TABOR-like revenue cap dies
A revenue cap is not headed to the November ballot.
The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission has just killed a weaker version of the cap which would have required two-thirds approval by local and state officials for any fee or tax. Proponents wanted a stronger cap, which tied revenue growth to population and inflation, but clung to hope today that the compromise plan would muster 17 votes.
It got 14.
"If you vote no today, you don't think government has a problem with spending," said commissioner Mike Hogan, the Duval County tax collector who sponsored the original proposal. "This is as good as we could get." His closing argument drew applause from the packed audience. But the vote also drew cheers.

Y'all just missed a golden opportunity. Just look at how much TABOR's done for us (NOT).
Posted by: Colorado | April 14, 2008 at 02:49 PM
Bye, Bye, TABOR, we will miss you, not!
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 02:54 PM
Can someone please post the names with the votes.
I want to make sure the people voting NO understand they will be targeted at their next election.
These fatcats want to continue the DRUNKEN SPENDING.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 02:56 PM
Never fear. Speaker Marco Rubio's 1.35% Property Tax Cap Amendment will likely go on the 2010 ballot.
This is a citizen's initiative, so none of these fat cats can stop it.
The voters will decide this.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 02:58 PM
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!
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 02:59 PM
2:56, please stop your drunken posting. It's boring.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 02:59 PM
The legislature has bills pending to cap property taxes & spending.
Bravo Rubio. The TBRC are idiots & should be disbanded forever if it can't get meaningful relief on the ballot.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:01 PM
2:56
How out of touch are you? Targeted next election????
Good threat except that all but one member of the TBRC won't be on any ballots next election.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:02 PM
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF WILL BE THE MAIN TOPIC OF EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S FAT SPENDING WILL BE TARGETED FOREVER UNTIL WE GET OUR MEANINGFUL RELIEF!
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:04 PM
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF WILL BE THE MAIN TOPIC OF EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S FAT SPENDING WILL BE TARGETED FOREVER UNTIL WE GET OUR MEANINGFUL RELIEF!
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:04 PM
3:02 These fat cats will come up for re-election sooner or later. They will be targeted. Tax relief is a movement that is getting stronger & stronger.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:07 PM
Heh, heh, heh. An outbreak of sanity at the TBRC. Let's hope it's viral, and spreads to the legilsature, particularly the nut bars in the House.
Posted by: Sneaky Pete | April 14, 2008 at 03:07 PM
Because those on the TBRC - who are more worried about their futures - know what is best...
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:16 PM
Problem Solved!
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:19 PM
Hey 2:56, ya dope, there are no elected officials on the TBRC as voting members.
Read much?
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:21 PM
3:07
These are not elected positions. They are appointees (FYI, that means they are appointed not elected).
It may be that one or two run for office in the future, but most of the TBRC are FORMER elected officials who are done holding office and LOBBYISTS who wouldn't take the pay cut.
I applaud your desire to hold the members accountable, but please recognize this whole TBRC thing was created so its harder for people like yourselves to hold them accountable for their actions.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:22 PM
3:07's a dope too. Ignorant Rubio lemmings, nothing more.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:24 PM
I don't care when they are due for re-election - I want their names so I can vote them out. In the meantime, I signed the petition for the 1.35 tax cap and plan to continue to make this the top priority then property insurance. Vote them all out - they don't represent the people.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:25 PM
Memo to the Rubio flaks:
Stop the revisionist history.
If your guy hadn't rolled over to Crist and Pruitt, we wouldn't have Amendment 1. The plan that passed the House nearly unanimously would have provided much deeper cuts and a stronger cap on non-commerical, plus helped new homeowners. But rather than pushing it, Rubio not only chose to take the Senate plan, but also took the unprecidented step of taking the floor and speaking in favor of it.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:28 PM
3:25
Ok. Here is a comprehensive list of the TBRC members up for re-election this November:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:29 PM
DEMOCRATS are hindering property tax relief.
Vote out every democrat! Look at their votes in support of local government's drunken spending.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:30 PM
3:28 Tedious and transparent spin. Give it a rest for a while, please!
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:30 PM
3:30 Gone off the deep end!
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:31 PM
3:22pm, these guys will run again in elections. We'll target them when they run.
These fat cats like Rousson, Sink, ect..
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:32 PM
Isn't D. Rousson running in Nov?
The guy in Sarasota may be the better candidate
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:35 PM
It's no wonder they are voting down every relief possible - they don't have to be held responsible. People listen - take the matter in to your own hands and sign up to the 1.35% property tax plan www.lowerpropertytaxesnow.com. The govt. will not and does not want to lower our taxes. If you want relief - we MUST do it ourselves. Sign the petition so that it gets on the 2010 ballot - please.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:35 PM
Problem Solved - go back to your big business buddies and ask for another huge donation - you need to update your playbook. It's too late to keep trying to fool the people with your same tired spin. You've been smoked.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:40 PM
I still want their names - if they ever do run for another office - I will never vote for them.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:40 PM
3:35 You're sounding desperate!
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:41 PM
Not as many "sheeple" out there as you thought, eh?
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:42 PM
3:41 You sound just like one of them
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:43 PM
Grover's not going to pleased! When's your flight back home?
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:45 PM
3:35
You're correct. How's this?
Here is a comprehensive list of the TBRC members up for re-election this November:
1. D. Rousen
2.
3.
4.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 03:47 PM
Isn't Gelber on the commission as a non-voting member?
Let's end his political future too.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 04:07 PM
If we want tax fairness in Florida while simultaneously REDUCING our FEDERAL taxes, we would do what was necessary to replace most or all of our property taxes with an income tax, but because what this is really about is just destoying the state of Florida, we will eliminate the property tax without any replacement.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 04:09 PM
Replace Property taxes with more Sales Tax.
problem solved
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 04:13 PM
Good idea, 4:07 p.m. as long as you also tar and feather each and everyone of the following current and past ex-officio members of the commission:
Ex Officio Members:
Senator Mike Haridopolos
Senator Gwen Margolis
Representative Dan Gelber
Representative David Rivera
Representative Frank Peterman, Jr. Representative Ray Sansom
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 04:14 PM
Hari needs tar and feathering because of his whining about potential cuts to the budget while he (well maybe not) is Senate President.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 04:17 PM
Since everyone on this blog is a state employeee in some capacity, it you all who need the tar and feathering for wasting the people's money wasting time during your work hours.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 04:27 PM
3:30- How is it spin? Seriously, help me out. Rubio chose to take the Senate position. How is it not accurate?
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 04:32 PM
4:27
Sorry, not me. I'm a special interest lobbyist and paid political hack posting things on here to spread disinformation and trying to facilitate the confution and general voter apathy that results by making the average voter feel like govenment isnt doing anything to help them and they can't do anything to change it. I'm not wasting State $$$$$ at all, just the large corporations that really run this country's money.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 04:40 PM
Yeh, but still...
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!
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 04:51 PM
2:56-
they aren't elected. That's the problem genius.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 04:58 PM
We should tax not just property, but ALL investments. Spread the wealth around.
Posted by: Proletariat Paul | April 14, 2008 at 04:58 PM
Not me either 4:27, I'm a curmudgeonly retiree-transplant whose grandchildren remain one paycheck away from homelessness in one of the many Rustbelt eyesores up North. I don't give a squat about educating today's young people or "saving the environment" if it means the ridiculous increase in the value of my home will actually be assessed. I could go on but the earlybird special ends soon and I have to go drive slowly in the left lane with my blinker on for two miles.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 05:09 PM
taxes do not spread wealth. capitalism you see does a great job of creating wealth but distributes it unequally. Socialism on the other hand creates poverty and does a bang up job of spreading it around.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 05:12 PM
I hardly find it whining about budget cuts. 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.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 05:48 PM
Oink, oink, oink, oink.
The lack of meanful tax reform, the lack of progress on property insurance is the consequence of deliberate planning by the Republican Leadership.
They are turing the "middle class" into the "working poor" one oink at a time.
Remember this November and vote accordingly!!!
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 05:50 PM
Hey Hairy-doofus, you didn't care about the billions that you took from education via amendment one. Have you found the money to hold education harmless, as you promised.
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 06:36 PM
Gee 4:09 you sound like the type of person who wants to tax the guy behind the tree.
What kind of person wants to have an income tax? One that has an income small enough that they do not believe it will be taxed?
You can't believe that tacking on a state income tax deduction will end up helping enough on Federal Income Tax to offset the real cost of paying it especially when you factor in the impact doing so could have by contributing toward pushing people into the AMT.
Establishing an income tax in Florida would be a one state depression waiting to happen. Good thing the State Constitution protects us from that counter productive class warfare.
Eliminate property tax and replace it completely with sales tax sounds a lot better. Who really likes to rent their property rights from the Government?
Posted by: | April 14, 2008 at 06:54 PM