State will drop tax appeal

UPDATE (3:25 p.m.): The state has withdrawn the appeal.

Gov. Charlie Crist said this morning that the state will drop its appeal of a court ruling deeming the "super" homestead exemption plan misleading. The ruling triggered the special session that just ended, forcing the Legislature to come up with a new proposal.

The Florida Supreme Court was scheduled to hear the state's appeal in December. If the state prevailed, there could have been two plans on the ballot.

Comments

Great. Now how long until that schmuck in Broward County sues to get THIS amendment kicked off the ballot? Anyone know what happens then?

11:24 would have preferred for two amendments to have both been on the ballot for January. In addition, the Court did tax reform a favor by taking the initiative off of the ballot that wouldn't have garnered the needed 60%.

The ONE thing that EVERYONE must agree to is that this amendment will get the 60% vote. Portability helps EVERY homestead owner eventually. As many as 20% of current homesteads would turn hands during 2008 if this amendment were to pass. Doubling the homestead exemption helps 94% of homesteads immediately and many of the rest eventually. Providing an exemption to the tangible property where over two-thirds of the current return filers will eventually not even have to file in the future will be popular. Finally, the 10% for nonhomesteaded property is much more relief that those owners have now (nothing). The final vote will be in the mid-60%s for the amendment.

Do you disagree? If you are a politician, I think that you campaign against this at the risk of alienating citizens that want this to pass. I am taking notes myself.

At least something is "Dropping like a rock"... it sure as hell isn't taxes... aye Chuck?

[Will]

If you put the two passed plans together (statutory cap + this plan), it cuts taxes by $27 BILLION over 5 years. I didnt prefer the senate plan, but its still a decent tax cut.

My taxes were cut this year by around $318 (159K taxable value x 2 MIL reduction)

Next year my taxes would be cut by an ADDITIONAL $313. (12.52 MILS non school x 25K)

$631 is not very small.

BTW, 12:57, if you are talking about Crist approval ratings, they are still above 75%. Not dropping at all.

This plan is just terrible.

Whats so sad is to watch the House evolve into a subcommittee of the Senate and get slammed like this on this high profile an issue. I swear Marco Rubio gets rolled more than a Cuban cigar.

Marco has zero strategic direction. About as much as Dean "golly gee we cant do that amendment because the mean Senate will not agree" Cannon.
His negotiating skills are nearly as bad as Bogdanoff's.

Meanwhile fearless Ray is sitting and just praying the whole House doesnt collapse around him. Did he even speak yesterday? Is he from the same panhandle as Alan Bense?

Thank you Term Limits. You've given us 3 branches of Government:

The Governor
The Courts
The Florida Senate

Will Mayor Hersh drop his cross-appeal? Thats the one where the court upheld the power of the Legislature to limit the authority of local governments to levy property taxes, even under the constitutional 10 mil cap.

2:32....good question.

i have my own: can the Governor unilaterly drop the appeal? Isn't the Legislature a party?

Just asking.

3:02
Since Secretary of State, Kurt Browning, filed the appeal, he is the one who filed to voluntarily dismiss.
Did you even look at the link furnished?