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Proposal Would Give Homeowners Tax Relief They've Been Promised

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 11, 2008

Florida's property appraisers are demonstrating they are more committed to reducing property taxes than Gov. Charlie Crist and lawmakers, who failed in their promise to substantially cut them.

In response to outraged homeowners whose tax assessments, incredibly, increased this year even though the market values of their properties dropped, appraisers are proposing a simple solution: eliminate the state's so-called "recapture" tax rule responsible for this slap in the face.

Pasco County Property Appraiser Mike Wells, for one, suggests legislation that would accomplish that. It would prohibit him and other property appraisers from increasing homestead assessments in years when just values either decrease or remain the same.

It's the big fix needed so homesteaders can enjoy the property tax savings they were promised when Crist and lawmakers pushed Amendment 1, which voters approved earlier this year. As it stands, hundreds of thousands of homeowners will see little or no savings, which is appalling.

Any increase in assessments would be limited to either 3 percent of the taxed value or the change in the Consumer Price Index, when just values increase from the previous year.

The big question is whether the Legislature will listen. Several property appraisers have been trying to do something about this unpopular tax rule for years, but they have been rebuffed - most recently last year.

Although they are responsible for valuing and assessing property, the appraisers' hands are tied by the rule, which requires them to raise the taxable values of homes protected by the Save Our Homes amendment even when the market values decline. It's blatantly unfair - and dead wrong. The appraisers' willingness to continue pushing to fix this problem shows they are truly concerned about fairness.

State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who is up for re-election this year, plans to address the issue next session, at Wells' urging. He should. Even though Wells' plan may not be perfect, it would eliminate the recapture rule, which is just beginning to ensnare many homeowners because of the drop in the housing market.

Of course, local governments will probably moan about losing more money. But the bottom line is Wells' proposal is less harmful to local tax coffers than legislation filed last year that would have allowed tax assessments to be reduced the same percentage as market values in down years.

The Legislature needs to get its fingers out of its ears and listen to these constitutional officers. At the very least, lawmakers should jettison the recapture rule so taxpayers get what they were promised and aren't further penalized when their homes' values drop.

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