Amendment 1 bad for Florida, Sink says

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, the top Democrat in state government, says Amendment 1 on next Tuesday's ballot is bad for public safety. In her first public statements on the property tax proposal, Sink said the risk of diminished public services outweighs the estimated tax savings of $240 a year for the average homeowner.

"For 20 dollars a month," Sink said, "I'm not willing to take the risk that my fire service is going to be deteriorated, my schools aren't going to be supported, and I'm not going to get my potholes fixed."

Sink, whose duties include serving as state fire marshal, says she's heard from fire chiefs throughout the state concerned about having to lose positions. She added that she agreed with Florida TaxWatch, which opposes the amendment, and does not think tax policy should be embedded in the Constitution.

"If the policy's in the Constitution and it's not working right, how do you unwind it?" Sink said.

Comments

Who is Alex Sink?

I was all set to vote No on it because Crist (a Liberal) is supporting. But now we have another leftist opposing it! What to do? What to do?

She should run for governor in 2010. She has more sense than that Dem in Republican clothing, Cristi.

[No Relief For Me]

Interesting. While there is a great need for tax reform and I believe there is much government waste, I agree that the $240 savings is not worth it if it impacts services -- especially when they're likely to increase millage rates to make up for it anyway.

What I find most interesting is that it appears Amendment 1 has not only divided our citizens, but our legislators as well.

I respect legislators that have the courage to vote NO. However, I would have even more respect if they did so because the Amendment only deepens the unfairness and inequities of our system -- not because they fear the impacts of budget cut backs. When they do so, it actually has an adverse affect upon the opponents of this amendment.

I do agree with Florida Tax Watch that perhaps it's best to remove tax policy from the constitution. If Amendment 1 becomes part of our constitution, there will most likely be many court cases challenging its merits and will inevitably be very costly to the state and taxpayers regardless of the outcome of these lawsuits.

[rydermike]

It's a tough choice.... Charlie is for it (bad thing) unions are against it (bad thing)......I guess the real deal is it just ISN'T a LARGE enought tax cut, all these cities got HUGE windfalls from false inflated values,afterall who really gains from increased value in a home they are living in with no plan to move and do the "profit taking" most of thses cities are landlocked and haven't grown , so why did all thier spending have to skyrocket?They SHOULD have fropped the millage rates to minumize tax increases (actual dollar amounts)

Sink's position on this issue is a ringer that she will have competition for re-election...Sink needs to keep her eye on the SBA ball and not tell voters how to vote...

When in doubt - VOTE NO! Everything will stay the same for NOW until they get it right.

[Gene Smith]

2:46

It is the obligation of leaders to lead. As CFO, Sink is one of only two statewide elected Dems.

She lived up to her obligation to lead today.

[No Relief For Me]

Now Crist himself is trying to scare us. Check this out and read the last paragraph which states.........

"Imagine the argument it gives others (if the amendment were to fail)," Crist said. "That would be a bad message. And getting the snowbirds, and businesses who need a break would be that much more (politically) difficult. I don't know if we'll have another shot (besides the Jan. 29 vote)."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-122cristtax,0,166090,print.story

DON'T BE FOOLED BY CRIST'S DECEPTION. WE DON'T NEED HIM TO IMPLEMENT TAX REFORM. Have faith, the Florida Tax and Budget Committee has the power and authority and WILL do something much better for all concerned.

Here, here! Thank you, CFO Sink!

if this thing fails on Jan 29th (in practically a universe filled with Repubs) it will be a body blow for Crist. Not too damaging, but it would humble him a bit! He would learn to do less press junkets and more leading

[Blog N. Staffer]

No Relief - I guess that last post kinda outs you, doesn't it? Originally posing as a poor beleaguered homeowner. Now we know who pays for all these adverts you've been posting here.

I think Alex is hot!

The entire issue is a scam on the part of the Legislature to divert voter attention away from their failure to address their promise to lower insurance rates (something they can impact), and make voters “think” that they can impact local tax rates (something they can’t impact).

This is smoke-n-mirrors politics as usual. We should vote NO, and throw their lying, miserable, self-serving a*ses out on Election Day. We can reload with new faces and try again. My $240 would only go towards my insurance increase anyway.

Whether its YES or NO, my potholes still aren't going to get fixed.

Thank you government.

I had “potholes” once… but they were little brass things at the other end of a plastic tube that had water in it.

Alex Sink will always side with government over taxpayers. Notice how she attempts to minimize the impact on taxpayers, ignoring the benefits of portability, and then maximizes the loss to government. If a county loses $1 million then taxpayers gain $1 million. It's simple.

Hey, 4:36 had the same "potholes" I had!

Love,

4:24

[Common Sense]

Alex Sink is a leader, plain and simple. Amendment one is a band-aid, and a poor one at that. Hold out for real reform Madam CFO!

Crist is in la la land, and what's worse is other Republican leaders followed this awful, hollow plan. Thank God someone up there wasn't invited to the cool aid party and still has a mind of her own! In this topsy turvy universe, her position on 1 is actually more republican than the republicans'!

Like all liberals, Sink hates tax cuts.

[scooby]

rut roh....i thought we were going to get a savings of about 24 dollars a month. if it's only going to be 20 dollars a month like alex says,i'm really not going to vote for it now. thanks alex for clearing this up for me.

I can't wait to vote for amendment 1 and then I can't wait for the locals increase taxes, like Cristi suggests to make up for a portion of the shortfalls created by amendment 1...

[No Relief For Me]

Posted by: Blog N. Staffer | January 22, 2008 at 03:25 PM

How does my post outs me? I wish someone was paying me, but in truth, I am what I am......

Just a divorcee who purchased a home in 2006 in the same community as the marital home in order to keep stability in my daughter's life. This is the third home I've owned in the 22 years I have resided in Florida. Although my current home is worth considerably less than the marital home, my taxes are 60% more. I also lost over $200,000 in accumulated SOH benefits.

I voted for Crist because he promised tax reform. (sure wish I could take that vote back now). I have followed this issue from the beginning. When the senate released their plan, I cried for 2 days and then I got madd. I was stunned that they would shaft new buyers and hopeful first-time buyers the way they did. My goal is to educate and inform others as to the injustice of this plan. Florida deserves better and I sincerely believe that if this amendment passes, the likelihood of that happening is very slim.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Now if anyone wants to contribute, I could sure use it to help pay my taxes.

If CFO Sink is such a leader on tax reform, what is her plan? She doesn't have one....and didn't have one during the debate in the Legislature...she continues to be late to the party again...

She's a union lover!! Take my hard earned money so they can retire high and mighty and pay the bosses a salery increase.

Vote yes or they will keep getting your property taxes to pay for their pay raises.

typical tax & spend democrat who supports local government's drunken spending

Amendment One is going down, down, down.

This Republican (who opposes A1) would gladly write a check to the Alex Sink for Governor in 2010. Charlie is gonna be a one-termer!

[Paul D. Harvill]

Biggest contributions FOR Amendment One:

http://forum.tallahassee.com/viewtopic.php?t=47465

___________________________

Biggest contributions AGAINST Amendment One:

http://forum.tallahassee.com/viewtopic.php?t=47846

[Will]

Great analysis from an "expert" who while asleep at the wheel allowed millions (or was it billions) of tax dollars to be invested in subprime securities. But then, as she said, "it's not my job....." and then the finger pointing began.