[crystalblue]

Growth won't pay the bills in Florida - St. Petersburg Times

most of us that have lived here a while probably know that Florida's tax structure in insufficient to not only pay the bills, but to make Florida a top state.

What can we do to change it?

[annerk]

What we need to do is eliminate the Save Our Homes initiative and level property taxes based on current assessed value. There are millions of homeowners paying a small fraction of what they should be in property taxes while many are paying a heavier load than they should be.

[Lilybeans]

Eliminating Save our Homes penalizes everyone who didn't try to flip their homes and cash out during the boom. Why would you penalize people for staying in their homes? Maybe we should levy a 20%sales tax on anyone selling their home within 5 years of purchase. That would have put some brakes on runaway prices, don't you think?

[annerk]

Originally Posted by Lilybeans

Eliminating Save our Homes penalizes everyone who didn't try to flip their homes and cash out during the boom. Why would you penalize people for staying in their homes? Maybe we should levy a 20%sales tax on anyone selling their home within 5 years of purchase. That would have put some brakes on runaway prices, don't you think?

What about the hard working people who just happened to purchase homes in the past five years and live in those homes with the intent to do so for another 20 years? I'm paying almost $10K a year, my neighbors who have a house that would sell for 25% more than mine pay 1/3 the amount of taxes simply because they bought four years earlier than I did. How is that equitable?

BTW--I was offered double what I paid for my house by the builder the day before our final closing. I declined. But I guess in your eyes I'm still one of those evil people who drove up housing prices, simply because I bought the house in 2003.

And levying a sales tax on someone who sells a home before they've lived in it for five years is absurd. Many people have to sell homes because they get transferred for their jobs or have other circumstances beyond their control.

[rusty78]

Originally Posted by Lilybeans

Eliminating Save our Homes penalizes everyone who didn't try to flip their homes and cash out during the boom. Why would you penalize people for staying in their homes? Maybe we should levy a 20%sales tax on anyone selling their home within 5 years of purchase. That would have put some brakes on runaway prices, don't you think?

Regardless of what way they decide to tax you......someone will not be happy......a progressive tax...a flat tax...consumptsion tax or any other tax...without closing the loop-holes...will not be fair to someone......and adding a tax to someone who purchased to "flip" would not be fair either......for a home is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it......

[Lakeland Yankee]

Originally Posted by crystalblue

Growth won't pay the bills in Florida - St. Petersburg Times

most of us that have lived here a while probably know that Florida's tax structure in insufficient to not only pay the bills, but to make Florida a top state.

What can we do to change it?

I would generally support a progressive tax in Florida but I would also like to see companies that relocate here be given tax breaks in order to create new jobs in the state. Florida could be a top state if we could get rid of the rampant corruption and focus on becoming a self sufficient state that does NOT rely on tourism for revenue.

Florida should focus on creating 'Green-Collar' jobs that would help the middle class and the environment at the same time. Factories could produce solar panels thus creating more jobs and new businesses that have to install them. Florida can go green and at the same time create jobs for its residents. It's a win-win situation. The possibilities here are really endless imho.

Also we need to get rid of Right to Work (http://www.aflcio.org/issues/legislativealert/stateissues/work/ - broken link)laws because they only benefit the employer. Otherwise jobs will continue to pay low wages and employees will continue to have no job security.

just my 2 cents.

[wacahootaman]

Offshore drilling would generate billions of dollars in new revenue for the state.

If the sales taxes were increased, combined with the new revenues from offshore drilling the abusive property taxes could be greatly reduced.

That would be a huge improvement.

But the key is to get the government to reduce spending of tax payer dollars.

[Lilybeans]

Originally Posted by wacahootaman

But the key is to get the government to reduce spending of tax payer dollars.

Yes, exactly.

[Lilybeans]

Originally Posted by Lakeland Yankee

Also we need to get rid of Right to Work (http://www.aflcio.org/issues/legislativealert/stateissues/work/ - broken link)laws because they only benefit the employer. Otherwise jobs will continue to pay low wages and employees will continue to have no job security.

just my 2 cents.

Sure, as long as the employees are willing to risk everything they have for the benefit of the business, give up their vacations if need be, and go without a paycheck if business is slow. As long as they are willing to do what the employer does, then fine. Are you sure they are willing to do that?

[Lakeland Yankee]

Originally Posted by Lilybeans

Sure, as long as the employees are willing to risk everything they have for the benefit of the business, give up their vacations if need be, and go without a paycheck if business is slow. As long as they are willing to do what the employer does, then fine. Are you sure they are willing to do that?

Why would anyone do that for a business? Would you? That is ridiculous, no? If a business doesn't know how to budget and manage properly than that is their problem but the employee shouldn't have to give up anything. The working class always gets screwed by the wealthy. Let the CEOs and other top management take the pay cuts and leave Joe/Jane worker alone.

You get what you pay for in life, low wages = low quality workers, the good ones will leave the first chance they get.

I'm not going to debate you here on this subject. It's not the proper forum and it's not fair to the OP.