People who spend your money are trying mightily to convince you not to withhold any more from them, but it appears that many of you are not listening.
It is possible that these inattentive souls will vote in favor of increasing the homestead property tax exemption and thereby decreasing the property tax revenue local government receives.
This could have all sorts of terrible results – they say.
Buildings could burn and criminals could get away – they say.
Cities could crumble for lack of infrastructure – they say.
All of this has been said before. It didn’t happen then and the prospects of it happening this time seem slim.
In 1980 voters decided to put the brakes on spending and did exactly what the proposal in November would do – increase the homestead exemption by a factor of five.
The end did not come.
In fact, according to Florida TaxWatch the growth in property taxes from 2015 to 2025 was 30 percent – and that’s AFTER accounting for inflation and population growth.
The proposed tax relief from Amendment 3 would be phased in, if approved. It would have no effect on the budget the City Council will approve this month.
Furthermore, our clever politicians in City Haul have been squirreling away money in reserve funds, just in case the voters get stingy.
There is enough ($396 million) to cover what the estimated difference in tax revenue would be two years hence, so the cries of doom and destruction seem a bit overblown.
Beyond that, the impact grows as the exemption grows to $250,000. But, as our city leaders keep reminding us, Jacksonville is a boomtown, and the growth should keep money pouring into the city’s coffers without pummeling current property owners.
The whole idea of the property tax is questionable anyway. It should be a flat amount. Instead it is progressive. The more expensive your home, the more you pay.
But it is supposed to pay for city services. It doesn’t cost any more to send a cop to one house than it does another. Unless they are going to charge you individually based on mileage and time taking a report, the cost should be the same.
By the same token, why should one homeowner pay ten times as much for his share of building a road?
In truth, the property tax is used because it is easy and convenient for the government.
It would be refreshing if politicians would work a little harder, by taking a look at billions of dollars in planned expenses. The silly Skyway Express and driverless bus projects already are being shut down. Now why not look at the Emerald Trail and the septic tank replacement plans? Even if needed (doubtful) they can be stretched out over a longer period.
There is no need to start cutting the most necessary services, such as police and fire. No homeowner seeking to trim his budget would start by paying only half his mortgage each month.
When you go to the polls, vote as you wish but don’t vote because you think the result will be the end of the world as we know it.
