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The Greatest Governor We Never Had

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By Sam Rashid / The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 15, 2008

So, Charlie Crist's "drop like a rock" property tax relief amendment passed. I'm really glad.

I personally voted for it because it will save me a couple of hundred bucks per year. That's enough for three fill-ups of gas in my guzzler. Heck, why not, a buck is a buck. But, if anyone thinks that this laughable and pathetic effort at "relief" for property owners in our state will reduce the pain and head off the economic disaster that we're facing, they're delusional.

In fact, by allowing this "dunsel"-like amendment, this governor may have defeated the impetus to make our Legislature enact real and meaningful tax reform in this upcoming session.

During his first term, President Reagan enjoyed the same popularity rating as our governor does today but he took the opportunity to use it as a large and incredibly painful stick to lawmakers who didn't go along with his fiscal and economic goals.

Gov. Crist could have done the same thing during last year's special session, yet he chose to remain on the sidelines. Waiting and watching like a nervous spouse while the Senate and the House tried to resolve their differences.

What we've ended up with is less than nothing. A shallow proposal to please homesteaded property owners, many of whom weren't as severely impacted as non-homesteaded and commercial property owners and tenants with respect to confiscatory property tax rates.

Let's get serious. Florida is about to enter a major economic crisis. With a "perfect storm" of foreclosures, reduced influx of Northern visitors, loss of Florida's reputation as a low-tax retirement paradise, rise in unemployment, and a looming national economic downturn, we're in serious trouble.

It's times like these that bring out the best in leaders, or the worst.

Governor, it's time to prove your mettle. Be a leader. Stop running around looking for a quick exit to Washington and use your power and popularity to force this Legislature to enact broad-based property tax relief which will reduce property taxes for all commercial, residential, homesteaded or non-homesteaded property by 70 percent or more, and reform the revenue stream in our state by revamping the entire tax revenue process.

Start from scratch and rebuild the economic viability of our state, because if you don't, the economic engine of our state - small business - may not survive, and you'll go down in history as the greatest governor we never had.

Sam Rashid is a Brandon businessman and political activist.

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