Please let me know if you can help collect signatures. We will be organized at polling places in your area and will provide you with the petitions, signs, and other materials you would need. This is an incredibly important opportunity to work for REAL reform in Florida.
If you can help, please visit www.saveourhomesforever.com/petition.htm and sign up as a Petition Gatherer. Someone will follow up with you shortly after you sign up.
Today is a great day for Florida’s homeowners. The great Florida Legislature has given the people the opportunity to create a historic $12 billion property-tax cut. This tax relief is in addition to the $15 billion tax cut passed earlier this summer. Together, they add up to $27 billion in property-tax cuts over five years. I believe Florida’s homeowners will agree – that’s good news for Floridians.
Lt. Governor Kottkamp and I visited today with homeowners who will benefit from this additional property tax relief. In Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Orlando and Port St. Lucie, we heard how people have felt locked in their homes because of skyrocketing property taxes. This is the same message I have heard as I travel throughout the state.
All over this state, retirees and “empty nesters” have been reluctant to buy smaller homes. Growing families have held back on buying bigger homes. People have lost the freedom to make the most basic choices about their lives because of high property taxes. Now, with this tax cut, if you want to move to another home, you will be able to take your tax savings with you. The transfer, or portability, of Save Our Homes will cut the assessed value of your new homestead – in many cases, by about half, depending on how long you have lived in your current home.
In addition to helping homeowners who want to move, others will benefit, too. Doubling the homestead exemption will help everyone. Businesses will receive a new $25,000 exemption for tangible personal property, which will create an even better bottom line for our state. People who own second homes will be able to better predict property-tax costs because their property taxes will never increase by more than 10 percent.
The tax-cut package put together by the Legislature is a good one that will help jump start Florida’s housing market and make Florida even more business friendly. Their work ensures that you – the people of Florida – will have the opportunity to lower property taxes even more. You have the opportunity to vote three months from today – on January 29th 2008. Now, the choice is up to you.
Usually when we hold a signing ceremony, a bill becomes law. However, the legislation I signed today is different. Instead of creating a law, it gives you the choice to cut property taxes. I congratulate the Legislature for their bold leadership and determination to pass property-tax cuts. But what they have done represents only the first step. The power to cut property taxes is now in your hands. Today is a great day for you, people of Florida – our bosses, but your approval of additional tax cuts could make January 29th an even better day.
May God bless you and the great state of Florida,
Charlie Crist
Special Message From Governor Charlie Crist 10-30-2007about Florida Property Taxes !