made. We need to consider the elderly in this however. For instance, the lady across from me, has lived there for 30 years, she can barely afford her bills today, she doesn't put gas in her car any more, she walks two miles one way to the grocery store, she doesn't run her air condition, she can't buy new clothing. She can't move because if she does her taxes will be higher for a smaller place, yet the neighbors would love her to move so that someone can move in to fix the house up which she can't afford to fix. She pays I think $1,500 in property taxes the new guy two doors down pays $8,000. It isn't fair yes, but we need to think of the elderly when we make this decision what to do with property taxes, not all of the elder are well to do...

I totally agree, and I don't know how we would ever be able to sort out the two.....I don't think we can so something would need to be done to ensure that the elderly are not affected negatively.

I never wished higher taxes on her, only lower ones for me since the gap seemed so huge.

Maybe some way of granfathering in residents over a certain age so their taxes are not affected by a new system.

[jhlcomp]

I just read the article. Sobering piece of fact and that didn't fully address the sky rocketing insurance premiums.

I am stumped as to what is the best solution.

[killaloe]

So municipality's income from property taxes has roughly doubled in a couple of years. Now that they are being threatened with tax reductions they say they have to cut back on police and firefighters. Has the doubled income all been going to extra firefighters and police?

Isn't their expenditures a matter of public record? What have they been spending the money on? And don't say 'pork' or pet projects. We need hard facts.

[Miami Vice]

It's funny because the governor said the other day that there would be no effect on police and firefighters, but according to the mayor, the overtime for the next fiscal year for several of the bureaus within the department have been eliminated. There are even investigative support bureaus who are thinking of eliminating a whole shift. These are not road officers but ones that are inside doing investigative work or support for investigative units. Officers are going to have trouble taking vacation because they won't be able to fill the positions. The positions are sometimes filled on a overtime rate.