Crist is beating Davis on the property tax issue, he needs a plan ASAP

[Herman Munster]

Ultimately, people vote their pocket book. Crist wants to double the homestead exemption to $50,000 and allow portability so people can sell their house and move anywhere throughout the state without seeing their property tax bill double or triple. The only plan Davis has now is he opposes Crist's plan.

This is a HUGE HUGE HUGE issue everywhere in the state of Florida where real estate values have doubled and tripled during the last five years. People are literally trapped in their homes because if they move, their property taxes will double or triple, even if all they want to do is downsize.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pguvtax27sep27,0,1043222.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

[lpbk2713]

1. The insurance rates went out of sight on the rethugs watch.

They are in bed with the insurance companies. They can't be expected to bite the hand that feeds them.

[madville]

2. Huge issue

Davis being against Crist's plan is not good from a PR standpoint if he doesn't have an alternative. The taxes on my first house in Florida were $270 a year, the house I have had for awhile runs about $900 a year and has a county appraised value of about $100,000 but the house next door just sold for $200,000. I know people that are easily paying taxes in the $2000-$5000 a year range on houses they have bought recently. It really is out of control, Davis better come up with something, anything. Also I have seen at least 20 Crist TV ads this week and not one Davis ad ?

[seasat]

3. The problems is that Crist is lying.

His own party, by significant margins, has opposed doubling the homestead exemption each time it has come up in the Florida legislature. If you look at Chameleon Charlie's plans, he is proposing doubling the homestead exemption, making "save-our-homes" portable, keeping the sale tax as is, and keeping the repeal of the intangibles tax. He then plans on increasing funds for a catastrophic fund, fully funding the class size amendment, keeping the FCAT as is, and increasing teacher's salaries. He can't balance the budget and do all those. By law, Florida can't run a deficit so he can't do the same thing as Shrub. He is lying to get elected.

One of the biggest problems is that the "Save-Our-Homes" coupled with Jebbie's tax cuts for the wealthy has increased our reliance on property taxes to fund education. The other problem is that the tax burden has shifted from homeowners to businesses. A doubling of the homestead exemption, with all things being equal, would force businesses to bear more of the property tax burden. Small businesses would be especially hurt.

The choices are to either cut education or revamp our tax code to increase the tax base. Jim Davis is looking at how to make "Save-Our-Homes" portable where it doesn't pass the burden to small businesses. He has also mentioned revamping the tax code. The problem with revamping the tax code is that it raises the ire of the business lobby here in Florida. They have some pretty powerful members and will wage a media campaign against anyone that tries to revamp the sales tax. Look at the campaign against Republican Jim McKay when he tried to get an amendment to do just that.

IMHO, the tax base needs to be broadened by removing some of the ridiculous exemptions and taxing services. With increased funds from the state for education, the local governments can then lower their millage rates. "Save-Our-Homes" needs to be repealed and replaced by possibly a higher exemption that increases with some inflationary measure or median home prices. The exemption can be extended to businesses but not to real estate speculators. I'd be curious as to how much of the complaining is coming from folks buying properties as investments and are now stuck with them as the real estate market collapses. I'd imagine there are quite a few.

[Herman Munster]

4. what you said is true

but most voters are too dumb to realize that.

All they see is Crist supports doubling the homestead exemption in ad after ad after ad and Davis opposes it and is unresponsive without any plan.

Davis needs a plan and to get on the tube with some ads or he's dead in the water.

[seasat]

5. I agree.

I've been a Davis supporter from the get-go. However, I'm tired of waiting while Chameleon Charlie walks away with this election. I know that we've only got about a fifth of the dollars that Charlie has. If we use them now, we'll (hopefully) encourage more contributions later as we gain back some losses in the polls. I'd run an ad something like this:

Charlie Crist and the current administration have shifted taxes from the Wealthy to the average Floridia. Special interest influence has resulted in hundreds of sales tax exemptions. According to the Center for Tax Justice, Florida places the 2nd heaviest tax burden on those least able to afford it (images of working families). They've shifted funding for education from state sales tax to local property taxes (show recent newspaper quotes touting this fact). Jim Davis wants to make Florida's tax system work for all Floridians by eliminating special interest sales tax exemptions and property tax reform that helps both home owners and small businesses, not a token effort that only affects a select few. Vote for real reform not empty promises and more breaks for those who need it the least. Davis and Jones in 2006.

How's that sound?

[tomreedtoon]

6. How about Harris tries to RUN SOME TV ADS, already?

"Jesus" Crist is stomping him in the Orlando market. He's a "Washington Liberal." He's a "Spendthrift." He thinks cut taxes are "Stupid."

And from Harris...NOTHING.

If he doesn't deserve to fight back, in public and on the air, he doesn't deserve to win.

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. Harris is not running against Crist

She is running against Nelson.

[tomreedtoon]

8. So who is running against Crist? There are no TV ads!

You see my point? If the Democratic candidate is too afraid to be seen in public, or to have his or her name known, "Jesus" Crist has already won and there's no point in hacking the Florida voting machines.

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. Jim Davis

I agree that Davis should have been airing ads long ago. He probably has not run ads due to low funds, but he will have a lot of trouble raising money now that he is so far behind in the polls.

[seafan]

9. Jim Davis to reveal plan to cut property taxes, Tuesday, Oct 3.

Davis to Reveal Plan to Cut Property Taxes

Jim Davis said he will outline his plan Tuesday to cut property taxes by $1-billion. Davis said his plan is more immediate than Charlie Crist's, which would double the homestead exemption to $50,000. Davis claims his plan could go into effect next year, while Crist's would not work until 2010.

Davis was reluctant to release details Monday but said his proposal calls for a reduction in the required local effort, with the state paying its "fair share" of the cost for education. The plan is part of an ad Davis will launch Tuesday. See it here.

Direct link to Davis' property tax ad to air October 3:

http://www.jimdavis2006.com/main.cfm?actionId=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=genericContent&htmlKey=propertytaxes

[Lorien]

11. I've never seen a single Davis ad or sign here in Orlando

he seems to be a "non-candidate" here, and I can't say that I know what his positions are on pretty much ANY topic!

Hope they get their act together SOON!

[seafan]

12. Here are a couple of links for info on Davis' positions:

http://www.jimdavis2006.com/


And specifically about the FCAT:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/seafan/404

[infogirl]

13. JIm is against raising the homestead exemption!

Crist says 50,000.00, but realize it was 25,000.00 when homes were 50,000.00. So in reality it should be 100,000.00 at least as homes are now averaging 270,000.00. The Tampa Tribune said today Max Linn says 100,000.00 today...so yeah...jim needs a plan for that....and this....and that.

Any signs yet?


http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBK9806SSE.html

[seasat]

14. That's because Crist and Linn think people are stupid.

The legislature overwhelming voted against adding an amendment raising the exemption. If it did go on the ballot in 2008 it wouldn't apply until 2010. Jim Davis' plan would take place right now not years down the road. It addresses the fundamental problem that Jebbie's tax cuts have shifted the burden for education funding from the state to the local governments. Jim's plan will also help small businesses. They've seen their tax burden quadruple in recent years. Chameleon Charlie and Psycho Republican Linn's plan will force local governments to increase their millage rates on folks that don't qualify for homestead exemption or the Save-Our-Homes amendment. It'll be great if you like small restaurants and shops having to sell out cheap so Max Sembler (big Crist supporter) can build row after row of condos. You'd have to be an idiot to believe that either of their plan will work.

[seasat]

15. Here's an eyeopening article comparing Davis and Crist's plans

(LINK)

After being asked daily about how he would deal with property taxes, Davis released a plan Tuesday to cut the state-mandated schools property tax by $1 billion in the 2007-08 budget by replacing it with state tax money he would generate by repealing several tax breaks passed in recent years. He was not specific about which breaks could be repealed under a Republican legislature.

Davis continued to call Crist's plans irresponsible and pointed out that Republicans have increased the local property tax share of public school funding by 96 percent during the past eight years, while increasing the state's share by only 41 percent.

"The choice is between special-interest tax breaks and property tax relief. I know that what's happening to property owners throughout this state isn't just happening to Democrats. It's happening to Republicans and independents. This is a Florida problem. It demands a Florida solution," he said Tuesday.

What do y'all think of this quote from a Crist spokesperson.

"We're got to take these things one step at a time," he said, pointing out that business owners typically were also homeowners, and were getting their tax breaks like everybody else. "Businesses are only fictitious people. They are not real people."

I guess that means that the little seafood restaurant my wife and I like to visit on the beach is owned by ficticious people. :eyes: