TaxWatch: Florida could see annual $700 million tax hike if Amendment 2 fails
Real estate brokers also are worried about the potential effects.
Rent costs are already high. So is the demand for rental properties for which pickings are slim, said
"If they remove that cap that means taxes are going to go up, and if taxes go up, rents have to go up," Aparo-Griffin, also a landlord, said. "There's no benefit to the renter, there's no benefit to the investor who's trying to make a living."
Passing the amendment would maintain the current non-homestead exemption cap, which ensures the annual assessment doesn't increase by more than 10 percent. Voters first approved the cap and other provisions in 2008 with an expiration date of
The initiative to extend it permanently was placed on the ballot by the Legislature earlier this year.
At least a few groups, including the
Foes fear revenue loss
"Unfortunately, they usually look to education for funds," Brigham said. "We just can never predict what the economy is going to do, and that's another reason we don't believe in putting these types of things into the
Another opponent,
"We're at or near the bottom of just about everything when it comes to funding," Templin said. "Amendment 2 takes
For similar reasons, Templin said he and others are planning to also fight Amendment 1, which provides an additional
But supporters of Amendment 2 including
Even if the proposal doesn't make total sense to voters, they might still vote no out of caution, because of a "when in doubt, keep it out" mindset, Calabro said.
'Taxed to death'
If the cap is repealed, non-homestead property would be assessed at just value, which could lead to business costs increasing and disposable income decreasing, Calabro said.
"Prior to the non-homestead cap, nearly three out of four non-homestead properties in
The
"I have people who are selling their rentals because they're tired of being taxed to death," Aparo-Griffin said.
After staying with Bahena's family for a couple of months earlier this year, the couple finally found a home in April -- just in time for the birth of their daughter on
While it'll be their place for the next year, the couple, who also have Ulrich's 9-year-old son
"We're a family that normally has both incomes, so I can't imagine single parents trying to raise a couple of kids," Ulrich said.
"We're grateful that we're here and that we have a roof over our heads," Bahena, who plans on voting to keep the cap, said.
"I almost lived in this basement apartment with six-foot ceilings," Wade, 23, said. "It was just awful."
"With 13 constitutional amendments on the ballot, voter fatigue is certainly a concern of ours,"
Volusia County Property Appraiser
"There's a reason the 10 percent cap was put in place in the first place," Bartlett said. "And that was to make sure that all of the tax burden wasn't shifted from homestead property to non-homestead property."
Bartlett is also worried about voters understanding the proposal.
"Voting no doesn't maintain the status quo as far as Amendment 2 is concerned," Bartlett said. "Voting yes maintains the status quo."
-- Staff Writer
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