Haridopolos throws gas on fight with TBRC

Rebuffed in his attempts to get the TBRC to hold more hearings on the tax swap, Sen. Mike Haridopolos is taking matters into his own hands. He just told the commission that his Senate Finance and Tax Committee will hold hearings on Friday.

The move clearly angered TBRC Chairman Allan Bense, who clenched his jaw, glowered at Haridopolos and rapped his pen on the desk. Bense has said there have been plenty of hearings leading up to last month's vote on the swap, which would greatly reduce school taxes for a higher sales tax, repealing some sales tax exemptions and other revenue sources. But Haridopolos, R-Melbourne, says the plan would not come close to replacing the lost revenue. (his prepared remarks are here )

"Every single constitutional amendment requires a price that," he said. "That's because of reaction to the bullet train. We need to also put a price tag so people know what they are voting for or what they are voting against."

Haridopolos would be the Senate president during the year the Legislature would have to come up with the revenue sources. In recent weeks, he has sent three letters to the TBRC asking members to identify ways to raise money. No one has responded.

Comments

what is this a protest hearing?

So, who is it that is blocking the destruction of the tax base in Florida? I am having a hard time figuring it all out.

Just what we need- more partisanship on the Tax and Budget Commission. Next time they do a CRC or TBRC, they should lock them in a hotel for three months and away from the process.

Why would Bense be so mad? I don't get it - unless he was embarassed at the kangaroo court he is holding over there and is perturbed that someone would call him out on it. In front of the press.

I greatly respect Speaker Bense, however, this is an unelected board deciding what goes on the ballot. It gives blowhards like John McKay a continued voice long after they've left office.

Haridopolos has every right to hold hearings on this. Honestly, what can Bense do about it? Not a damn thing.

Hari - your chances at that little Senate President gig are diminishing as we sit here...

[THE PEOPLE!]

STOP DIVERTING ATTENTION AWAY FROM YOUR LIES AND FAILURES, AND FIX PROPERTY INSURANCE LIKE YOU PROMISED!

4:47 LOL!

4:48 LOL!

Fire all staffers who waste our taxes blogging all day for their puppet masters.

Problem Solved!

Can you imagine the framers of the US Constitution having public meetings? Anyone want to take a stab at what it would look like?

4:58-

I imagine a bunch of angry people with clubs and pitch forks.

dippitydoopolis has had chances for "hearings" for quite some time.

the train has left the station.

viva rubio!

4:48 - keep posting your message. They NEVER HAD ANY INTENTION of fixing property insurance or doing meaningful tax reform. Like pigs to a trough they are only there to feed.

CSX doesn't want tax reform - otherwise we might not have $700 million to give to them. Rubio doesn't want tax reform or we might not have $265 million to give to his "life long friend."

Rubio called Amendment 1 from Senate Messages. Rubio put Amendment 1 on the ballot. Rubio voted for Amendment 1 and the lobbied against it. Rubio like the rest of the Republican Leadership couldn't give a tinker's darn about tax reform. They are only interested in geting in position for their next election - so they can continue to feed like pigs at a trough.

Republicans - changing the "middle class" to the "working poor" one Oink at a time.

[Patrick]

Mike Haridopolos is the only person out there fighting for tax payers. The TRBC is a kangaroo court and is trying their best to raise taxes.

John McKay is sorely missed in the Legislature. He was a great Senate President.

Why is the TBRC so upset about having a little more public accountability? Haridopolos is concerned, rightly, that the TBRC (who is obviously a big taxing group now - must be for Haridopolos to be against it) is taking away $4 billion and leaving no plan to replace it other than "We'll let someone else deal with it." If they really wanted to cut taxes, why did they kill TABOR?

What we need is accountability for this commission and a long-term outline for relief, not a cut-and-run band-aid "solution". I'm with Mike on this one.

Speaker Rubio & Gov Crist likes the tax swap.

Good enough for me. Het it on the ballot & let the voters decide.

Speaker Rubio & Gov Crist likes the tax swap.

Good enough for me. Get it on the ballot & let the voters decide.

The tax swap is a huge tax increase.

"angered...Bense clenched his jaw, glowered at Hari-d and rapped his pen on the desk"? That's it?

Whatever happened to good old fashioned challenges to a duel--pistols or swords!

Haridopolos is the only one who is standing up and opposing this tax hike. We need more leaders to oppose this tax swap. Its a shell game.

John McKay sure was a better senator than the current senator for Manatee county.

So, Haridopolos does not want to be responsible for leading at a time when spending has to be decreased. Fine, he can pack it in and someone who is a leader can take his place.

The tax swap will decrease the tax burden on Florida's families and that is the bottom line.

I look forward to an improving economy when the tax swap takes place. It is far better for individuals to control how to spend their money than it is for special interest driven politicians more loyal to perpetuation of the party than the good of the people.

Once the non-productive and corporate whores amongst us grasp that the gravy train provided by another persons labor/savings is no more the government will not need as much revenue.

If Rubio, Haridopolos et al were serious about decreasing government spending they would do something about the crushing burden illegal aliens place on municipal services. Property taxes would fall significantly if educating, medicating and incarcerating subsidized labor was not the Republican Party of Florida's rallying cry when they meet with the Chamber of Commerce!

This is the second round of the TABOR. The first one blew up because of the special interest that each member represented. Many of the same members returned. These are non elected, politically appointed people who all represent special interests, whether it is Publix, Holland and Knight, Southern Power, ad nauseum who cannot do anything that is not in the interest of the entities they each represent. They simply do not represent the public interest.

How can anyone on this blog say this is a tax hike?

Haripoplddoplus is complaining that it reduces revenue...

Hari has no balls to do the job he was elected to do: make tough decisions on the budget and sales tax exemptions. He's looking for someone to do the job for him. What a wimp!!

John McKay is a blowhard. Threatened to kill his ex-wife, according to newspaper headlines at the time. Forced the name change at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center so his father-in-law could get a woody seeing his name up on the billboard.

He's the reason we have term limits. The problem is he won't go away.

5:13 Blue Star took care of my Rubio, and they're even more persistent than a Dopolis.

[terminator]

why should the TBRC care about Haridopolous little pout?

if they have any steel in their spine (which many probably don't) they could just tell him to kiss their *ss where the sun don't shine and be done with him.

they are a constitutionally created body not beholden to the legislature. they don't need Haridopolous approval to wipe their fannies.

he can hold Senate hearings from now to kingdom come and it wouldn't make any difference.

Haridopolous scheme is to obfusicate the process by dragging it to a slow death with all the naysayers saying "it can't be done".

he's just p*ssed that when he becomes Senate President (still a big if) he won't have the extra money that's been laying around Tally the past ten years to throw to his special interest pals who have been lining their pockets at the taxpayers expense.

the worst mistake Bob Martinez ever made was to cave on the services tax back in 86. you see where that got him didn't you?

C'mon Marco, it's time to put the screws to surfer boy and send him back to his mommy in Brevard!

Would Paula Dockery please sign off the blogs and get back to vacationing?

last year I paid 100 dollars in total taxes, then one quarter of my taxes were replaced with a higher sales tax that only cost me an additional 15 dollars, now I pay a total of 90 dollars... I am pissed at this tax increase...

yea, Marco. Clobber the Senate just like the last time . . . no wait . . . I think you lost last time and the time before.

and I am pissed that all levels of government are having to prioritize their spending... I am also pissed because these governments won't cut police and fire protection over unneccessary items that were added to their budgets over the past years of uncontrolled growth...

Rollback taxes and spending to 2002 levels, expand SOH to ALL property both residential and commercial, and vote every incumbent out of office.

Problem Solved!

Problem Solved!

I see the CSX proponents are busy blogging in support of their girly man Haridopolos.

6:35 NAILED IT!

bennett has "hari" in the cross-haries

Oh goody Haridopolos can have the President's Ball at Brothers. Tony Denise is still smokin hot.

Big waste of time, this taxation committee.

No need for a constitutional amendment. The Leg. can stop raising property taxes, and close loopholes anytime.

Will they? Nope.

10:48, stop typing what Dockery tells you to. Let her and her boy, Charlie Dean, post their own lies.

If Hari is so concerned about reducing revenues, than why did he propose a new law that would prevent SOH beneficiaries assessed values from increasing 3% during a declining market? That's ridiculous. They already pay the least and will still pay the least even with their 3% assessed value increase. He only cares about how the legislature will look when people fail to see a $240 decrease in their tax bill from last year. They will look exactly like they should -- a legislature that fails to deliver what was promised!

John McKay was a fair and effective Senate President. One of the best negotiators, the Senate was in much better shape when he was here than during any of his successors' time.

10:12 Sounding more desperate all the time. It's getting hard to follow your contortions. Must be hard to pretend to be a "concerned citizen" now that the FL legislature is carving a line between tax relief for homeowners and corporate welfare for your business buddies?

10:39 -- so anyone who doesn't agree with you is for big business? The only homeowners with tax relief are longtime homeowners. I'm a longtime homeowner who moved in 2006 due to a divorce who wanted stability for my teenage daughter. I'm screwed -- tell me again I'm for big business you jerk!

[NOT a jerk (most of the time.)]

10:48 I am sorry to hear about your particular situation.

However, if you are too poor to afford your taxes, then you are probably also more dependent on the services and infrastructure which come from tax revenue.

Does your daughter go to public school? Does she enjoy city parks or use the library? Did you ever have to depend on free health care because you were between jobs? Might you also have an elderly mother or father who needs state government assistance in some way?

This is the bottom line. The bulk of your house payment comes from the cost of the home, not the taxes, and that was made unaffordable for many by developers, speculators, and investors who drove the prices up.

These are the same folks that want to cut your services so that they can use the revenue gained to give further tax cuts to themselves.

In addition, they would like to see as little as possible of the remaining revenue go to your local govt regulatory agencies, which keep them from polluting and paving over our state.

This is not too complicated. Just ignore their slogans and dig a little deeper and you'll discover who's really looking out for you and yours.

Let me get this straight, the all knowing anti-tax crusader is also the person who enjoys not one, not two, but three government jobs!

And where does the money that pays those 3 govt salaries come from Senator Mikey? Does the right wing freak fairy from no-tax land just drop it out of the sky?

If I can afford a skybox what business is it of yours whether I pay taxes on it. My investment is what runs this economy.

Hypocritopolos

9:38 -- I'm not too poor to afford my taxes, but am outraged that my taxes doubled when I moved for a home of lesser value. Yes my daughter goes to public school and I pay considerably more school tax than many with several children. And regarding my parents, they are deceased for several years now and never lived in Florida.

You want me to direct my anger at the developers and investors who ran up the market? What good would that do me? Most of them are in bankruptcy court now. While I'm not happy to see my home value decline, I do believe that lessening the burden on those crushed in taxes, would actually help spur the market. The real issue here; however, is that there is much government waste and it is dispicable that they threaten to cut needed services instead of eliminating the waste. It is dispicable that homeowners are paying significantly different taxes on homes of the same value. Longtime homeowners have enjoyed an increase less than the inflation rate and that is where the true problem lies. Abolish SOH and establish a fair and equitable tax system for all and there will be sufficient funds for necessary services. Of course that will never happen because SOH beneficiaries will preach their right to lower taxes, when what they really believe is...."don't tax me...tax that man behind the tree." They got what they wanted with A1 and now want everyone else to believe that any more tax relief will benefit big business. Our legislators promised A1 was just the beginning. Hogwash! There are many like me who are screwed along with our children who will have little chance of affording a home in Florida some day. If you think I'm a baby because I can afford my taxes but think it's not fair, all I can say is when all homeowners are assessed on the full value of their home like I am, then I will stop crying for relief. I won't need to then because you'll all be doing it for me.

[John Donson]

Chris W. Don't lump me into your shallow principles concerning religion. Let me just say that after your post, you may want to try actually read the bible just once. It's filled with paprables and allegories that will make you read between the lines. That's right! You'll have to think about what you read to fully understand it's teachings. I won't bash your ignorance, rather I'll pray for your soul. Good Lizzuck in your afterlife because you will have to answer to your post.

To Not a Jerk most of the time:

In addition, because I have a lot of equity in my home, my taxes exceed my mortgage payment. Add in insurance and combined it is double my mortgage payment. Furthermore, I have never used free healthcare and have never collected unemployment.

While I don't want to see necessary services cut, I just want to pay fair and equitable taxes. I wouldn't mind paying a little more than everyone else, but not a LOT more. What's wrong with that? Perhaps the market did get out of control, but why did the greedy government take advantage of the increased revenue and spend freely? With lost revenues from fewer sales, and market values now declining, they are scrambling to roll back to where they were prior to 2004.

These greedy develoers and investors that you keep referring to, most of them have gone bankrupt or barely hanging on, yet you still portray them as the big business who will benefit from caps on spending. Perhaps it might help them stay alive and keep people employed. Perhaps it will spur our economy once again. Perhaps it will increase revenues from home sales and reduce unemployment. Did you ever think if it that way?

Perhaps you should just admit your true motive. Are you a government employee in fear of losing your job?

Good smackdown there 8:57. Ditto

7:08

way to get the true comment deleted.

How did that PTI work for you?