So, if we eliminate property taxes, how do we pay for police and parks? Magic?
News and commentary for Floridians who care about their communities
Where I live in Southwest Florida, we have some cool amenities that are easily taken for granted.
For instance, we have police departments and sheriff’s offices that, when they’re not helping ICE agents round up migrant workers, actually do spend some time keeping the peace.
We have a nifty library down the street where you can not only check out books but also movies and music, and on election day, if we haven’t already done so by mail, we have a place to vote.
We have parks all over the place. Our tap water is safe to drink. Our toilets flush. Potholes, while not as common down here below the frost belt, are filled and the streets are well maintained.
Property taxes pay for a good chunk of all these services. And while nobody likes taxes, we do like what we buy with them, namely all the aforementioned amenities— and more.
But now comes our governor and his fellow Republicans in the state Legislature, hell-bent on eliminating property taxes for permanent residents.
Why all of a sudden is this a thing?
Well, Gov. Ron DeSantis is a lame duck, and he’s looking for some legacy issues to brag about when he starts applying for jobs when his term is up.
“I’m the guy who eliminated property taxes,” looks good on a resume—if you don’t look too closely.
Easy for him to say, right? The taxes that pay for making this a safe, decent place to live vanish. He claims credit and beats feet out of Tallahassee before the roof caves in.
So how do we continue to provide police and fire protection, clean water, parks, libraries, and all that without the revenue stream property taxes provide?
The Legislature has an answer:
Magic.
Actually, that’s not true. They have no answer at all.
Here’s the state of play:
This week, the Florida House, on a nearly party-line vote, passed a bill that would wipe out property taxes for everything but schools on residences that are homesteaded—meaning houses, condos, etc. for permanent residents as opposed to tourists.
As the Orlando Sentinel reported:
“You’re about to bankrupt cities and counties across the state,” said Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston, who proposed an amendment requiring the Legislature to backfill any revenues cities and counties lost if the property taxes are eliminated. It failed. “It’s not fair to present this to voters without knowing all the details.”
Bartleman was referring to how this would all play out: The Senate would also have to approve it or offer an alternative, and it would end up on the ballot in November for voters to decide upon.
If DeSantis stays true to form, we shouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t reroute state funds designed for things like helping poor people with medical bills to TV advertisements to push for passage of the no-tax proposition.
It will be an appealing message, of course.
Who doesn’t want lower taxes?
What could possibly go wrong?
Except when you dial 911 and there’s nobody there to answer the phone.
Related:
Florida House passes proposed amendment to immediately phase out property taxes
J.C. Bruce is the founder of Tropic Press, a Florida online news service dedicated to sharing news and commentary relevant to Florida readers, whether it originates in the Sunshine State or elsewhere. Bruce is an award-winning former newspaper editor, journalist and author living in Florida, his native state.
Sharing is caring
As this newsletter was written, Tropic Press was reaching more than 750,000 subscribers in Florida and elsewhere. With mid-term elections on the horizon, the more people we reach, the more effective we can be in helping turn this country around. You can play a vital role in that effort by sharing this newsletter with friends. If you are reading this as an email, simply forward it. Or you can use the link below. Thanks.
More online
Thank you for reading the Tropic Press newsletter. You also have access to the Tropic Press website for additional and previous posts, an archive of posts from our advice columnist, Miss Mingo, occasional guest commentaries, and information about The Strange Files series of mysterious adventures and other books.
Parting Shot:
Of course this wouldn't benefit poor people who rent houses and apartments. Their rent would still be unaffordable. They would, however, be allowed to participate in paying the increased Sales Tax. What has me confused is Sales Tax goes to the State, but Property Tax stays local. This still doesn't answer the question of who pays my fireman, policeman or librarian.
There is a very simple answer to this question. The state will take over paying for our police, libraries, etc. What a deal! Then our wonderful legislature will have almost total control of everything that happens on the local level. What could possibly go wrong?