Property Tax Relief More Mirage Than Reality For State's Homeowners

Floridians demanded of Gov. Charlie Crist some kind of property tax relief, and the Florida Legislature quickly acted. The final question is this: Did we get what we asked for?

Day after day, people approach me and express indignation that many times includes forbidden four-letter words. After I calm them down, they show me what they are upset about. What I've seen makes me want to either laugh or join them in their antipathy.

Person after person showed me their 'Notice of Property Taxes.' One gentleman received a $75.42 reduction, while another got $60.21. I read where one got a whopping 22-cent decrease. I looked at my reduction, and I am amazed that I can barely fill the gas tank of my truck for the $60.35, or 4.9 percent, reduction I received.

What happen to the 20 to 50 percent decreases we were promised?

What we have is the reality of what Florida residents can call a fleecing, swindle, a con or, maybe, simply a rip-off. Our esteemed governor made a promise to Floridians that he could not keep. We trusted him and the Legislature to make good on a heated subject. Instead, Floridians are scratching their heads and wondering what happened.

Although this property tax issue is complex, two questions come into play here that created what is now the 'perfect storm' of controversy that will either make Florida the envy of the nation or the laughingstock, again, for its leadership's incompetence.

First, Florida has had outstanding growth the past decade, which led to rapid growth in property values. That is a good thing for property owners.

Second, and most important, is the fact that each year our state leaders have constantly compounded every county with increasing fiscal burdens through unfunded mandates. They mandate that the counties help pay for numerous programs or fund them outright.

The biggest mandate for counties is the burden to pay for an increasing share of Medicaid costs, state juvenile justice programs and coverage of the ever-increasing number of uninsured residents. These are state funding issues and should be dealt with at a state level.

To add to the misery, the federal government jumps on the bandwagon and imposes mandates, too. It has required county governments to fund environmental programs, landfills projects and expensive programs like welfare disability.

I agree with residents who say that local governments need to be fiscally responsible. But at what point do we shift our anger toward those state leaders who bow to lobbyists' demands and not the people who elected them?

I recognize that homeowners need property tax relief. I also believe that before the governor or Legislature mandated these ill-conceived changes to the property tax system, they should have allowed this issue to be reviewed by the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission. This commission was approved by Florida voters and created in the state Constitution to do a comprehensive review of our state's tax and budget policies. It has the mandated authority to scrutinize the problem and develop viable solutions.

However, in a rush to be popular with voters, our leaders in Tallahassee bit off more than they could chew and are now on the verge of plunging the state into fiscal disparity. The Legislature's actions preempted the work of this commission, and now we are shaking our heads in amazement and disgust.

The Legislature also never conferred with local leaders or the Florida League of Cities to assess the effect of the property tax relief legislation. Instead, politicians catered to the wills of the lobbyists and therefore politically prostituted themselves.

I ask all residents to review their property tax notices. Look at the dollars saved and ask yourself whether you were properly represented in Tallahassee. Is your legislator acting on your behalf or that of the lobbyist? Ask the tough questions, and do not let them confound you with complicated answers designed to confuse or mislead you.

I highly respect our leaders in Tallahassee, which explains my disappointment and harsh criticism of their leadership. Their actions remind me of a statement by President Ronald Reagan: 'It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.'