What to vote about

From the Sun-Sentinel-

TALLAHASSEE · Voters will get a chance to revamp Florida's property tax structure Jan. 29, the same day as Florida's presidential primary, legislative leaders said Monday.

Republican lawmakers hailed the agreement as a sign they are inching toward a tax cut deal they hope to finish in a 10-day special legislative session that starts June 12.

By putting the tax cut issue on the same ballot that Democrats and Republicans will use to mark their party nominations for the presidential election, the state avoids the cost of having a special election just on property taxes. Some legislators also predicted that merging presidential politics with the property tax issue might encourage national candidates to take a stand on Florida's controversial tax topics.

Although legislators appear now to have settled on when voters would go to the polls on property taxes, they still don't know the particulars of what people would be asked to approve. They are haggling over how much home and business owners will save and how deeply to trim local government spending to provide the tax relief.

There will be seven months between the end of the special session and the vote in January. That is plenty of time for voters to inform themselves on the issue. Whatever the final plan may be.

That said, I'm still luke warm so far as property tax relief goes. I pay approximately $100 a month as is. My taxes have increased since moving to this house in 1998, but at a manageable level thanks to Florida's Save our Homes provision. If a property tax is passed, I see Florida taxpayers paying in other ways.(Increases in other taxes or less services) What good will come in the end?

Linked to- Bright & Early, The World According to Carl,