Northpinellas: Today's Letters: Super homestead will give us a shot

I read your article about the impact if the voters pass the "super homestead exemption" in January.

I am 55 years old and I retired last year from teaching. My husband is a paint contractor. My property taxes last year were $12,000, my homeowners insurance (I don't need flood) was $4,000 and our health insurance premiums were $14,000 with a $2,500 deductible. This is a grand total of $32,500!

Which is more important, giving people a fighting chance to actually stay in their homes and have decent health insurance, or having free parks, free libraries and other recreational facilities?

The only thing government should be concerned with at this time is that people can afford to live in their own homes.

Also, people cannot afford to move out of their homes because of the Save Our Homes cap. We moved from a very expensive home to a less expensive home, however our taxes went up $4,000 a year. Because of this, people are not moving, therefore no one is building any homes and this is hurting everyone.

I have also felt that it is necessary to have user fees. To use the parks, why not charge $5 a carload? If you use the libraries, pay a $25 yearly fee. I am all for raising the sales tax 1 or 2 percent, as this allows all the people who do not own a home to share in the costs of schools, fire, police, roads, etc.

The super homestead exemption will not solve all of our problems, however, it will help us stay in our homes.

Cut property taxes by one-half for all property owners and small businesses. Then increase the sales tax by 2 cents. That ought to generate significant income to more than offset the decreased property tax.

Eliminate these current disjunctive propositions and offer a plain and simple solution. Let's get this on the ballot and let the people of Florida decide.

Richard Hunter's threat of selling his condo merely created great joy for local government personnel. If he sells at the tax appraisal value, the buyer will pay even more taxes than he now does.

The only way Mr. Hunter could help to lower taxes is to sell at the value he purchased the property for. If enough people would do just that, property taxes would go down.

Share your thoughts on this story

Read our guidelines for comments

Comments on this article

by John	09/05/07 02:06 PM
Some of you people are so mis-informed on the Super Amendment. It's a good first start to limit the out of control spending of local government. I'm voting YES. (Save Our Homes will still be your choice homeowners)

by J.G.	09/05/07 02:02 PM
Connie, techically that is not true. Renters do not actually pay any property taxes. If Prop. taxes go up, landlord may not be able to pass all the prop. tax to the renter if any at all.

by Bill	09/04/07 08:18 PM
Do not trust the legislature to maintain the super exemption. They can revoke it at any time. What is needed is to eliminate sales tax exemptions and also tax SERVICES . This alone will solve the budget crisis with NO increase in sales tax rate.

by Jenn	09/04/07 06:51 PM
The only way to force local government to live within their means is to choke off the funding. I fully support the state Legislature passing more laws to limit local government's crazy spending. Let's get the sales tax proposal on the ballot.

by John	09/04/07 06:48 PM
Enough of this B.S. from government. Speaker Marco Rubio's proposal to eliminate property taxes for 2.5% more in sales tax is the best solution. Everybody needs to pay for services including tourists, renters, homeowners, even drug dealers.

by Scott	09/04/07 06:32 PM
Some you guys sure make me laugh. First off, if the retired school teacher can no longer afford her almost million dollar home, then sell it.Geez, how hard is that!And just which city budget grew x4 in the last several years?Simply hilarious!!!

by Mark	09/04/07 05:46 PM
At the local level, there are several budget hearings before the budget is adopted. That budget is then published and available for anyone to inspect. The problem with taxes doesn't lie with the government, but with the citizens.

by Connie	09/04/07 03:35 PM
Re Barbara's comment, those of us "people who do not own a home" do also pay for public services through our rent!

by Carol	09/04/07 02:51 PM
Barbara Lueth and George White hit the nail on the head. Renters need to pay their fair share too. We also need some serious accountability with respect to government spending of our tax dollars.

by John	09/04/07 02:46 PM
Property Tax has nothing to do with health insurance. Typical Retiree looking for a socialist solution at the expense of the quality of life for families. Move to TN if you want nothing for nothing.

by Jennifer	09/04/07 01:44 PM
Amen David! We should have an enormous surplus from the last few years. Where is it? Who has it? The only thing I know is there's no chance we'll ever see the answers. Whatever happened to raising the homestead by $25k? Now they want no SOH. Great!

by John B	09/04/07 01:36 PM
Of course the Super Exemption allows politicians to raise taxes as much as they like provided they have "super-majority" approval. Given their gluttony to date who thinks that won't happen every year? Super Exemption offers no protection at all.

by Kitty	09/04/07 01:29 PM
Ms. Lueth, if you can't afford the taxes, you really couldn't afford to purchase the home. It's YOUR responsibility to know how much your taxes will be prior to making your purchase. That you didn't elicits NO sympathy.

by Lauren	09/04/07 01:24 PM
Has no one thought that the incentivizing people to stay in their homes instead of moving might be a good thing? Stability in a neighborhood is something to be desired. Folks who are legitimately downsizing should be given a portable SOH cap.

by Chris	09/04/07 10:13 AM
Tom - The difference is the super homestead has concrete figures and not wishful thinking like insurance. The present "reduced" property tax is just a start and was never supposed to make a huge dent, just help somewhat. Vote YES for the super hmst

by JT	09/04/07 09:31 AM
Scrap property tax. The government has no business being a landlord over us all. Increase the sales tax on goods and SERVICES. Let the people make the decision about how much GOVT they can afford. Then GOVT can take what is given them and prioritize.

by Kathy	09/04/07 09:18 AM
I am wondering why the St. Pete. Times is burrying letters from our Govenor, Charlie Crist and Persident of the Senate Ken Pruitt on the inside pages. These letters need to be front and center--media control? You bet!

by Bland	09/04/07 09:14 AM
Its interesting that the idea of the elimination of property tax for increased sales tax keeps coming up. Yet the Times was against this idea but supported the Penny for Pinellas. A good deal for the taxpayer has little support from the Times.

by Jason A.	09/04/07 08:57 AM
You want to stimulate the Housing market, LOWER INSURANCE RATES AND MAKE SAVE OUR HOMES TRANSFERRABLE!!!!

by Martin	09/04/07 08:36 AM
David. The books ARE open. County and municipal budgets are published and easily available. If you're going to be an advocate, at least be an informed advocate.

by David	09/04/07 08:25 AM
You are missing the real question here,WHERE IS ALL THE MONEY THAT WAS COLLECTED DURING TIMES OF HIGH TAXES!DID YOUR CITY SERVICES REALLY INCREASE X4%.Will somebody make local Gov. account for where they spent all that taxpayers money.Open the books!

by Josephine	09/04/07 08:23 AM
Hey, Tax Guy: That figure is just on paper: Who thinks she can get $850,000.00 for her home?

by Leo	09/04/07 08:22 AM
Hey, Mr. White: Run for office. You have a great idea. Unfortunately, no politician in Pinellas County has the brains to know what you are saying.

by Thomas	09/04/07 08:20 AM
Barbara Lueth: You are RIGHT ON. Your argument is so logical it could not possible be implemented by a narrow minded politician. You should run for office.

by Dee	09/04/07 08:20 AM
I don't know what all the fuss on raising the sales tax is all about. Many are moving to TN because of the low taxes and no state income tax BUT the sales tax in most counties is 9.25%. If it works in TN why will it not work here?

by Larry	09/04/07 08:13 AM
A property tax decrease of 1% is an insult. Time for a constitutional amendment to eliminate property taxes altogether.

by Tax Guy	09/04/07 07:22 AM
Ms. Lueth - you live in a $850,000 home. That is why you pay $12,000 in property taxes. This year you will save $3,600 in property taxes with the Super Exemption. After 12 years you won't be saving anything.

by Tom	09/04/07 07:21 AM
If the super homestead works anything like our "cost saving" home owner's insurance and our present "reduced" property tax, watch out.