florida votes yes on 1: portability

[MichaelB]

I voted against the referendum

This thread prompted me to register and post. An earlier post asked who would vote against and why.

I live in florida and voted against.

Florida residents have voted to limit their individual property taxes but have left uncontrolled both public spending and other people’s property taxes. This is amazing. It is financially unsustainable. Very unbalanced, and quite anti-social to just throw one's obligations on one's neighbor.

This new referendum makes the problem worse. It lets those that benefit now cash out but continue to receive the benefits while others pay the cost. In other words, this was the "unfair benefits portability act of 2008".

Now the politicians will spend the next couple of years saying they have done something for property taxes, instead of working to fix this once and for all.

This is financially, morally and socially wrong. Even though I benefit from this system, I campaigned and voted against it, and would do so again. I want something that works for me and my children, not just me.

Finally, it will hurt, not help, real estate prices. It limits demand to downsizers that already live in more expensive Florida housing and pushes higher tax costs onto new state residents and first time buyers. They will look elsewhere, overall Florida state demand will suffer and real estate prices will follow.

Just my view of this interesting debate.

Regards, Michael

 

[jazz4cash]

LG4NB
Please don't take any of my comments personally.....I have no ill will to any individual benefitting from this cooky scheme. It's just that this scheme appears too stupid to remain intact...portability is one thing...zero property tax is extreme. All of the arguments seem weak as hell to me (schools/parks/etc) designed to justify something that just does not make sense. Maybe I would feel different if I had more details, but not likely given the extreme variations in taxes for equal properties based on duration. Every dollar saved by one homeowner is extracted from thier neighbor......yes our system works that way to a point anyway but we're not talking about chipping in x% for others less fortunate or more deserving due to special circumstances. Appreciate your comments and descriptions of the process. Keep us posted on the progress. I guess our system in MD is looking more reasonable except our homes are just too pricey.

 

[Texas Proud]

Hey Lazy...

Interesting argument at the end of your last post....

I remember a long time ago someone with two kids said that he did not think I should be paying school taxes (which also is the biggest number here) since I do not have any kids... I disagreed with him even though none was used any offspring as I do not have any...

BUT, that is one of the things with a society... there are expenses that are paid that I disagree and some that I agree.... it is up to me to try and get the 'correct' politicians in office to vote for the spending I like...

I know I do not like all the welfare payments that are being made... and I can tell you for sure that the spending on housing Katrina 'victims' still is a bit much... and the amount that is being spent on the war is WAY to much... but we have a 'social contract'... a kind of 'take it or leave it' version... if you do not like the taxes you pay where you are, you can 'leave' where they are to your likeing... if you can find such a place...

SO, I think I have an 'obligation' to help educate all kids so they can grow up and not be a burden on the government... and also PAY MY SS when it comes time...

But as I said... good argument....

 

[73ss454]

LG4NB, states that new comers are treated the same before and after the vote and he is correct. Yet he asks me why I didn't vote. I ask again, what would I be voting for? No change to me if it didn't or did go through. I would just love to know what I'd be voting for.

I also have no children in the school and never did. Yet I have no problem doing my part to pay for the ever important ecucation of our youth. The problem once again is I'm not paying a fair share but a larger share.

Michael, welcome to the forum and I'm glad you realize the stupidity of this amendment. I still think that the politicians have something up their sleeves and that this vote will enable them to get rid of this taxing system that's going to kill the Florida economy at some point.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

yes tex, well, just because i make an argument doesn't mean i buy it. sometimes i just argue for sport. i also have no problem paying for the children of others so that i don't wind up living in an even dumber society. as to the extent i have to pay, that would be a question, i suppose, of fairness.

i realize that not everything is fair or has to be. what is not a tug of war? michaelb makes some good points on that. as did eridanus. we have a long standing problem in florida in that we have been such an incredibly successful growth state. but we did not grow like the rest of the country because our growth only kicked in since flagler's railroad and of course air conditioning.

we have huge problems with concurrency. that is our infrastructures were not built for this growth. we have a problem with impact fees, our developers do not want to pay them. so the impact fees have been kept artificially low and that burden has fallen on the existing population. not just for the roads but for their parks & water and sewage plants.

i'm not a financial guy. i'm not a polititian. i don't know how this stuff works. do you level the tax field and increase impact fees. will increased fees increase the price of everyone's houses and thereby increase all our taxes. it is a tug of war and some of it will seem to some unfair.

as to jazz's indignation that i might one day manage to live in a house without paying any property tax, don't lose any sleep over it. i imagine that is a rare instance. you would have to have had a lot of soh value and to be willing to downsize into a house which can be purchased on that value. that likely means moving away from familiar surroundings and into a cheaper area. so it is the rare bird who will chirp that coup.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

LG4NB, states that new comers are treated the same before and after the vote and he is correct. Yet he asks me why I didn't vote. I ask again, what would I be voting for? No change to me if it didn't or did go through. I would just love to know what I'd be voting for.

i assure you that when florida votes to have a constitutional amendment which prevents me from marrying the person i love, even though i'm quite certain this state hates gays and will vote it in, my vote against that will be registered on that ballot.

you should have gotten off your retired ass and rallied with michaelb and worked for the change you wanted. you should have participated in the process. you should have thrown a chair. instead you just sat on your butt and bitched. well good for you. you did yourself proud.

 

[73ss454]

i assure you that when florida votes to have a constitutional amendment which prevents me from marrying the person i love, even though i'm quite certain this state hates gays and will vote it in, my vote against that will be registered on that ballot.

you should have gotten off your retired ass and rallied with michaelb and worked for the change you wanted. you should have participated in the process. you should have thrown a chair. instead you just sat on your butt and bitched. well good for you. you did yourself proud.

Still can't answer the queston, amazing.

You make me laugh, what does your sexual orientation have to do with my taxes. I think your getting upset to see everyone on this thread sees this for what it is.

I have no problem to fight for what I believe but I'm also smart enough to know when it's a waste of time. I did contact people about a class action suit which is currently in progress. Never caring that you made out with this vote I only wanted you to admit that it was a fraud which you finally did. Now I would laugh when legislation is finally brought and SHO's is knocked out and then you'll have to pay your fair share. That should really piss you off!

By the way I wouldn't vote [moderator edit]...

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

This thread has outlived its usefulness and it's getting ugly. Anyone with questions can read the board rules.

I'm putting it to rest.