Proposed Florida Tax Changes Slammed as Unfair

On Feb 1, a proposal to cut property taxes and possibly raise sales taxes passed Florida’s House Ways and Means Committee. While some property owners were happy about potentially paying no property tax, many worried that measures to make up the subsequent budget shortfall would be unfair.

The proposal in question

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According to the bill, the removal of property taxes would be offset “with the establishment of a consumption tax,” otherwise known as a sales tax.

Gaining support

The bill was introduced by Republican state Representative Ryan Chamberlin, and on Feb 1 passed the House Ways and Means Committee by 15 votes to 6. “The truth is,” Chamberlin acknowledged, “there will be another tax to replace this property tax.”

Raising questions

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“So by eliminating the property tax which all municipalities count on,” Democratic state Representative Joe Casello asked, “we could possibly have, would you say, one of the highest sales taxes in the nation to compensate for that loss?”

Current situation

The current effective property tax in Florida is 0.8 percent, lower than the national average. The sales tax is 6 percent.

Figuring it out

The state has been requested to perform a study to determine how much money would be lost by eliminating property tax, and how to make up for it.

Bad idea

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“This proposal is a poorly thought out idea by a state legislative body that has shifted way too far to the right,” one Fort Lauderdale resident told Newsweek. It “seems to only favor the financially well off with total disregard for those who are less fortunate.”

Totally unfair

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“I think it is extremely unfair for residents that do not own a home to have to pay a high sales tax for people that own a house to save money,” another Florida resident said.

Punching down

“This has got to be one of the stupidest ideas they have come up with,” a homeowner in Port St. Lucie said. “It is an attack on the low-income and middle class and a win for the rich.”

Ridiculous framing

Chamberlin drew criticism for comparing paying property tax to slavery. “I pay $3,400 a year in property taxes,” the Fort Lauderdale resident explained, “and I do so with the acknowledgment that these taxes are used to pay for county/city/school district services that everyone benefits from, and I see it as a relatively small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.”

Struggling to survive

“We have already been hit hard with the cost of groceries and everything else being so high,” one resident said. “I cannot afford to eat healthy food as it is. I live with my son and, in the last four years, he is now paying $500 a month more in rent than when we moved in.”

Who really benefits

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“Property taxes are one of the few taxes wealthy people have to pay,” the homeowner in Port St. Lucie explained. “The people who come down seasonally will not be carrying the consumption tax. It will be the year-round residents.”