... And A Few From The Other Side

On the other hand, these exceprts from e-mails skeptical of the House's sales-tax idea:

Our services in Pinellas County are great. Average time for an ambulance where I live is 4 minutes, hospitals - more than one - are within 10-20 minutes, even during rush hour. Our taxes pay for that, state, county, and city. Everyone now wants to buy the side of mountain in Tennessee because the taxes are low and they don't have State Income Tax.  I'm sorry - but who picks you up after the auto accident or the heart attack?  If you want to live in a safe and civilized location, it does cost more. -- Robert Albano

As a Single, Disabled Female and parent of a 17 year old I can not even fathom paying 9 1/2 % Sales Tax.  I have no problem with my Property Taxes.  I have a problem with the damned insurance.  Mine went from $535 to $1836 in two years.  Of course I am stuck in Citizens with no hope of getting out of it.  I was forced to go to an Interest only Mortgage and when my daughter graduates next May from Bogie's Wellness Program our income will drop even further into the poverty level.  How am I supposed to pay 9 1/2% sales tax?  Every time I go to the grocery store or have to by clothing I will get hit so hard I will be eating my 3 cat's food! -- JoAnn Markey, St. Petersburg

The Legislature has continually passed laws requiring local government to pay for services that the Legislature mandates -- where do they think the money comes from to do that? It wouldn't surprise me a bit if, on the day after the Legislature removes the property tax, a lot of local governments declare bankruptcy. After all, if the sales tax is the substitute, there is no guarantee that a particular local government will receive enough of it from the state to keep things going. --Sheryl Stolzenberg

Comments

[Dan Favero]

Some politicians seem to think that they can sweep Florida’s insurance mess under the rug by using keywords, “tax cut” or “tax relief“. These politicians would like us to think that $1 of tax coming out of our pocket is somehow more than the $1 coming out for insurance, fees, rates, gas prices, or anything else.

Think about the ridiculous plan being pushed to eliminate all property tax. This loss of tax revenue will need to be made up somewhere else. There will be rate, fee, & other tax increases besides the sales tax increase being discussed. Those saving a small amount now will end up paying more overall later. Only those who now pay tens of thousands in property taxes will end up with a true tax-cut.

My property taxes are up 11% since 2001. Are there inequities? They’re sure are. But people make a choice of buying a certain property. Whether it’s higher tax than your neighbor or exemptions not applying, people should know of the inequities before they buy. If not, maybe they need to ask the real estate agent why.

On the other hand, I just received my new insurance bill from Citizens for the period of 06/16/07 to 06/16/08. Guess what? It’s higher than last year. Maybe I’m supposed to praise the politicians because it’s up only 1.2% this year. But adding this to the last four years increases, and my insurance is 390% higher now than it was for the 2002-2003 insurance policy. Same home, no improvements, no insurance claims, not in a flood zone, not in an evacuation zone. Now hundreds of dollars higher than what I pay in property tax. Which seems to be more of a problem? So where is the insurance relief, Charlie?

So let’s stop the political distraction of yelling tax cut or tax relief. We need to push the politicians to get off their behinds and take care of our insurance mess. This is what’s pushing the average Floridian to move out of Florida.

[Jane]

I agree with JoAnn. At least I know what I'm getting for my tax dollars. Insurance? I get squat. I've never filed a claim against my homeowners and my ins bill is higher than my tax bill. All of a sudden, 2 years ago I was told I needed flood insurance. My neighbor 2 doors down does not. My house is 30 years old and has never, ever had a flood. This whole neighborhood has been flood-free since the first house went up but I have to have flood ins that increases $100/year. But I'm still in Hurricane Evacuation zone "C"--go figure!
A 10% sales tax is ridiculous--I make $27K/yr and buy for me and 2 kids on that. The sales tax will be a killer. And forget the "tax holidays" they're already a joke. I bought my teenage daughter a pair of sneakers for school last summer that were $50.00--not expensive for tennies these days--but they were over the "no tax" limit!

Fix insurance FIRST. That's what's trapping us in our homes. We know we can't buy ins on any new purchase.