Facts to consider about property tax reform

We're supposed to vote Jan. 29 to decide whether to create the option of a super homestead exemption that would cut Florida property taxes by billions of dollars.

If you've been listening to some local governments, the cuts will place them on a starvation diet when it comes to popular services like police, fire fighting and libraries.

So it's worth looking at the actual tax money local government took in during the housing boom that ran roughly from 2000 to 2006.

Decide for yourself whether public coffers are svelte or portly. Here's a selection of taxing bodies with their cumulative increase in tax income during those 6 years:

LARGO: 152 PERCENT

CLEARWATER: 93 PERCENT

ST. PETERSBURG: 78 PERCENT

PINELLAS COUNTY: 77 PERCENT

PINELLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS: 89 PERCENT

Comments

[Sue C.]

The court's took the Super Homestead Exemption off the ballot for unclear language. Here is the truth and maybe what should be on the ballot.
"Vote yes and Homestead property taxes go down - Non-Homestead property taxes go up" If you don't believe me ask the Property Appraiser's office in Pinellas County. Any exemption for one set of property owners MUST be made up by another. SOH did this and so will the Super Homestead Exemption.