Crist blasts 'pathetic' tax plan critics

Gov. Charlie Crist, in Orlando to raise money for Amendment 1, lashed out at the assertion today that school children could be endangered by the tax cuts.

"The notion that somebody would try to scare people that children are going to get run over, that’s pathetic. It’s not honorable," Crist told the Buzz in a telephone interview. "Was it FDR who once said, 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself' ? Sounds like now is a good time to resurrect that quote."

Headed to a TV interview, he added: "Five or 5 or 6 years ago, before we had the run up in property values and therefore property taxes, guess what we still had all over Florida? Police officers and firefighters. Isn’t that amazing how that was able to be accomplished when we didn’t have all this extra money."

Crist said he's confident the tax cut plan will pass on Jan. 29.

"The people of Florida desperately want their property taxes cut. I know they do. I hear from them every day. The Legislature has done a great thing. They put the power in the hands of the people to vote themselves a property tax cut. I don't think many people are inclined to vote against cutting their property taxes."

He responded to a St. Petersburg Times Politifact story about the inaccurate use of the term "doubling the homestead exemption." (That's misleading because the higher exemption does not apply to school taxes, which account for 40 percent of the average property tax bill).

"It's a virtual doubling," Crist said. "I think that's a better way to characterize that. And I will state that. That's here we really held education harmless and that's important for readers to know."

Comments

There is definitly something that's pathetic in this story.

5 or 6 years ago, our population boom was just starting - does A1 account for the growth in new residents?

you know what else is pathetic?

sitting back and criticizing people in uniform when you have never worn one yourself...

OK, roll back taxes to the year 2000 level. Everyone who moved here after Jan. 1, 2000 -- GET OUT!

[Arlene]

Obama/Crist 08 !!!

pathetic?? Helllllllo pot, this is kettle.

“Was it FDR who once said, 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself' ? Sounds like now is a good time to resurrect that quote."

Hey Chuck!… tell that to your boss in the White House. Matter of fact, let’s revise it to read.. “We have nothing to fear but… TWO-FACED, LYING, OVER-TANNED, PHOTO-OPPING, DROP LIKE A TERD, JET-SETTING, CORPORATE PUPPETS… WHO ARE BETTER KNOWS AS “THE PEOPLE’S MISTAKE”…

How’s that, Chuck?

I fear a hurricane(s) hitting us in 2008, and Citizens having to pay insurance claims on the hundreds of thousnads of new policyholders I AM SUBSIDIZING

[Ima Fedup]

"virtual doubling" Now that is a fine piece of political double-talk.
My exemptions "virtually doubled",and my taxes dropped like a "virtual rock". I can't wait to see my "virtual Insurance" bill.
When is the next "virtual election" so I can cast my "virtual vote"?

The people in uniforms have put themselves in the gutter with this dirty fighting and lies!! I have no more respect for them or the huge saleries they are being paid. I pay their saleries and they picket against my property taxes going down? What's wrong here?

Now that post... and its' author.. are pathetic.

I agree that the reasons provided by the unions are pathetic, but I still don't support the amendment.

In Hillsborough County, spending has gone up almost 100 % since 2001, more than 3 times inflation and population growth combined. How does a local govt. possibly justify that type of increase? I plan to vote for Amendment One.

[Fact]

Running on a "double homestead" exemption platform which actually makes tax inequities worse? SAD!

Accusing local governments of being "drunken sailors" while the State, under the direction of the cabinet, botched oversight of billions of taxpayer dollars in SBA funds? IRRESPONSIBLE!

Criticizing efforts to defeat a misguided, ill-aimed, miniscule ($240 savings), fraud of a "tax relief" amendment, duplicating the utter failure of the legislature's insurance "reform"? PATHETIC!

4:53 - if that is true, which I doubt, you need to look at the people you elected to the HCC...seems to me it has been lead by R's - including a once Commish Storms....

A hurricane hits South Florida and causes widespread destruction. Thousands of residents leave their homes and move. Under Amendment 1, they will be able to bring their tax rates with them -- even if their property is now pretty worthless, right? Even more, they then will get to move into a home next door to me and pay a lower tax rate than I do. And, I've been living there for years.

Now, that ain't right!

Yes and if they are covered by Citizens, you get to pay a higher assessment to cover the cost of their destroyed home, too.

5:08 pm,

It is true. Almost every local government's budget have gone up around 100% in only a few years time which is totally insane spending.

That is why so many people say they are spending like drunken sailors.

If you do not believe me, here is proof directly from Times:

4 Must read articles just out by St Petersburg Times on why we are in property tax crisis:

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/04/15/Tampabay/The_money_vat__Where_.shtml

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/04/15/Tampabay/Pinellas__More_money_.shtml

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/04/15/Tampabay/Hillsborough__Spendin.shtml

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/04/15/Tampabay/Tampa__City_services_.shtml

3:57

ever stop to think sometime as to why many others have higher "saleries" than yourself.

ignorant inbreds like yourself are truly what is destroying Florida's economy.

oh 5:08, we believe you - but you had years to tell them it was a problem, and you stayed silent until now.

so why the sudden interest?

vote the opposite of unions

vote YES on 1

even gov crist & speaker rubio supports amendment 1

"It's a virtual doubling," Crist said. "I think that's a better way to characterize that.

what was that you said earlier about honorable, Charlie???!!!

Good job electing this clown, clowns.

Portabilty of Save-our-Homes is the main draw of this amendment.

The $240 saving is just icing.

[No Relief For Me]

VOTE NO -- not because our fire fighters are trying to scare you into it. VOTE NO because Amendment 1 is unjust and immmoral.

NO TO PORTABILITY!! You want to keep your taxes low -- stay put. If you want to move, pay the same as everyone else. Portability is discrimination.

ALL BUYERS NEED A BREAK -- NOT JUST SOME!! It sickens me that our governor would endorse an unjust, immoral pathetic plan such as this.

VOTE NO and send our legislators back for REAL tax reform.

VOTE NO for your children. How will they afford a home one day???

[No Relief For Me]

IS THIS JUSTICE PEOPLE? 3 BUYERS WANT TO BUY THE SAME HOME....

BUYER 1 - $500,000 portable exemption
BUYER 2 - $100,000 portable exemption
BUYER 3 - $0 portable exemption

Based on 2% tax, each buyer saves the following each year on property taxes with their portable exemption.

BUYER 1 - $10,000
BUYER 2 - $2,000
BUYER 3 - $0

They all buy the same home and the richest buyer who made the most on the sale of his home gets the biggest tax break.

THIS IS A JOKE PEOPLE!!! THE RICH PEOPLE LOVE IT!! VOTE NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!

No Relief For Me ,

IS THIS JUSTICE THAT FLORIDA PROPERTY OWNERS ARE PAYING THROUGH THE ROOF FOR LOCAL GOV'TS DRUNKEN SPENDING?

I'm voting YES, so is most people I know. Like Rubio & Crist said, this is still tax relief.
Plus portability is the meat in this amendment.

"YOU LOVE ME, YOU REALLY, REALLY LOVE ME!"

"LET ME EAT CAKE, LET ME EAT CAKE!"

"THANK YOU FOR THE CRUMBS, SIR, MAY I CLEAN YOU SHOES?"

... freaking lemmings...

I can’t wait for my $240 savings… I’m going to use it to jump-start our economy by buying a new car, a new home, a new TV, new furniture, open my own business, take a three week vacation to Europe, send my kids to college… and with the money I have left over, I’m going to donate to the “Re-Elect The Peoples’ Mistake” campaign!… right after I buy a big bag of pot. Maybe if I smoke all of it at once, I’ll forget what a miserable bunch of retards Chuck and his band of criminals in Tallytown are.

VOTE NO… then throw all of their as*es out come Election Day! We’ll start over with a new group, and outlaw photo ops.

I got my notice today that I'm headed into Citizens. The slippery slope is over - I'm now drowning to death.

[No Relief For Me]

To 7:43 PM

No it is not justice that we are paying for unnecessary government spending. Amendment 1, however, will only give relief to a select group of homeowners who want to relocate. It's passing will twhart effort for true viable reform.

VOTE NO AND DEMAND VIABLE REFORM!!!

www.cutpropertytqaxesnow.com

Visit the site, sign the petition and we all get significant breaks.

[No Relief For Me]

www.cutpropertytaxesnow.com

I support the 1.35% property tax cap.

While we are waiting for more relief why not get $240 back each year + portability of Save Our Home.

Yes on all property tax relief.

+ vote out Democrats like Geller & Gelber that thwarted meaningful relief efforts.

[CRIST IS A LIAR!!!!]

Is it honorable to run TV ads saying that the amendment will "double the homestead exemption" when you acknowledge yourself it does not do that.

CRIST IS A LIAR!!!! Do not be foooled

[No Relief For Me]

To 11:59

Portability is immoral and unjust and why this Amendment needs to fail in order to achieve viable reform. The more advantaged will save the most and will never pay their fair share in taxes. Therefore, someone will have to carry the burden.

Is that $240 a year really going to make a difference to you? If you don't hold out for viable reform, you'll never see true relief.

I agree with you regarding government spending. If it makes you feel any better, their revenues will drop this year when all homes are assessed at 2007 values anyway regardless if Amendment 1 passes or not.

We need viable reform -- not reform that deepens the inequities in our system. Please VOTE NO! Send our legislators back to the drawing board. Some things are worth waiting for.

I like "Porabelo" mushrooms... does that count?

I'm voting YES on 1.

Although, the current Amendment 1 (supported by Gov Crist) does not do enough for relief, I will still vote YES. Let's get it passed and work to get much more meaningful relief.

The 1.35% tax plan is a great amendment that is similiar to Prop 13 in California that revolutionalized property tax relief.

VOTE YES on 1
VOTE YES on 1.35% plan
VOTE YES on all property tax relief

[Jim Johnson]

With property values deflating, how exactly does portability help anyone?

If yo mama sells you her house for a dollar, they dont assess the house at one dollar.

It goes by market value.

[Sammy]

Potability of Save Our Homes allows many, many homeowners to move with losing their SOH protection.

i'm voting yes on 1

[No Relief For Me]

Read this article all you YES votes and perhaps you will understand that passing of this amendment could likely lead to the abolishment of save-our-homes altogether. A lawsuit has already been filed in Leon County last November. If portability is passed, it will likely be deemed unconstitutional and they may decide to take save-our-homes with it. Additionally, the state may be required to pay back all those without SOH benefits who were screwed. Wonder how they will raise the money to do that. Duh...increase your millage rates and you will then no doubt see a tax increase instead of a tax cut.

Do you really want to put save our homes at risk? If you do, vote yes...if not

VOTE NO

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/files/011108Amendment1NotTrueReform.pdf

[Big Business and Unions AGREE Amendment 1 is Bad]

LOL - Jacksonville Chamber of Ciommerce opposing Amendment 1

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2008/01/big-blow-to-ame.html#comments