Over the next two weeks Gov. Rick Scott will campaign across the state on a pledge to cut $1 billion in taxes over the next two years.
Taxes
Tag Fees Drop Monday and Gov. Scott
Florida Draws 50 Million Visitors in First 6 Months of the Year, Boosting Tax Revenue
Visitors spent $35.7 billion from January to May this year, up 7.4 percent from the same period in 2013, according to Visit Florida. That translates into increased sales-tax revenue for the state.
Court Authorizes Higher Ambulance Fee For Out-of-State Visitors, Opening Revenue Door
Rejecting arguments that the policy is unconstitutional, a state appeals court said Wednesday that the city of Miami can charge an extra $100 when its rescue crews transport non-residents to hospitals for emergency care.
Palm Coast, Flagler and School Tax Bills To Increase About 5% as County and District Set Tentative Rates
For a $175,000 house with a homestead tax exemption of $50,000, the typical tax bill will be $2,574, a saving of $2 from the current rate, when Palm Coast, Flagler, School Board and water management district taxes are combined, before accounting for higher property values of about 5 percent. Totals will be higher in Flagler Beach and Bunnell.
How U.S. Taxpayers Are Subsidizing Defense of Alleged Revenge Killers of Palestinian Teen
The tax-exempt donations do not appear to run afoul of U.S. law. But they do put U.S. taxpayers in the position of subsidizing aid to Israelis convicted of politically motivated violence.
Palm Coast Taxes Will Remain Flat This Year As City Projects “Stale and Boring” Budget
The typical Palm Coast property owner will pay roughly $534 for the year, about the same as this year and possibly a few dollars less, as the Palm Coast City Council prepares to adopt a caretaker budget.
Florida Lottery Spikes to Record $5.3 Billion in Sales; Only $1.4 Billion to Education
The Florida Lottery’s increased revenues stems largely from continued growth in scratch-off ticket sales, which range in price from $1 to $25 and are now available at more than 13,000 locations throughout the state.
That 1.3% Hurricane Charge on Your Property and Auto Insurance Is Ending 18 Months Early
Collected to help pay claims from the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, an extra charge on homeowners- and auto-insurance policies will be removed 18 months earlier than previously expected.
Don’t Mind a Gap This Year: Flagler County’s Budget Prospects Brighten With Talk of Tax Cut
Countywide property values are expected to rise 5 percent this year and bring in an additional $2.3 million at today’s tax rates, reducing pressures on the budget and allowing the county commission to consider tax cuts and the expansion of services, including the addition of three firefighters.
From a New Branch Library to a West Side Fire Station, Flagler Commissioners Weigh Sales Tax-Funded Projects
Most of the $2-million-a-year sales tax revenue the county commission voted in almost two years ago is spoken for–a new jail, a new sheriff’s HQ–but a few million dollars remain spendable. The administration is proposing a long wish list that commissioners will now rank.