TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Florida's People, Florida's Promise

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 12, 2008

Who Contacted Us: A coalition of groups calling itself Florida's People, Florida's Promise, which includes AARP, Florida Tax Watch, and Children's Home Society.

What They Want: New state revenue sources. They say allowing a video lottery could generate more than $194 million and collecting sales tax on items sold to Floridians on the Internet could bring in $2 billion a year. They also suggest streamlining state bureaucracy and eliminating duplication.

Why They Want It: A gloomy financial forecast threatens to force state budget cuts, which could bring reductions in services provided to children, the elderly and the disabled.

What We Think: The group is right to be concerned about budget shortfalls. And Florida does need to get serious about collecting sales taxes on Internet purchases; a law is already on the books but rarely enforced. Allowing sellers and buyers to buy items tax-free puts brick-and-mortar business at a competitive disadvantage of from 6 to 7.5 percent. Less attractive is a video lottery. Gambling consumes discretionary income of low- and middle-income households, especially retirees. These are the very people this coalition of groups seeks to protect. It was disappointing that representatives were unable to respond to concerns about gambling, saying they didn't know if the likely video gamblers would be those who can least afford to lose money.

Agenda Setter is a new feature on people and organizations who visit the Tribune editorial board to raise issues of public interest.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT