Haridopolos to TBRC: Show me the money

Sen. Mike Haridopolos, a skeptic of the McKay tax swap, has asked the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission to do a little homework.

The proposal to greatly eliminate school property taxes would require the Legislature to replace the estimated $9-billion or more in revenue. (Haridopolos says it's more like $11-billion.) But raising the sales tax by a penny will generate less than $4-billion, leaving lawmakers to raise additional revenue through eliminating sales tax exemptions, taxing services, creating new revenue streams or cutting the budget.

In a letter to the TBRC, Haridopolos asks commissioners who backed the plan to give "specific recommendations on how we offset the revenue lost from the elimination of the RLE," or required local effort. "I understand that the list you will provide will be nonbinding; nevertheless I believe your suggestions are a vital component of having an open discussion on this issue."

His deadline: April 10.

He also thinks the process needs to be slowed down, and will ask for additional public hearings next month before a final vote on the plan. Haridopolos does not mask his disdain for increasing the sales tax, and sees the overall plan as nothing more than a tax hike.

Comments

So why the hell have a legislature? They have no guts to do the right thing because they are so worried about getting reelected.
TBRC has to put the change Florida wants on the ballot and now they want the TBRC to show them where to cut!
Unreal! Especially the Senate--do nothing--do nothing-- do nothing.

If you put a constitutional amendment on the ballot making all taxes voluntary, it would pass. What the TBRC did was totally irresponsible.

[thanks, Mike!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Finally, someone is standing up for the TAXPAYERS!

Mike is standing up for taxpayers - all taxpayers, not just the developers who stand to make MILLIONS AND MILLIONS on the backs of renters, single-moms, college students, and anyone else who doesn't own multi-million dollar homes. This is a tax SHIFT not a tax BREAK. Take from the poor and give to the rich.

"specific recommendations on how we offset the revenue lost from the elimination of the RLE"

what's that Mikey? can't rely on the locals to pony up property taxes anymore?! don't want the state to re-assume a burden it already shifted??

awwww....so sorry...hypocrisy sucks doesn't it?!

The TBRC can give him a list that says "Go to Hell" for all they care - it's going on the ballot and there's nothing he can do to stop it.

Mike is not standing up for the taxpayers he is chicken to do what they should do and that is tighten their belts like I have to in my personal life!

[Goooo Gators!]

A start would be for Haridopolos to return his stolen salary!

Mikey is getting done to him what he and his buds did to the local governments. Let him feel the pain like the locals have to do because of the Legislature. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together!!

Thank You TBRC!

Mike,you're sounding like a Democrat. It's not lost revenue. It's my money.Cut the size of government to make up the difference.

[Drew]

Good job Senator. We don't need another tax increase.

Increasing the sales tax would be the largest tax increase in Florida history.

[Ashley]

understand something must be done property tax revenue will greatly decrease in the next few years due to decreasing property values and there will be a shortage any way you look at it!!

[Ashley]

at least this way we will get help fom the tourist, strippers, hookers, hairdressers, etc... All of the people who pay no taxes now!! We will collect more than estimated!!

Mike is such a dork!!

7:49

wrong...Haridopolus himself suggests a net loss of $5m. That is a tax cut, or did you fail math also?

NICE HAIR!!!!

You tell renters this is a tax cut. Property owners are the only ones who will benefit.

It is a massive tax increase.

[Gavin]

The TBRC is unaccountable. Haridopolos is right to call them to task. Give em Hell Mike!!

Increasing the sales tax is definitely a tax hike. A tourism based economy with one the highest sales taxes in the country will definitely hurt our economy.

We need someone to stand up for us.

STOP DIVERTING ATTENTION AWAY FROM YOUR LIES AND FAILURES, AND FIX INSURANCE LIKE YOU PROMISED “THE PEOPLE”!

surf's up when you're purging the UF accounts to bump up your net worth

Hey, let's focus on your job for right now. How about you show us the money to meet the state's needs right now? We will worry about next year after you fail to meet your current constitutional duties in the next five weeks.

He's just pimping for the Retail Federation. Check his CCE and you'll see that he's helping pay them back.

[J]

I need my money more than they do. Triple dippers, double dippers and lazy workers. Give me a break. Less taxes will reinvigorate our economy. Why do we elect idiots without backbones?

[Tom]

To all you guys that think tourists don't pay taxes, think again. They pay taxes in their rent payments when they rent hotel rooms. This tax swap is a snow birds dream! It will substantially lower their condo taxes while placing the burden of funding the schools on the locals that live here year round. This is the planning of John McKay who just happens to be a Broker. Help the snow birds at the cost of the locals.

Get rid of property tax. Cut the sales tax. Reduce government spending.
Problem solved.

Sounds like the fake promise they gave us with the lottery too.

hey tom

you are still an idiot

let's pass a constitutional amendment that says you can't hold elected office and have a government salary.

Hey Mike - How about showing all of us the money? You know what I'm talking about. The money that was collected from the beginning of the big real estate boom. Amazing how nobody can find any of that now but they were sure rolling in it then. Spend spend spend like there was no end in sight!

GET RID OF THIS FREAKIN' ADS!!!

hey tom -

we all know where you work, and who gives you your orders.

maybe we should list your job as a place to cut?

[terminator]

poetic justice for Hari and his idiot Senate buddies like Pruitt.

too bad the phase in comes the same year Mikey is to take over the Senate reins!

do your job Mr. President in waiting. It's not the TBRC's job to figure out where the revenues come from, that's what you were elected to do. Show us your "presidential" leadership.

to the business whores like AIF and retail federation get ready to bend over guys!

what's the old saying about "paybacks are a *itch"?

On the one hand we have the tax cutters, claiming that everyone is paying record high taxes, and on the other we've got these legislators who say they can't balance the budget. What's the secret formula which can make these two mutually exclusive events co-exist at the same time???

Answer - the GOP's campaign financers (aka Big Business) are demanding tax cuts and these politicians are going to pay them back even if it means ruining our state.

Why don't we elect officials who will take our supposed record tax revenue and invest it in infrastructure, services, and education that will benefit Floridians - and not political whores entirely beholden to multinationals, developers, and out of state real estate investors, who have no long term interest in our state?

A vote for ANY GOP sponsored tax reform is a vote to continue tax giveaways to the rich.

Tom,

Why SHOULDN'T the locals be paying for their schools?

8:32

Let's say a fmaily of 4 from Indiana comes to Disney World. There pre-tax bill is $1500.

Currently, the sales tax on their trip would make the bill $1590. If the swap passes, there bill is noe $1605

$15 were talking about here. Do you really think that will make the turistas stop coming?

No but that $15 could pay for some more Dockery attack ads. How in the world does the Polk GOP allow her to be the democratic shill she has become? She is carrying more bills for Democrats than she is Republicans. Between her and Villalobos, who's worse?

9:56 Yes, but just allow them to collect the money to do it, instead of pushing property tax reform for the rich, and give them the power to put a limit on unrestrained growth and all the extra schools and other infrastructure that comes with it, instead of trying to centralize control at the state level.

It's called taxation WITH representation. GOPers hate it.

I want to vote on the Tax Swap proposal and if Republican Leadership like Haridopolis don't get behind it so it will pass then I will be voting against the Republican incumbants from my District.

I want lower taxes for everybody not just special interest groups. I also want to see lower government spending on everybody. Get back to basics and stick to it. No funding sports stadiums, subsidizing charter fishing trips, beautifying road medians and creating homeless magnents.

After a few years of Democrat led taxing and spending we will all be quenched of our thirst for socialism and the Republicans will do the reforming necessary to serve the greater good.

What a hairdo! Hair-odopolos looks like an extra from Marie Antoinette!

Mike is scared to do what he said they would do. Now he may have to vote against a real reduction in taxes. What a hypocrite. Cut the taxes mikey boy.

Nice hair? He has a flip going on. Ugh

Give up your double dipping mike.

[Rich]

property tax reform for the rich?? Renters pay property taxes. It's passed on to them by their landlords. They don't even have the benefit of SOH. Anyone who thinks renters don't pay property taxes have their heads in the sand.

[Rich]

fact is sales taxes would place more on tourists and no they won't stop coming because a .01 increase in taxes.

[Rich]

$100,000 rental property pays $2,400 in taxes. Take 40% off the tax bill ($960) and that same renter would have to spend an additional $96,000 a year in order to pay the same amount in taxes. Some people need to stop believing the retail lobby when they say sales tax over property tax would hurt poor people.

Those against this plan are no doubt long-time homeowners protected by SOH and Amendment 1, which helped those needing it least. It is not just snowbirds who are over burdened with property taxes -- what about buyers from 2004 to 2006 and first-time home buyers. Rising property values have caused property taxes for many to become unbearable. Many Snowbirds would love to sell and buy a second home in a state with affordable taxes. We will then lose their sales tax revenue as well.

Something MUST be done about making property taxes more reasonable and the FTBRC has done a much better job than Panderdopilous and the rest of our patethic legislators. Amendment 1 was a disgrace, which made our unfair property tax system even more unfair. Portability gives unfair preferential treatment to certain homeowners and is outright discrimination. Our legislators are dispicable for even proposing this amendment to our citizens.

GO TBRC!!!!

will somebody please run against Mike and get him out of here!

NAA Reveals Biggest Ad Revenue Plunge in More Than 50 Years

By Jennifer Saba

Published: March 28, 2008 12:55 PM ET

NEW YORK The newspaper industry has experienced the worst drop in advertising revenue in more than 50 years.

According to new data released by the Newspaper Association of America, total print advertising revenue in 2007 plunged 9.4% to $42 billion compared to 2006 -- the most severe percent decline since the association started measuring advertising expenditures in 1950.

The drop-off points to an economic slowdown on top of the secular challenges faced by the industry. The second worst decline in advertising revenue occurred in 2001 when it fell 9.0%.

Total advertising revenue in 2007 -- including online revenue -- decreased 7.9% to $45.3 billion compared to the prior year.

There are signs that online revenue is beginning to slow as well. Internet ad revenue in 2007 grew 18.8% to $3.2 billion compared to 2006. In 2006, online ad revenue had soared 31.4% to $2.6 billion. In 2005, it jumped 31.4% to $2 billion.

As newspaper Web sites generate more advertising revenue, the growth rate naturally slows.

The NAA reported that online revenue now represents 7.5% of total newspaper ad revenue in 2007 compared to 5.7% in 2006.

That growth could not stave off the losses in the print however. National print advertising revenue dropped 6.7% to $7 billion last year. Retail slipped 5% to $21 billion. Classified plunged 16.5% to $14.1 billion.

"Even with the near-term challenges posed to print media by a more fragmented information environment and the economic headwinds facing all advertising media, newspapers publishers are continuing to drive strong revenue growth from their increasingly robust Web platforms," John Sturm, president and CEO of the NAA, said in a statement.
*

Hari -- start by cutting your salary, since it is obvious you can't come up with a worthwhile plan on your own.

Were those purchasing property during the 2004 to 2006 period kept in the dark with regards to the fact that they would have to pay property tax? Did their realtors or attorneys not make them aware of what those property taxes would be?

For someones property taxes to be high they would have to pay a sum of money for property that should disqualify them from membership in the born dumb club. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be disqualified from the born whining club. You bought at a market peak, so have many people before you and so will many after you. You were responsible for knowing what your property taxes would be and if you took out a mortgage you did know because it is a calculation point that must be included and signed by you.

You decided to pay up becuase you wanted to consume that property for your own selfish, albeit understandable reasons. You are doing the consuming you wanted to while there are many people who were more reserved in their spending and budgeting who have been doing without the benefits of owning property that people like you bid up to the point they could not afford it. Of course they are doing without the high tax bill and declining property value too.

You did what you wanted to do and their are consequences in life for your actions. Stop the whining.

9:42 - it is not that people are complaining about the amounts they have to pay in taxes - you are correct, they knew what their taxes would be.

It is people like you who want to continue one of the most inequitable tax systems in the country that is making this an issue.

Notice how the tax-cutting fanatics expose their true colors by their desire to end SOH. This is because they don't support tax cuts for anyone but big business. They beat the gong and pretend to be in favor of "the little guy", but this issue exposes them for what they are - corporate tools.

Problem Solved!

2:22 - anyone who has been in SOH for more than 5 years is no longer the "lttle guy" - it is new and first time home owners that are the little guys now.

10:08 AM

Great rebuttal to 9:42. The price one paid for their property was based on what the market beared and is NOT the issue as you say. The issue is paying a signicantly different tax bill than your neighbor who lives in the same value home because they receive a tax shelter on half the value if not more of their home. Some moved during that time for life-changing reasons; i.e. growing family, job relocation, or divorce, and wouldn't whine about paying a little more than neighbors, but 2 to 4 times for a home worth the same value is ridiculous. Portability was too late for these people and does nothing for the little guys who want to buy their first home.

And, while I'm not a snowbird. What about those who purchased their second home years ago. When their homes tripled in values, so did their property taxes. I'm sure many would have preferred their values remained constant so they could afford reasonable property taxes. Now they can't sell because nobody else wants to pay those taxes either.

I'd wonder what story you'd be singing 9:42 if you paid taxes based on the full market value of your home?

9:42

In regards to "you knew what your taxes would be because it would have been explained to you by your mortgage." That is simply NOT true. If you truly understand the property tax system, then you should know that your homestead exemption does not take effect or "lock in" your assessed value until the fall of the year following the year you purchased. In other words, if you purchased in early 2006, your homestead exemption doesn't take effect until 2007. During that time, the property appraiser can keep adjusting the value of your home until the tax bill comes out in the fall of 2007. I saw mine jump in value nearly $50,000 from the time I purchased the property. That's a $1,000 higher tax bill than what it would have been if they "locked-in" my assessed value based on the purchase date.

Many variables can impact your property taxes and now once can calculate with any certainty what it will be -- not evem homesteaded properties.

[Observer]

I had a Hari dopolos once, but my shaved it and now it is not hari any more.

Problem Solved!

Haridopolis is a hypocrite