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Crist Pushing Property Tax Cuts

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By JEROME R. STOCKFISCH, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 10, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - With negotiations on the state budget wrapped up, Gov. Charlie Crist is renewing his proposal to double the homestead exemption and offer some sort of portability of 'Save Our Homes' benefits to allow homeowners to keep significant property tax savings.

Crist said Tuesday he is 'very seriously' considering extending the ongoing special session to take up the contentious issue of property tax reform, implying legislative leaders are near agreement on his proposals for lower property tax bills.

'I don't know if we're going to be able to do it for sure, but if you get the framework of a significant part of the consensus for what we need to do, then my view is, why not do that?' Crist said. 'Why not go ahead and get the job done?'

Crist was working the phones and hallways on his plan. The governor is pushing to double the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $50,000. He also wants to allow homeowners with a significant 'Save Our Homes' valuation benefit to take that benefit with them when they move.

He is also suggesting a 25 percent reduction in taxable value for first-time homebuyers. Breaks for working waterfronts and small businesses, which were heavily debated during an earlier session on property taxes, are back on the table.

The Legislature passed a two-part property tax relief program in June. The first part, a rollback of revenue that local governments could collect from taxpayers, passed and is in effect. The second, a constitutional amendment dramatically overhauling the state's homestead exemption, was designed to appear on the Jan. 29 primary election ballot.

But a Tallahassee judge tossed the amendment from the ballot, ruling the language was misleading and improper. The state is challenging the ruling.

The judge's ruling also allows the Legislature to revisit the issue, and Crist announced Oct. 1 that lawmakers would be coming back to the Capitol for another special session on property taxes.

Crist may be optimistic on what he sees as the level of consensus. House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, has sought stiff cutbacks and originally sought to eliminate local property taxes altogether in favor of an increase in the state sales tax. That plan never gained traction.

On Tuesday, Rubio's spokeswoman, Jill Chamberlin, said, 'I think we would agree that there's a consensus on the need to provide property tax relief, but there may not be a consensus on how meaningful that relief needs to be.'

Crist's plan to double the homestead exemption would provide a benefit of about $214 per year per home. Altogether, his plan calls for $6.3 billion in tax savings in five years, significantly less than the $16 billion in the plan removed from the ballot.

Democrats said they also looked forward to revisiting the issue. 'We need to explore meaningful tax relief for the Jan. 29 ballot,' said House Minority Leader Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach. 'I think what's out there is terrible, and we have an obligation to citizens to put something on there that's good for them and good for Florida.'

Reporter Jerome R. Stockfisch can be reached at (850) 222-8382 or jstockfisch@tampatrib.com.

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