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Here4Good

Beach Fanatic
Jul 10, 2006
1,269
527
Point Washington
WaltonGOP, thanks for posting your report on the meeting in DFS.

I am voting Yes on Amendment 1, to make the County governments accountable for what they spend.

Under the current system, local residents who have owned their homes more than three years or so (which should mean most of the voters) are not affected in the least when the BCC increases the budget by 40-50%, which they have done. Indeed, sometimes the voters get a tax cut via a rollback of the millage rate (don't even get me started on how BCC violates the spirit of the intended budget process).

I've attended the budget hearings, and there are a handful of local residents who also own rental properties who are there to protest. This is the long-term effect of SOH - we've created an entire class of voters who have no skin in the budget game. They are protected from their own County Commission.

The Walton BCC has been raising their own budget by astronomical amounts with very little outcry from their voting base. The amount of homesteaded (i.e, subject to SOH) tax base in this county is something like 25%. The other 75%, for the most part, is funded by non-voters.

Under Amendment 1, the other 75% will now have a cap, also. This means that if the county wants a 50% increase in their budget, they will have to increase the millage rate, and the voters will have to sit up and take notice, since their taxes will be affected.

I want to see the true effect of any budget increases to be seen, heard and felt by the voting population. Amendment 1 will really only pass a small part of these increases along to the voters, since everyone gets to keep SOH, and take it to their next property, but it will at least insure that budget increases look, act, smell and feel like budget increases.

No more headlines that say that the BCC has rolled back the millage rate (which under the state mandated budget process, they are OBLIGATED to do) and are waiting for applause from the populace.
 

wrobert

Beach Fanatic
Nov 21, 2007
4,134
575
61
DeFuniak Springs
www.defuniaksprings.com
I am voting Yes on Amendment 1, to make the County governments accountable for what they spend.


Ahhhh....finally someone who gets it. You are so correct. I have sat in on budget hearings and it seems that taxing authorities tend to do it backwards around here. First they calculate how much money they would get if they held the millage rate the same with the newly increased values on all the property. Then they take that pot of money and see what all they can buy with it. Thus causing most property taxes to go up, but the actual voter's taxes to fall or slightly decrease.

The right way to do it, is to calculate the millage rate based on bringing in the same amount of revenue as last year. Then see what added costs and new projects need to be accomplished in the coming year, then see what you would have to do to the millage to accomplish that task. And then actually get the project done in the coming year or two. Remember the courthouse expansion in DeFuniak Springs--10 years. New jail in DeFuniak Springs--8+ years. New animal control facility in DeFuniak Springs--8+ years and counting.

The longer government takes, the more it costs the taxpayer. I understand the new animal control facility is now over $2 million dollars and going up everytime it is discussed. Something has to be done to stem the flow of dollars into the treasury.

Also here is a link to the first portability calculator I have been able to find.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-tax1708jan17,0,1785631.story
I am sure the tax rates are for Orange County so your actual tax bill and savings would be proportionately lower. But it does give you some idea as to why portability is an issue, and why FAR seems to believe that it will help start the housing market back up again.
 

TooFarTampa

SoWal Insider
Ahhhh....finally someone who gets it. You are so correct.

I think we get what you are saying, but in my opinion changing state law because of problems specific to Walton County makes no sense. Do you not care about how other parts of Florida are affected?
 

Here4Good

Beach Fanatic
Jul 10, 2006
1,269
527
Point Washington
I think we get what you are saying, but in my opinion changing state law because of problems specific to Walton County makes no sense. Do you not care about how other parts of Florida are affected?

I don't think this problem is specific to Walton County. I do think that only the counties which want huge budget increases are the ones which will have to
increase millage.
 

wrobert

Beach Fanatic
Nov 21, 2007
4,134
575
61
DeFuniak Springs
www.defuniaksprings.com
I think we get what you are saying, but in my opinion changing state law because of problems specific to Walton County makes no sense. Do you not care about how other parts of Florida are affected?

It is not specific to Walton County. In fact, it will actually affect Walton County the least of just about any other county in the State according to Department of Revenue estimates.

Do take the time to go and try out the portability calculator. The savings reflected are going to be closer to actual for your area, and see if you think that savings of that amount might influence the decision of people to move from their homes.
 

JOE who

Beach Lover
PLEASE... before making a decision log onto FLORIDATAXWATCH.org and read up on 'the other side'... This group is a non-profit that watches tax dollars and tries to keep the 'pork' away... ALSO, when political heads start asking you to pass an amendment, i believe it deserves a CLOSE second look...
 

Here4Good

Beach Fanatic
Jul 10, 2006
1,269
527
Point Washington
PLEASE... before making a decision log onto FLORIDATAXWATCH.org and read up on 'the other side'... This group is a non-profit that watches tax dollars and tries to keep the 'pork' away... ALSO, when political heads start asking you to pass an amendment, i believe it deserves a CLOSE second look...


This is an excellent analysis of the situation, and I agree with most of their points.

However; we have had this "legislated" millage cap in place for years, and the BCC (and other counties) have ignored it. Where is the state when this happens? I know of no agency I can call and report my county commission for violating state law. If there were such an agency, we would need a branch office in Walton County.

The only power we have over local spending is who we elect to the county commission.

I wish that there was a way to vote "No; now go back and do it right" instead of just yes or no.
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,648
1,773
However; we have had this "legislated" millage cap in place for years, and the BCC (and other counties) have ignored it. Where is the state when this happens? I know of no agency I can call and report my county commission for violating state law. If there were such an agency, we would need a branch office in Walton County.

I don't understand your point. It is my understanding that the millage rate in Walton County has decreased each year for at least the past two year. :dunno:
 

Here4Good

Beach Fanatic
Jul 10, 2006
1,269
527
Point Washington
I don't understand your point. It is my understanding that the millage rate in Walton County has decreased each year for at least the past two year. :dunno:


Read WaltonGOP's post on the correct budget process, and how Walton County does it instead. Walton County does not START from last year's budget, roll back the millage to what it would take to collect that amount, and then justify any increases. With the increase in the tax base, we should have had large reductions in the millage.
 
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