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Florida Legislature 2005 (click for ongoing coverage)

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Bush says tax remarks line up with '94 pledge

By STEVE BOUSQUET and MICHAEL VAN SICKLER
Published April 15, 2005

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush's support for raising local taxes to deal with Florida's exploding growth seems to put him at odds with a previous pledge he made.

He strongly disagrees.

The governor's push for local tax increases without voter approval is not the same as supporting higher taxes, Bush spokeswoman Alia Faraj said Thursday.

"He has said very clearly he will never raise state taxes," Faraj said. "He's offering flexibility to local governments to address taxes that already exist."

Citing $5.3-billion in tax sources local governments could tap, Bush urged legislators to lift a longstanding requirement that voters approve them.

Some legislators are wary, viewing it as a back-door tax increase. Some county commissioners say the state is trying to force them to increase taxes. Bush also is advocating a referendum in November to ask voters to approve borrowing all but $1-billion of $9.5-billion for roads.

Faraj said Bush was upset that the St. Petersburg Times reported Wednesday that his new position breaks a 1994 campaign pledge that voters should have "the right to approve all tax increases."

When Bush rolled out his growth management plan Wednesday, he emphasized that he opposes state tax increases. But his support for dropping voter approval of new local sales and gasoline taxes for schools and water system projects caused a major stir in the state House.

"I'm not sure I can get that through the House or not, because I have a lot of very conservative members," said Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City.

He cited as one example House Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, who works to round up votes to advance the GOP agenda. Gardiner said Thursday: "I'm very comfortable with the referendum. You're allowing voters to control their own destiny."

Without the local tax component, Bush's plan for paying for Florida's growth deficit could be in political trouble. But his proposal drew more criticism Thursday from Hillsborough commissioners, who refused to put a sales tax increase before voters in 2003.

"I go back to what the governor said in 1994: You keep the voters engaged, you don't go around them, and having commissioners approve a local options tax without a referendum goes around them," said Republican Commissioner Mark Sharpe. "I'd be reluctant to change the process. There's no question we have unmet needs, but to do this we need state, local and federal money. It can't just be local."

Commissioner Kathy Castor, a Democrat who is running for the congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Jim Davis, said: "I'm surprised Gov. Bush is pushing a local government property tax increase. What we need to have happen is for development and growth to pay their fair share. This bill is asking long-term residents to subsidize new growth, and they don't get much benefit from that."

Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, called Bush's plan "a great first step." He said the state's growth-related deficiencies are so enormous that it's impossible to catch up without embarking on an aggressive borrowing program.

[Last modified April 15, 2005, 00:48:13]