It has been clear for many years that the tax system in Florida is broken and in need of repair.  It is unfortunate then, that the state Republican party head Jim Greer politicizes the current homestead property tax debate in his recent My View article with vagaries and hot-button rhetoric.  The tax reform crisis represents a watershed moment in Florida history, and deserves deliberation of a much more substantive nature than the partisan platitudes Mr. Greer offers.

Surely homesteaded property owners have realized the benefit of Save Our Homes over the past years. With the tax reductions approved by the Leon County Board this year and the proposed reductions for next year, the tax rate will have been reduced by 16 percent.  In terms of actual dollars, a homesteaded property owner in Leon County will pay the same or less in property taxes next year then they did in the year 2000!  Nevertheless, it is clear that property owners bear an unfair share of the tax burden in Florida, making home ownership more difficult -- both to attain and to maintain as an investment.

This unfair burden is due to the mounting cost shifts from the state to local governments in almost every aspect of public service, and is exacerbated by the numerous loopholes permitted under our state's sales tax system. I'm sure I don't need to catalog the gratuitous exemptions for such things luxury yachts and stadium sky boxes which our current tax structure allows. Needless to say then, that the billions in tax giveaways under our current sales tax structure, combined with monumental cost shifts from the state to local government, place increasing pressure on business owners, real estate markets, and most pointedly, on home ownership.

There is no doubt that property taxes are too high and that our system of taxation is unfair.  HOWEVER, the proposed constitutional amendment, while providing some relief to homesteaded property owners, does not address the core inequities inherent in the current system. If passed, the January referendum would create further inequities between homestead and non-homestead property owners and would, over time, cause an even larger portion of the tax burden to be borne by businesses and renters -- both in our community and statewide.  So while recognizing that Florida citizens need property tax relief, even the most pugilistic partisan should recognize that major statewide changes to Floridas property tax system should first be considered by the Republican-appointed and led Taxation and Budget Reform Commission -- not rushed to voters as a special election ballot.

The Tax and Budget Reform Commission was established by Florida voters to conduct a comprehensive review of our state's tax and budget policies.  The special election on property tax "reform" has preempted the work of this commission. It is nothing more than a distraction -- a political maneuver designed to "end around" the voter-approved Taxation and Budget Reform Commission that is just beginning its work. Led my much more objective, non-partisan Republicans like the distinguished former Senate President John McKay, this serious, deliberative body actually has to crunch the numbers, and wont be able to regurgitate the kind of political rhetoric that comes so easily for orthodox partisans like the state GOP chair.
The issue isn't if property tax reform is needed. That need is clear. Rather, it is how the problem should be solved that remains to be addressed -- a problem the January 29 referendum not only fails to resolve but would, if passed, actually exacerbate. So while more and more governmental responsibilities are shifted to local governments -- and cities, counties and school districts are forced to cut services and raise fees -- the inequities in our tax system, pass or fail, will remain.

For these reasons I hope the public will see through the political smoke screen put up by the political partisans of all stripes, and reject the politically-motivated tax "reform" referendum.  Lets take a breath, calm down the rhetoric, and let the objective, deliberate and rational Taxation and Budget Reform Commission do its work.