No tax deal, so no tax rally
A placard announcing the rally's cancellation sat in the hallway at the state GOP convention in Orlando on Sunday.
[Steve Bousquet | Times]
The stage was set Sunday for a big, boisterous rally at the state GOP convention in support of a proposed constitutional amendment to cut property taxes.
Just one little problem: the amendment doesn't exist because the Legislature hasn't reached agreement on a tax plan.
Realtors and other tax-cut advocates have pre-launched the pro-amendment campaign with generic "Vote Yes on 1" stickers and flyers that say "Save Our Homes Now." A table at the convention was piled high with those.
Todd Wilder, a Democratic strategist working on the campaign, said the rally was called off for two reasons: Gov. Crist's attendance could not be confirmed and "it was originally planned when we thought something definitely would be on the ballot." His partner in The Markham Group, Paul Neaville, has been hired to help pass what legislators and others hope will be Amendment 1 on the Jan. 29 ballot.
--Steve Bousquet
From the writers of the St. Petersburg Times, The Buzz offers the latest news in Florida politics. This is a public forum sponsored and maintained by the St. Petersburg Times. When you post comments here, what you say becomes public and could appear in the newspaper. You are not engaging in private communication with candidates or Times staffers.
Charlie Crist is a failure.
Posted by: | October 21, 2007 at 04:34 PM
Interesting, that the FEDS have not yet, brought down Todd, for his 12k payment by the BSO when he was working for Rod Smith. Maybe the will intict him before Jan 29th
Posted by: | October 21, 2007 at 04:48 PM
Anyone looking at Randy Nielsen?
Posted by: | October 21, 2007 at 05:16 PM
The main problem is being ignored. We have a tax code that was constructed ad hoc to render-forth favors to special interests. We have legislators who are dumb enough or jaded enough in the practice of their craft to not even notice that fact anymore.
What they think we have is a problem bending the tax code into whatever ridicules shape is necessary to maximize their re-elections--pandering here, making this guy over here a tax looser without getting him too mad and generally using the tax code as a machine for shifting wealth around in the state.
What we really have is the problem that the politicians have forgotten to be simple and stick to the basics. Taxes should be equitably assessed--acres and acres of exemptions and formulas resulting in diverse tax burdens aren't equitable, wise---and they should not be tolerable to a wise electorate.
How about going back to some basic workable American values--equity, transparency and simplicity?
Get all the special interest crap out of the tax code.
Posted by: Issywise | October 21, 2007 at 07:04 PM
The main problem is being ignored. We have a tax code that was constructed ad hoc to render-forth favors to special interests. We have legislators who are dumb enough or jaded enough in the practice of their craft to not even notice that fact anymore.
What they think we have is a problem bending the tax code into whatever ridicules shape is necessary to maximize their re-elections--pandering here, making this guy over here a tax looser without getting him too mad and generally using the tax code as a machine for shifting wealth around in the state.
What we really have is the problem that the politicians have forgotten to be simple and stick to the basics. Taxes should be equitably assessed--acres and acres of exemptions and formulas resulting in diverse tax burdens aren't equitable, wise---and they should not be tolerable to a wise electorate.
How about going back to some basic workable American values--equity, transparency and simplicity?
Get all the special interest crap out of the tax code.
Posted by: Issywise | October 21, 2007 at 07:04 PM
Nice to see someone proofread that sign. "Cancelled" has 2 l's. If they can't get a simple sign right, how are they going to get the amendment right. Morons.
Posted by: Maverick | October 21, 2007 at 11:08 PM
11:08 I noticed that earlier and was thinking that these kids didnt graduate college. what did happen? any discussion on the tax deal so far?
Posted by: | October 21, 2007 at 11:16 PM
Smoke and mirrors only - everytime they fix something the more it costs. These bums are incompetent and need to be kicked out.
Vote anti-incumbent next election.
Posted by: | October 22, 2007 at 05:39 AM
can·cel (kān'səl) Pronunciation Key
v. can·celed also can·celled, can·cel·ing also can·cel·ling, can·cels also can·cels
Posted by: Roger | October 22, 2007 at 07:29 AM
To the members of the Florida Senate:
You are still the wiser chamber and better at doing the political.
The House's dog won't hunt.
Posted by: Paul D. Harvill | October 22, 2007 at 06:00 PM