• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
MENUMENU
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • FlaglerLive Board of Directors
    • Comment Policy
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Values
    • Privacy Policy
  • Live Calendar
  • Submit Obituary
  • Submit an Event
  • Support FlaglerLive
  • Advertise on FlaglerLive (386) 503-3808
  • Search Results

FlaglerLive

No Bull, no Fluff, No Smudges

MENUMENU
  • Flagler
    • Flagler County Commission
    • Beverly Beach
    • Economic Development Council
    • Flagler History
    • Mondex/Daytona North
    • The Hammock
    • Tourist Development Council
  • Palm Coast
    • Palm Coast City Council
    • Palm Coast Crime
  • Bunnell
    • Bunnell City Commission
    • Bunnell Crime
  • Flagler Beach
    • Flagler Beach City Commission
    • Flagler Beach Crime
  • Cops/Courts
    • Circuit & County Court
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • Federal Courts
    • Flagler 911
    • Fire House
    • Flagler County Sheriff
    • Flagler Jail Bookings
    • Traffic Accidents
  • Rights & Liberties
    • Fourth Amendment
    • First Amendment
    • Privacy
    • Second Amendment
    • Seventh Amendment
    • Sixth Amendment
    • Sunshine Law
    • Third Amendment
    • Religion & Beliefs
    • Human Rights
    • Immigration
    • Labor Rights
    • 14th Amendment
    • Civil Rights
  • Schools
    • Adult Education
    • Belle Terre Elementary
    • Buddy Taylor Middle
    • Bunnell Elementary
    • Charter Schools
    • Daytona State College
    • Flagler County School Board
    • Flagler Palm Coast High School
    • Higher Education
    • Imagine School
    • Indian Trails Middle
    • Matanzas High School
    • Old Kings Elementary
    • Rymfire Elementary
    • Stetson University
    • Wadsworth Elementary
    • University of Florida/Florida State
  • Economy
    • Jobs & Unemployment
    • Business & Economy
    • Development & Sprawl
    • Leisure & Tourism
    • Local Business
    • Local Media
    • Real Estate & Development
    • Taxes
  • Commentary
    • The Conversation
    • Pierre Tristam
    • Diane Roberts
    • Guest Columns
    • Byblos
    • Editor's Blog
  • Culture
    • African American Cultural Society
    • Arts in Palm Coast & Flagler
    • Books
    • City Repertory Theatre
    • Flagler Auditorium
    • Flagler Playhouse
    • Flagler Youth Orchestra
    • Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
    • Palm Coast Arts Foundation
    • Special Events
  • Elections 2024
    • Amendments and Referendums
    • Presidential Election
    • Campaign Finance
    • City Elections
    • Congressional
    • Constitutionals
    • Courts
    • Governor
    • Polls
    • Voting Rights
  • Florida
    • Federal Politics
    • Florida History
    • Florida Legislature
    • Florida Legislature
    • Ron DeSantis
  • Health & Society
    • Flagler County Health Department
    • Ask the Doctor Column
    • Health Care
    • Health Care Business
    • Covid-19
    • Children and Families
    • Medicaid and Medicare
    • Mental Health
    • Poverty
    • Violence
  • All Else
    • Daily Briefing
    • Americana
    • Obituaries
    • News Briefs
    • Weather and Climate
    • Wildlife

Senate Approves Constitutional Proposal That Would Increase Homestead Exemption to $75,000

May 2, 2017 | FlaglerLive | Leave a Comment

Can local governments afford an additional homestead exemption? (Roger Smith)
Can local governments afford an additional homestead exemption? (Roger Smith)

A proposed property-tax break that would go before voters next year and a slimmed-down tax cut package, both tied to ongoing budget negotiations, got key approvals Monday in the Republican-dominated Senate.


The Senate approved a proposed constitutional amendment (HJR 7105) that, if passed by voters, would increase the non-school homestead exemption by $25,000 and potentially save homeowners hundreds of millions of dollars a year. The issue, a priority of House Speaker Richard Corcoran, now will go back to the House.

Meanwhile, the Senate Appropriation Committee slashed a $296.7 million House tax-cut package (HB 7109). The Senate changes would provide between $75 million and $80 million in tax breaks next fiscal year— primarily through a three-day back-to-school tax “holiday” and permanently eliminate sales taxes on tampons and other feminine hygiene products.

The proposed constitutional amendment to increase the homestead exemption was approved in a 28-10 vote after drawing heavy debate on the Senate floor.

Sen. Tom Lee, a Republican home builder from Thonotosassa who sponsored the bill, said expanding the exemption could help people afford homes. Also, he said it could boost such things as documentary-stamp taxes, which stem from real-estate transactions.

“Making homes more affordable, we’re going to allow people to move from rental units back into homes,” Lee said. “And in doing so, it’s going to give us the ability to generate revenue for doc stamps, the tangible tax and a whole host of other things that go along with home ownership.”

Because it is a proposed constitutional amendment, the measure needed 24 votes for approval. If all 15 Senate Democrats had voted against the proposal, it would have fallen one vote short. Only 23 Republicans were present because Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, is recovering from cancer treatment, and former Sen. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, resigned last month.

But six Democrats — Lauren Book of Plantation, Daphne Campbell of Miami, Bill Montford of Tallahassee, Jose Javier Rodriguez of Miami, Darryl Rouson of St. Petersburg and Linda Stewart of Orlando — voted for the proposal. Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, was the only Republican who opposed the measure.

Democratic critics argued the measure would hurt renters and low-income people who would not benefit and also would lead to cuts in local services.

“This isn’t just about giving people a choice,” said Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth. “We haven’t told the people what (services) will be cut. It’s absolutely unfair and irresponsible for us to pass a potential tax cut without telling people what the cuts are going to be.”

But Democratic supporters said the proposal will make it easier for first-time home buyers and that lawmakers shouldn’t underestimate the ability of voters to understand the proposal’s potential impacts on local governments.

“I just find it easier to believe that they are not ignorant, are not alcoholics, are not like children with candy in front of them,” Rouson said of voters.

Currently, homeowners receive a tax exemption on the first $25,000 in value of their properties. They pay taxes on the value between $25,000 and $50,000 and then receive an exemption on the portion from $50,000 to $75,000.

The House last week approved a version of the proposed constitutional amendment that would have expanded the exemption to cover the portion of home values between $75,000 and $100,000. But the revised version approved by the Senate would apply the exemption to the portion of values between $100,000 and $125,000.

The House’s version was estimated to reduce local-government revenues by about $750 million in the first year, growing to almost $850 million a year within five years. The impact of the Senate version would be about $150 million less a year.

The proposal would also direct the Legislature to offset revenue losses for “fiscally constrained” county governments, which are in rural areas.

The flurry of activities on tax issues came as Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, and Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, worked to finalize details of a budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. They face a Tuesday deadline for wrapping up the budget if they hope to end the annual legislative session Friday, as scheduled. That is because of a constitutionally required 72-hour “cooling off” period before lawmakers can vote on the budget.

Gov. Rick Scott proposed $618.4 million in tax cuts as part of his budget proposal, but it appears lawmakers will wind up with a substantially smaller package.

The House approved a package that included about half of the amount of cuts Scott wanted, and the Senate Appropriations Committee substantially reduced that package Monday.

The bill, which could go before the full Senate Tuesday, would scale back a proposed 10-day sales-tax “holiday” in August on clothing and electronics to three-days; eliminate sales taxes on feminine hygiene products — tampons, sanitary napkins and panty liners — but not diapers as the House had approved; and make a small reduction in a tax paid on commercial leases.

The House had proposed temporarily cutting the 6 percent lease tax by 1.5 percentage points on Jan. 1, 2018, a move projected to save businesses $190.7 million next fiscal year. Two years later, the rate would have gone to 5.5 percent, a mark intended to be permanent.

Under the change approved Monday by the Senate, the 6 percent rate would go down to 5. 8 percent.

Gone from the tax package that the House approved last week are a proposed nine-day sales tax “holiday” on hurricane supplies; a tax “holiday” on Veterans Day for people who provide proof of being honorably discharged U.S. military veterans; and a one-year exemption from sales taxes on college textbooks.

–Jim Turner, News Service of Florida

Support FlaglerLive's End of Year Fundraiser
Thank you readers for getting us to--and past--our year-end fund-raising goal yet again. It’s a bracing way to mark our 15th year at FlaglerLive. Our donors are just a fraction of the 25,000 readers who seek us out for the best-reported, most timely, trustworthy, and independent local news site anywhere, without paywall. FlaglerLive is free. Fighting misinformation and keeping democracy in the sunshine 365/7/24 isn’t free. Take a brief moment, become a champion of fearless, enlightening journalism. Any amount helps. We’re a 501(c)(3) non-profit news organization. Donations are tax deductible.  
You may donate openly or anonymously.
We like Zeffy (no fees), but if you prefer to use PayPal, click here.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Conner Bosch law attorneys lawyers offices palm coast flagler county
  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents

Primary Sidebar

  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents

Recent Comments

  • Andy Dance on Flagler County Will Buy 5.2-Acre Parcel on Intracoastal North of Hammock Dune Bridge for Preservation as Parkland
  • Deborah Coffey on Federal Appeals Court Rejects Florida’s Attempt to Override Halt to Law Targeting Migrants
  • Local on Imagine If Florida Government Shut Down. Would Floridians Even Notice?
  • Land of no turn signals says on Moral Collapse: Florida Thinks Letting Prisoners Live in 100-Degree Heat with No Air Flow Isn’t Cruel Enough
  • John on DCF Threatens Reporter Investigating Hope Florida Scandal with Cease and Desist
  • Canary on Moral Collapse: Florida Thinks Letting Prisoners Live in 100-Degree Heat with No Air Flow Isn’t Cruel Enough
  • Joe D on Imagine If Florida Government Shut Down. Would Floridians Even Notice?
  • Rick G on Imagine If Florida Government Shut Down. Would Floridians Even Notice?
  • Wright on Moral Collapse: Florida Thinks Letting Prisoners Live in 100-Degree Heat with No Air Flow Isn’t Cruel Enough
  • Pierre Tristam on Moral Collapse: Florida Thinks Letting Prisoners Live in 100-Degree Heat with No Air Flow Isn’t Cruel Enough
  • Sherry on The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • jane doh on Without Prior Discussion, Palm Coast Council Approves $300,000 Plan Integrating City Surveillance with Sheriff’s Crime Center
  • Sherry on The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, June 7, 2025
  • JimV on Flagler County Will Buy 5.2-Acre Parcel on Intracoastal North of Hammock Dune Bridge for Preservation as Parkland
  • Charles Kennington on Moral Collapse: Florida Thinks Letting Prisoners Live in 100-Degree Heat with No Air Flow Isn’t Cruel Enough
  • Skibum on The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, June 5, 2025

Log in