Opinion: Amendment 1 makes unfair tax system worse
This is a tough time to argue against property tax cuts for Floridians. Unemployment is rising, home sales are plummeting and the state is flirting with an economic recession. But Amendment 1 is not the answer, and voters should reject it and send a strong message to Tallahassee that they want property tax reform that is thoughtful and fair.
Amendment 1 is neither. Legislators hastily placed it on the Jan. 29 ballot after their first attempt was thrown out by a judge and they were running short of time and patience in a special session. The amendment’s key components, increasing the homestead exemption and enabling homeowners to transfer Save Our Homes benefits to another house, are simplistic leftovers from Gov. Charlie Crist’s 2006 campaign. They provide the largest breaks to taxpayers who need the least help, and they add more unfairness to a property tax system that already is unfair. The politicians and real estate agents who suggest the amendment magically would revive Florida’s economy are fooling themselves.
