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Flagler, Florida and Beyond
FlaglerLive | September 22, 2011
The county commission adopts the 2012 budget for good Thursday evening, essentially cutting taxes modestly even as the tax rate will rise to a 12-year high, despite home values continuing to fall at nation-leading rates.
FlaglerLive | September 8, 2011
Only one person, a tea party representative, addressed the Flagler County Commission as it adopted, in the first of two votes, a $65.3 million budget and a 12 percent increase in its tax rate, though most property owners will pay less in taxes.
FlaglerLive | September 7, 2011
Though Flagler Beach’s tax rate is again increasing, most property owners will see their tax bills decrease. For Acting City Manager Bruce Campbell, budget season closes a crucial part of his on-going job interview.
FlaglerLive | August 30, 2011
The bottled-water tax in Florida would pay for repairing environmental damage from trashed plastic. The water industry is opposing Ormond Beach Sen. Evelyn Lynn’s proposal.
FlaglerLive | August 21, 2011
Answers to recurring questions of the day: what’s the state of the economy, are Americans really as overtaxed as they think they are, and what has the 2009 economic stimulus accomplished–or not?
FlaglerLive | August 17, 2011
As the Obama administration seeks to double average fuel efficiency by 2025, State and local government revenue dependent on gas taxes will see big declines in revenue that pays for roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
FlaglerLive | August 14, 2011
The last time the nation faced war debts Franklin Roosevelt didn’t hesitate to raise taxes and show up Republicans who stood in the way of fiscal responsibility, argues Sam Pizzigati.
FlaglerLive | August 14, 2011
Federal income tax rates by year: the full history of marginal tax rates in the United States going back to 1913 in an easy-to-read format.
FlaglerLive | August 10, 2011
Florida’s Tax Free Days, or sales tax holiday, is scheduled this year for August 12 through August 14. The sales tax exemption applies to clothing and school supplies. A complete guide.
FlaglerLive | August 9, 2011
Most city services and jobs are protected in a proposed budget that will raise taxes enough to bring in almost as much revenue next year as it did this year, with shifts in sales tax dollars to subsidize the general revenue fund.
FlaglerLive | August 3, 2011
The Palm Coast city administration now says that it never had $10 million to build a city hall. The copious record on the matter says otherwise, raising questions about the city’s numbers and verbal shell games.
FlaglerLive | July 26, 2011
Palm Coast City Council members are trying desperately to hold the line on property tax increases, but will likely not succeed entirely. The final tax rate will still not translate into a tax increase for most.
FlaglerLive | July 25, 2011
Flagler County’s tax rate is going up for the fourth year in a row to make up for collapsing valuations, but the rise will still not translate into a tax increase for most. The contrary may be true.
FlaglerLive | July 21, 2011
Bunnell City Commissioner Elbert Tucker proposed reducing the police department’s ranks to cut back its $1 million burden on a $4 million general fund budget. The rest of the commission smacked him down.
FlaglerLive | July 19, 2011
Contrasting with public perceptions that taxes are going up, a typical house may see a $150 drop from school taxes alone next year, giving Palm Coast and the county more room to maneuver for higher tax rates.
FlaglerLive | July 17, 2011
The debt limit debate could have some catastrophic consequences for the economy, writes Kyle Russell, but politicians aren’t telling the whole story, and the fix isn’t nearly as bad as it may sound.
FlaglerLive | July 12, 2011
The tax bill on a $200,000 house will be $50, down from $62, but the district is laying off employees and reducing conservation, management and partnership projects in line with a new law approved by Gov. Rick Scott.
FlaglerLive | July 12, 2011
The Palm Coast City Council clearly favored more cuts in services than tax increases during its first serious budget discussion of the year Monday, with the city’s fire department appearing to be the likeliest target.
FlaglerLive | July 6, 2011
Bunnell entered this year’s budget season facing a $900,000 deficit (about the cost of its police department) and the potential loss of a $1.3 million state contract, among other steep challenges.
FlaglerLive | June 28, 2011
The still-rising costs don’t help the county’s budget, which is acing a $5.5 million revenue loss from dropping property values. Gov. Scott could have minimized the impact, but he refused to ask for a federal emergency declaration, though previous, lesser fires had gotten such a declaration.
FlaglerLive | June 28, 2011
A tea party throng of close to 100 people jammed a county commission budget workshop Monday, cheering a promise that any tax increase would result in commissioners being voted out. The math on display was less reliable.
FlaglerLive | June 21, 2011
The class-action lawsuit is filed on behalf of 556,296 public employees, including state workers, teachers and police officers. It echoes frustrations that led the Flagler County School Board to talk lawsuit last week.
FlaglerLive | June 1, 2011
The case is of interest to Flagler, whose Tourist Development Council has been aggressively pursuing avenues, including a lawsuit of its own, to compel online companies to pay their fair share of sales and bed taxes.
FlaglerLive | May 25, 2011
Flagler Beach has raised taxes for three successive years to make up for falling revenue from collapsing property values. It has a relatively large $3 million reserve, which it will likely use in combination with another tax hike to balance next year’s budget.
FlaglerLive | May 23, 2011
County commissioners are unlikely to elicit sympathy from taxpayers—or from employees facing a 3 percent pay cut from new retirement-contribution requirements, and a third year without raises.
FlaglerLive | May 12, 2011
What you can expect at Friday’s economic-development summit: Demands for more tax dollars, speculative promises of thousands of jobs from executives, skepticism and disconnects. In short, a retread of old scenarios.
FlaglerLive | May 10, 2011
Palm Coast lost $3 million in revenue last year by refusing to raise taxes. It’s about to lose close to $2 million more. The administration and the council are preparing taxpayers for a tax increase–or crippling cuts.
FlaglerLive | May 5, 2011
The declines, for the fourth year in a row, will define to what extent local governments must either raise taxes or cut services as they prepare next year’s budgets. Governments have little room to cut anymore, short of vitals services.
FlaglerLive | May 2, 2011
First-time home buyers would get a 50 percent property tax break on the value of their home. Voters would decide whether to cap property tax assessment increases for commercial properties at 5 percent.
FlaglerLive | April 20, 2011
Supporters of the overhaul say it’ll fill up empty homes. Critics say it’ll also slash local government revenue and further shift the tax burden to current residents, exacerbating inequities.
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