Some states have resorted to creating odd taxes as a way to increase revenue.  Gov. Charlie Crist has proposed an amendment to cut property taxes on today’s ballot.

How do you think the state should handle its financial crisis?

DanielaVelazquez - 29 January 2008 11:47 AM

Some states have resorted to creating odd taxes as a way to increase revenue.  Gov. Charlie Crist has proposed an amendment to cut property taxes on today’s ballot.

How do you think the state should handle its financial crisis?

Layoff those nonessiential government workers that were hired during the last couple years before the bubble burst.

"How do you think the state should handle its financial crisis?”

Wow that’s a very powerful and perhaps irresponsible statement right there.

Seems like some people are always over-the-top and insist on terrorizing people and spreading fear.
There is no “financial crisis” here… there will be a “ tightening the belt” and “budget reductions” forth coming.

Lets face it… the only thing anyone can prove is property taxes have nearly doubled for many people within the last 5 years.
And the state has collected a windfall in tax revenue because of it, now that windfall is going to be reduced, perhaps back down to its normal operating levels.

First thing the Media should be doing is having the State show everyone just where the increased revenue has gone to, instead they have there irresponsible friends in the media spreading their message of fear and terrorizing folks with words like “financial crisis”

Wild Bill Hiccup - 30 January 2008 08:15 PM

Lets face it… the only thing anyone can prove is property taxes have nearly doubled for many people within the last 5 years.

Show me someone’s homesteaded tax bill that has doubled in the last five years. 

You can’t do it.

You can show me some investment property with a tax bill increase close to double.  In which case I would point out the dangers of INVESTMENT, i.e., it’s not a sure thing.  Especially in a red hot real estate market.  If you don’t do your homework, don’t cry on my shoulder.  I’ve lost money in the stock market.  <shrug> I’ve also made money.

""How do you think the state should handle its financial crisis?”’

SH: Ending the policy of drug Prohibition would save Florida state, county and local governments between two to three B-illion dollars per year.

SteveInClearwater - 31 January 2008 05:47 AM

“"How do you think the state should handle its financial crisis?”’

SH: Ending the policy of drug Prohibition would save Florida state, county and local governments between two to three B-illion dollars per year.

Since we have been lucky to have all those homes now growing pot. Maybe we could starting selling to those medical marijuana Pharmacies in this nation and make some money instead of destroying it. It has got to be worth something? We do sell everything that is conficated.

I can’t believe I said that. What we say when we hate paying taxes especially when they are so unequal.

Bad Krusty - 31 January 2008 12:30 AM

Wild Bill Hiccup - 30 January 2008 08:15 PM

Lets face it… the only thing anyone can prove is property taxes have nearly doubled for many people within the last 5 years.

Show me someone’s homesteaded tax bill that has doubled in the last five years. 

You can’t do it.

No I can’t because I had never said anything about a “homestead tax bill” and I assume the reason that You did is that you find it much easier to answer your own questions when responding to anothers.

I am simply referencing a little known (to some) publication called “The Wall Street Journal”
(sorry to cloud your discussion with facts)

“Overall, though, the property-tax revenue of Florida’s city and county governments has been rising at a rate much faster than the state’s population, a trend that critics see as a sign of a bloated bureaucracy. In 2006, the state collected $30.5 billion in property taxes, almost double the level of 2000. Over the same period, the state’s population grew by about 13%.”...WSJ

online.wsj.com/article/SB118040150078616731.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

About 68% of Florida’s property tax revenue comes from new homeowners, business owners, real-estate investors, people with second homes and “snowbirds,” nonresidents who have vacation homes in the state. That’s not changing.

The remaining 1/3 are now getting a tax break, Big Deal, after the State having Doubled the property tax revenue over the last five years and reduced its growth rate.

So now the News Media is playing along and spreading fears of gloom & doom and a “financial crisis”, rather then doing investigative reporting or research, asking the State and Local Governments what they’ve done with the windfall revenue over the past five years. The State and Local Governments aren’t even being questioned, they just make up their press releases and hand them out to the News Media to go out and distract the public.

Classic Straw Man argument.

Post something vague, and then reference a article on a follow up to “show” how smart you are.

I’m gonna call bullshit, and you know it’s true. 

My bad for falling for it.

Wild Bill Hiccup - 31 January 2008 08:08 PM

So now the News Media is playing along and spreading fears of gloom & doom and a “financial crisis”, rather then doing investigative reporting or research, asking the State and Local Governments what they’ve done with the windfall revenue over the past five years. The State and Local Governments aren’t even being questioned, they just make up their press releases and hand them out to the News Media to go out and distract the public.

All budgets are openly published.  Workshops are routinely held on what is being spent on what.  The whole line about the secret spending is a load of crap, used to whip up a frenzy.

Go back to New York City.  Your dog won’t hunt here.

All budgets are openly published.  Workshops are routinely held on what is being spent on what.  The whole line about the secret spending is a load of crap, used to whip up a frenzy.

Here we go again… “secret spending” you either can not read or you’re just plain ignorant.
(you don’t have to be from New York to read The Wall Street Journal, just intelligent for the big words)

No where did I claim any “secret spending”

I’m talking about questioning what they did with the money… following up on departments and agencies that requested increases to see where and how it was actually used.

Of course all budgets are published but apparently the News Media hasn’t bothered reading them and tracking the spending to see that the money was properly used or abused, as they just keep wanting more.

As for you… I don’t need to waste my time responding to you anymore, stay happy in your own little ignorant world there, that way you can appear intelligent… at least to yourself, posting just proves otherwise.

Wild Bill Hiccup - 31 January 2008 09:19 PM

All budgets are openly published.  Workshops are routinely held on what is being spent on what.  The whole line about the secret spending is a load of crap, used to whip up a frenzy.

Here we go again… “secret spending” you either can not read or you’re just plain ignorant.
(you don’t have to be from New York to read The Wall Street Journal, just intelligent for the big words)

No where did I claim any “secret spending”

I’m talking about questioning what they did with the money… following up on departments and agencies that requested increases to see where and how it was actually used.

Of course all budgets are published but apparently the News Media hasn’t bothered reading them and tracking the spending to see that the money was properly used or abused, as they just keep wanting more.

As for you… I don’t need to waste my time responding to you anymore, stay happy in your own little ignorant world there, that way you can appear intelligent… at least to yourself, posting just proves otherwise.

<snicker> You are a attention whore, and you will always respond.  Either through this sock puppet or one of the many others you have here.  Keep telling yourself you are smarter than everyone else.  I mean, after all, isn’t that what a large vocabulary means????

Anyway, the question of what Florida is to do about it’s budget crunch is neither simple nor is it a local (that means county) problem.  It is a symptom of a national problem.  And while there are some actions that Florida can take to stimulate it’s economy, any and all actions have downsides to them, either in shifting one set of problems for another, or masking the original symptoms with something else.

Personally, I don’t think anything is going to get moving until the summer of 2009.  People are beat down, and 2008 is going to be a hunker down year, ride it out until after the elections.  By NEXT summer, people will start to spend a little more, and perhaps the housing glut will be reduced.

Provided of course, we don’t have any hurricanes make landfall.

jacque - 31 January 2008 07:45 AM

SteveInClearwater - 31 January 2008 05:47 AM

“"How do you think the state should handle its financial crisis?”’

SH: Ending the policy of drug Prohibition would save Florida state, county and local governments between two to three B-illion dollars per year.

Since we have been lucky to have all those homes now growing pot. Maybe we could starting selling to those medical marijuana Pharmacies in this nation and make some money instead of destroying it. It has got to be worth something? We do sell everything that is conficated.

I can’t believe I said that. What we say when we hate paying taxes especially when they are so unequal.

SH: In the states where cannabis is legal to grow for appropriate medical use, that’s exactly what citizens do - they grow indoors for better product and provide that product to patients.

In Florida and other states, indoor cannabis is destroyed.

SteveInClearwater - 02 February 2008 12:16 PM

jacque - 31 January 2008 07:45 AM

SteveInClearwater - 31 January 2008 05:47 AM

“"How do you think the state should handle its financial crisis?”’

SH: Ending the policy of drug Prohibition would save Florida state, county and local governments between two to three B-illion dollars per year.

Since we have been lucky to have all those homes now growing pot. Maybe we could starting selling to those medical marijuana Pharmacies in this nation and make some money instead of destroying it. It has got to be worth something? We do sell everything that is conficated.

I can’t believe I said that. What we say when we hate paying taxes especially when they are so unequal.

SH: In the states where cannabis is legal to grow for appropriate medical use, that’s exactly what citizens do - they grow indoors for better product and provide that product to patients.

In Florida and other states, indoor cannabis is destroyed.

Is there a contract I can bid on for this?  I could destroy up to a pound a week.  More if I have financial incentives.

DanielaVelazquez - 29 January 2008 11:47 AM

......
How do you think the state should handle its financial crisis?

The answer is very obvious and easy.  Cut spending.  Eliminate not reduce government programs. Allow hospitals to refuse treatment for illegal aliens.  Require schools to require proof of residency and citizenship.  Make government smaller across the board.

Great example of govt. waste is Weeki Wachee Springs Water Park, the state is looking at buying it. I’m sorry if it doesn’t make enough money on it’s own to support itself as a private enterprise then it should fold. There is no reason that government should buy it and make the state employees of mermaids by forcing tax payers of the state to support a 60 year old side show. Yes it has historic value but not enough to force me to help pay for it under threat of losing my home.  If the people of this state felt it was worth saving they would buy tickets and donate money, they don’t. Obviously the people of the state have spoken, and don’t feel that it is worth their money to save and preserve Weeki Wachee Springs Water Park, but because some people feel it’s worth saving doesn’t give them the right to use the government to forcethe rest of us to support a old side show.  Why should the citizens of Miami or Key West be forced (through taxes) to support Weeki Wachee Springs, or pay for healt care to illegal aliens, or any of dozens of government programs that are basically forced charity.

The Intangibles Tax needs to be re-instituted.  It only taxed the Rich and the Corporations so it was a priority that Bush and the Republicans want to get rid of it.  We are short by the amount of money that tax was bringing in.  Are the Corporations and the Rich happy about this tax break??  No - they want more.

DanielaVelazquez - 29 January 2008 11:47 AM

Some states have resorted to creating odd taxes as a way to increase revenue.  Gov. Charlie Crist has proposed an amendment to cut property taxes on today’s ballot.

How do you think the state should handle its financial crisis?

Make government on the local and state level accountable for every penny it spends.  There is tremendous waste, I’m sure, of our tax dollars on the state and local level.  Just as we know there is on the national level.

I also think that tourism dollars could be impacted more.  People don’t seem to mind forking over more money when it comes to a vacation in Florida.