HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-174RESOLUTION NO. 04-174
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING A PROPOSED
CONSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVE PETITION TO INCREASE
THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION BY $25,000; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
W~EREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie
County, Florida, has made the following determinations:
1. There is a proposed constitutional amendment by the group
"Families for Lower Property Taxes"
attached hereto as Appendix A) that
Homestead Exemption to $50,000.00.
(the "Amendment") (copy
proposes to increase the
homeowners a property tax savings of $500.00
pass.
3.
The proponents of this Amendment have promised all Florida
should this amendment
The Amendment will result in a $1.9 billion shift in the
property tax burden to businesses, rental property, second homes,
and agricultural properties.
4. Certain homestead properties will also experience an
increase in taxes rather than a decrease because of the shift in
burden.
5. The Amendment, if enacted, will potentially force at least
28 counties to the constitutional ten mill cap.
6. The Amendment will impact Florida's rural counties
significantly, many of which have little or no capacity to replace
any lost revenues.
7. The 15 counties currently at the constitutional ten mill
cap will lose a minimum of $11.8 million in operating dollars with
no local ability to replace lost revenues and most likely will
result in putting these counties in positions of financial
emergency.
8. The Amendment will impact voted debt levies, placing at
risk current pledges of property tax revenues to meet debt service
for such voter approved issues as environmentally sensitive land
purchases.
9. Florida's counties are constitutionally and statutorily
charged with funding and providing an array of services for
Florida's taxpayers and visitors to the state, including but not
limited to, law enforcement, courts, elections, public health,
emergency medical services, transportation improvements, and land
use planning.
10. Local ability to fund and provide some or all of these
services will be adversely impacted by the amendment.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County
Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida:
1. This Board does hereby declare its opposition to the
Families for Lower Property Taxes Amendment increasing the
Homestead Exemption.
2. The County Administrator is hereby directed to forward a
copy of this resolution to Mary Kay Cariseo, Executive Director,
Florida Association of Counties, 100 South Monroe Street,
Tallahassee, Florida 32301.
After motion and second the vote on this resolution was as
follows:
Chairman Paula A. Lewis AYE
Vice Chairman John D. Bruhn AYE
Commissioner Frannie Hutchinson AYE
Commissioner Cliff Barnes AYE
Commissioner Doug Coward AYE
PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED this 22nd day of June, 2004.
ATTEST: '~$~~.~"~:1,,..~ BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FO~ ~
CORRECTNESS:
APPENDIX A
Text of Proposed Amendment
Reference:
Article VII, Section 6
Ballot Title:
Additional Homestead Tax Exemption
Ballot Summary:
This amendment provides property tax relief to Florida home owners
by increasing the homestead exemption on property assessments by an
additional $25,000.00.
FULL TEXT OF PROPOSED AMENDMENT:
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA THAT:
ARTICLE VII Section 6 of the Florida Constitution is hereby amended
to add the following paragraph (g).
(g) By general law and subject to conditions specified
therein, effective for assessments for 2005 and each year
thereafter, an additional homestead exemption of twenty-five
thousand dollars shall be granted to any person who has the legal
or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the
permanent residence of the owner.