Members
of the citizens panel empowered to put tax proposals onto the November 2008 ballot said the Legislature "didn't go
far enough" and "rushed to judgment" in its attempt to address property taxes.
So
the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission said Thursday it wants to finish the job.
"This
is a major, major issue and it should be viewed on the top of the list of what we should deal with," said Jim Scott,
vice chairman of the panel.
The commission's primary concern: The legislative plan to give
homeowners the ability to transfer their homestead exemption to new homes, businesses predictability and homesteaders $240
in tax relief doesn't do enough to help small businesses and new and recent homebuyers.
Stephanie
Fay is one of those homeowners for whom the plan falls short. The Kendall schoolteacher invited Gov. Charlie Crist and his
media entourage into the cramped living room of her small townhome Wednesday as part of the governor's campaign to promote
the "largest tax cut in state history."
Turns out, Fay will receive tax relief - $340
- regardless of whether voters approve the proposed constitutional amendment on Jan. 29. If it passes, Fay will receive another
$240 from a measure to increase the homestead exemption.
But Fay says she wants more - and commission
members agree.
"It just didn't go far enough," said Les Miller, a former Tampa senator
and member of the panel. He wants new and recent homebuyers to get deeper tax cuts paid for by the elimination of some sales-tax
exemptions.
Debate will continue
Commissioner
Mike Hogan, the Duval County tax collector, believes lawmakers "rushed to judgment" in their haste to develop a
tax plan, and the bipartisan tax panel now needs the "wisdom of Solomon to solve it."
And
commission chairman Allan Bense said that because there are "eight or nine issues the legislation didn't address"
the commission likely will put something on the November 2008 ballot, but there is no guarantee voters will approve it. The
commission needs 16 of the 25 members to vote to put an amendment on the ballot and then 60 percent of the voters need to
support it.
"There could be the feeling out there that if it does pass, 'Well, we've
solved the problem out there,' " Bense said. "But . . . this commission won't stop debating proposals that
enhance the Jan. 29 amendment."
Commissioners held public hearings in September and October
in which the loudest and most frequent complaints came from businesses and owners of second homes and investment property.
Commissioner Bob McKee, the Lake County tax collector, warned those property owners might be harder to help if the
Legislature's amendment passes.
"I realize the Legislature has said this may be the largest
tax cut in the history of Florida and yet I have no illusions that the average taxpayer, who pays their taxes next year, will
say that," he said at a brainstorming session of the commission.
If there's no change
in their tax bills next November, he said, "The public's trust for this process is going to be severely damaged."
