Crist's last minute robo call

Voters are getting this phone message from the governor:

"Hi. This is Charlie Crist. Early exit polls are showing a very close race. Today is your only chance to cut your property taxes this year. How many times has government offered us a chance to get our money back? Please go to the polls and vote today to double your homestead exemption and make it easier for thousands of families to sell their homes and buy new ones, while also protecting education and vital services. The polls don't close until 7 p.m. Make sure you vote yes on Amendment 1 to cut your taxes now. Thanks so much."

-- Letitia Stein

Comments

Hi, I'm Charlie Crist. Please vote yes on 1 today. I have a really bug party planned this evening that cost a LOT of money. It would really spoil the ride if Floridians vote with their head instead of blindly heeding my robo calls. Vote yes on 1 and drinks are on me. Thanks.

[Sally]

Sorry, I'm voting NO!

DOES THIS FREAK EVER WORK!

GET BACK TO YOU OFFICE AND DO SOMETHING FOR GOD'S SAKE!

2010 can't come soon enough for me. I long for the opportunity to cast my vote aginst "The People's Mistake"

[Jenny]

This thing is going DOWN, Arlene had no idea what she was doing they just wanted her out of the EOG office , plus she really started working on the McCain campaign weeks ago,leaving yes on One to fail , Greer and Lemeiux should have seen the writing on the wall with her running things. If the McCain camp wants to win they better keep Arlene from being involved, Arlene Lies, stirs up trouble almost everyday, is that an asset to any campaign, everybody knows it ! Yes on one won't pass !!

VOTE NO!!

Jenny don't be soo nasty.

Go wash your dirty mouth out with soap and then take the meds that the doctor prescribed.

[debbie]

I hope it goes down. Whether it's 59 or 40, I don't care. This is junk and we should NOT be messing around with the constitution for tax issues. Charlie is an IDIOT. Why doesn't he own a house?????

Both of you who voted NO. What will you say tomorrow, when Florida's citizens have stopped your gravy train COLD?

Interesting. He is still misleading people. Double the homestead exemption? I think not.

This thing won't pass. Not a single person I know is voting for it.

Our property taxes are not "dropping like a rock!!" But I know one Gov who will NEVER be re-elected. I don't know one person who is voting yes on 1. Everyone decided that because Christ supported McCain that they would vote against the Gov on this issue. Any moron to make such a big mistake on behalf of the people of Florida couldn't have proposed anything good for the people of Florida.

[duh]

Is he allowed to just lie that way?

It's his nature.

[Brown]

Vote no on 1. Send the liar a message.

I really wanted to vote yes, but I never got my ROBO CALL so I had to vote no.

I watch Robocop last night, does that count?

[Dan]

When is Crist going to make it official and tell us all he's a homosexual? Seriously.

He's has not convictions either. He was going to back Rudy until Rudy started losing. Now he's backing McCain in hopes of being the VP or in his cabinet and getting the heck out of Florida.

Let's reject this idiot Crist and his liberal buddy, Juan McAmnesty.

[Brown]

Robocop needs to arrest Charlie for being a liar. Double the Homestead, HA, HA. Your full of crap Charlie.

Dan...you shouldn't talk about things you don't know about.

debbie - well you HAVE to address propoerty taxes in the state constitution since it establishes them - so any changes to the basic structure of our property taxes must be through an amendment

that being said, this plan sucks and would hurt rentors trying to save for their first home and small businesses - and heck everyone else when local govt's begin raising millage rates and get around the assessment cap - but the good thing is i'm sure it is going down

[john]

If you didn't read the article the other day about how ticked the Rudy camp is and why, go read it. Charlie's actions are making a lot of sense. He is trying to grab the VP spot on the upcoming ticket. I can't wait to see him on the side of the road in a chicken suit with a sign CONDO's $100,000 right this way. It is Charlie's ploy to be able to say to the country look at all I did for the PEOPLE in Florida. Fired an insurance company, thopugh they maintain a large portion of those that can't pay claims not even their insureds. Wanted to give money back but they wouldn't take it. So much for making unemployment go away or for cities to maintain services for the PEOPLE. I can't go on it hurts to much.

McCain & Clinton open up big leads in California

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20080130-115682/McCain-Clinton-open-up-big-leads-in-California----poll

Charlie looks more and more like a Republican Bill Clinton. He'll SAY ANYTHING and doesn't care what the TRUTH is.

Hey gay Charlie: at least you have a nice tan!

Dear Governor Crist:

In response to Amendment 1 passing, I would like to voice some concerns over Florida’s new tax structure. Prior to portability, when someone purchased a home, they were treated the same as every other homebuyer as it related to taxes. You may coin it that the “tax clock” was reset for every buyer, regardless of their status of being a first-time homebuyer, someone moving to Florida for a job opportunity, our children wanting to start on their own, someone moving to a bigger home because of a new child or someone downsizing because their children have moved out. Now, with portability, there is inequality as it relates to purchasing a home. Someone who is moving to Florida for the first time, our children… those who would be similar to you purchasing if you were to purchase your first home… are at a distinct disadvantage to someone who has portability. How can we, as responsible citizens, tell people, our children, that their dollar may not be worth the same amount as someone else’s?

People who have bought recently, purchased under this premise. They bought homes, homes that they hopefully could afford, and were aware of the taxes they would be required to pay. These are not the people who were advocating for the passage of Amendment 1. It was the people who have been in a home for more than 5 years, who felt trapped because of the increase in property taxes they would experience. These are the same people who will also be taking with them huge profits because of the housing value boom.

I have always asserted that SOH created a disparity that was unjust. However, given the resetting of the “tax clock”, it has been upheld in the courts as it brought consistency to the home-buying process. I have also argued that if it were not for SOH, millage rates would most likely not be as high as they are now. Additionally, SOH also created the “sticker shock” you mentioned when campaigning in Miami about an elderly woman wanting to downsize her home. If SOH was never implemented, and someone’s taxes were increased – even minimally – on a yearly basis, there would be no “sticker shock” and we would not have been in the situation that led to Amendment 1.

I also have serious concerns about the impact this will have on economic development. How can we say to a business looking to relocate to Florida that their employee’s money is not worth the same as an existing resident’s money?

Unfortunately, Amendment 1 did not address the problems that created the “crisis”. Unfortunately, we have now entrenched an entitlement to long-term residents in our Constitution that will most likely never be voted out, seriously hampering true reform.

I would like to know how you plan to address these inequities?

Thank you,

A Concerned Resident

From today's Tallahassee Democrat... and as I mentioned yesterday... I hope, if one good thing has come from Amendment 1, that people start paying attention to what their local elected officials are doing.

The scare tactics, tax invreases, fee increases, millage increases are starting...

In addition, they're considering an increase in the gas tax, a jump in garbage pick-up and stormwater fees and a new tax to pay for mosquito control.

Commissioners made the preliminary decisions Wednesday, a day after Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment on property taxes that county officials say will drain $13 million from their budget.
"These cuts are real," Commissioner Ed DePuy said. "These are not imaginary. These are actually going to have an impact on how long it takes a sheriff's deputy or fire truck or ambulance to respond to your call for service."

Emergency services could see 8-percent cuts. Libraries, parks, veteran services, economic development and animal services could see 19-percent cuts. Event sponsorships could be cut by half.

The gas tax they discussed would be an increase of anywhere from $0.01 to $0.05 per gallon. This would be in addition to the existing $0.07 gas tax. Each cent added to the tax would result in about $1 million in extra revenue for the county, which would go toward road construction and maintenance. Commissioners plan to discuss the tax further in one of their upcoming regular meetings.
The commission may fund mosquito control through a separate property tax, which would be placed on the November ballot as a referendum.