Florida's cities aren't telling the truth about proposed property-tax cut

In a blistering editorial criticizing the Florida League of Cities the Orlando Sentinel on January 24, 2008 said “Florida’s cities have stooped to a new low in their effort to keep their fists wrapped tightly around your property-tax dollars.

It's bad enough they trotted out firefighters and cops and threatened to fire them if voters approve the Amendment 1 property-tax cut -- even though privately they admit that won't happen.
 
Now it has gotten even sleazier. The Florida League of Cities is lying about Amendment 1's impact on longtime homeowners in a mailer sent to thousands of Floridians. The mailer even goes so far as to try to scare senior citizens into voting against Amendment 1"

The mailer that prompted this angry response from the paper's editorial board features two photos. One picture is of a slick, arrogant "out-of-state property owner" standing in front of an estate, giving two thumbs up. He's flashing a sly grin. The other image is of two elderly "Florida homeowners" standing in front of a modest house. They're frowning.
The message: "He Gets a Great Deal" and "We Get a Raw Deal.

Here are the bare facts:

If you own your residence:
The bigger homestead exemption will save you about $240.

If you buy a more expensive home:
You can apply your accumulated Save Our Homes tax savings to your new home. For example, assume your old home has a market value of $300,000, reduced to a taxable value of $150,000 by SOH. If you buy a new home for $400,000, it would be assessed for tax purposes at $250,000. This benefit is capped at $500,000.

If you buy a less expensive home:
If you trade down to a $200,000 condo, your savings would be figured on a percentage basis. Because SOH was worth 50 percent of your home's value, the tax value of your $200,000 condo would be cut in half, to $100,000. (In both examples, you would also get a homestead exemption.)

To find out what the differential of your house is look at your tax bill. Subtract the "assessed value'' from the ''market value'' to get the differential or go to the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser's website at this link 

If you own business or commercial property:
Your assessment can't increase by more than 10 percent a year. In addition, most of the state's businesses will no longer pay tangible personal-property taxes on their equipment, thanks to a $25,000 exemption.

If you own a second home:
The 10 percent cap will apply.

If you move here from out of state:
You will likely pay higher taxes than your neighbors because you don't have any accumulated savings from SOH.

In his weekly email Governor Crist said 'I know some are concerned that the tax-cut will reduce education funding. Last week I unveiled my education budget recommendation which will provide $138 million to fully fund any reductions to local education funding. I am committed to making sure schools will be held harmless."

Meanwhile a poll of likely primary voters was conducted Jan. 20-22 for The Miami Herald, the St. Petersburg Times and Bay News 9. showed that voter support for the property tax-cut amendment is still short of victory, but undecided voters, a weekend ad blitz by the governor, and a large turnout of Republicans could send it over the top.