I thought I posted this already, but I guess it didn't go through.
Proposed Super Homestead Exemption Information
On January 29, 2008 you will have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment regarding the super exemption. Try our calculator to help you decide if it is right for you. Remember existing homesteaders have the choice to keep their current exemption or switch to the new super exemption.
a) Keep their existing homestead exemption and their current Save Our Homes cap.
The homestead amount is $25,000 and the cap limits any annual assessed value increases on that homestead to the lesser of 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, as long as they maintain it as their homestead.
- or -
b) Convert to the Super Homestead Exemption and give up Save Our Homes.
The new Super Exemption will exempt 75% of the first $200,000 of value on the homestead and 15% of the next $300,000 with no cap on value increases. This option can be chosen in 2008 or in a later year, but the choice is irrevocable.
If the amendment passes, all persons with homestead exemption in 2008 will continue under Save Our Homes unless they file a form with the Property Appraiser's Office to switch to the Super Exemption. All applications filed for homestead exemption for 2009 and thereafter will be for the Super Exemption - Save Our Homes will no longer be available.
Nobody can guarantee which option is better for you or guarantee that the forecasts they make will prove accurate over time. Uncertain future variables such as inflation, the increase in real estate values, the length of time you will continue to live in your home and the amount of capped value you currently have must be considered.
We have added a calculator to help you make your own forecast of which option would be best for you, based on the variables that you select. We hope this will be helpful as you prepare to make a choice in the event that the amendment passes in January.
If the amendment passes, all persons with homestead exemption in 2008 will continue under Save Our Homes unless they file a form with the Property Appraiser's Office to switch to the Super Exemption. All applications filed for homestead exemption for 2009 and thereafter will be for the Super Exemption - Save Our Homes will no longer be available for a new applicant.
Replies
47
SoWal Insider
Why are you against choice? Let me be able to make mine. Just give me the freedom to do it.
I'm not against choice....I have a choice to vote yes or no--so do you.
POST 2001!
.
Edited
SoWal Insider
So I ask, SHELLY, if you like your comfy SOH cap, great, who can blame you? But why is it good for the state as a whole? What is the solution, aside from going back in time?
I'll tell you what the solution ISN'T....it isn't a 12th-hour quick decision to "just do something" so Sorry Charlie can tick it off his list of campaign promises like he did with the Insurance and Tax "promises."
Florida is in some serious economic do-do; it's going to take years to unwind from this housing boom mess. Right now Chuck and his cabal of Idiots are just throwing crap at the wall to see if anything sticks. I'm voting "No" to this silly Super Homestead--I don't want my fingerprints on that trainwreck.
The best we can hope for is that Charlie gets caught playing Footsie in the men's restroom at the Tampa Bay Airport and we can start all over again.
.
Beach Lover
The best we can hope for is that Charlie gets caught playing Footsie in the men's restroom at the Tampa Bay Airport and we can start all over again.
Beach Lover
Also, anyone notice that the default setting on these calculators for yearly projected increase in property value is about 7 percent? That's for almost every county's Super Homestead Calculator. If you changed it to, say, more like 4-5 percent, over a 20 year period you'd have a much different result. Given the major correcting that is still ongoing, 4-5 percent over the next 20 MAY be more realistic.
Another thing to consider though is that under the Super Exemption, county appraisers would still have too much wiggle room in what they could assess a property for. At present most counties follow the unwritten rule of appraising values at about 80 percent of market value. But that is no where in the law as far as I know. If Super Exemption did pass, what is to stop appraisers from adjusting to using true "market value" numbers so that governments could continue to rake it in?
Think your appraiser is going to be honest? Most of them probably are, but there is the case of Jim Smith in Pinellas County, who is in a ton of hot water now for ethical violations that are clearly a big, big problem.
So the SOH sucks. The Super Exemption sucks. What the heck should we do now? SHELLY is right; I see only backpedaling, not leadership, from good old Charlie.
Assess at 80%? Get with the times. That is so history. The Florida DOR tightened all of that up years ago. Now they have to run so much statistical information to get those rolls up to 95% or they will not be certified. Remember this is how the State funds education. Take from the counties like us that are value rich and give to those that are value poor. I think it was Dempsey Barron that helped put this program together years ago.
Is SOH fair? No way. Just take a look at what the elected officials are paying, www.waltontaxpayers.org, to see how they are benefitting from SOH. And too also see why millage drops mean so little to them.
But rather CC is doing a good job or not is irrelevant. We now have a chance to further limit government. Voting yes on Jan 29th will force planning for the future. Not wild spending on unnecessary items simply because we have the money.
BTW, if you ever get a chance to hear Patrick Pilcher explain how values are determined, it is something worth hearing. Yes values have dropped in 2007, but those formulas do not come into play until someone actually sells their property. Maybe there will be enough foreclosures by the end of the year to drive values down next time.
Beach Lover
I'll tell you what the solution ISN'T....it isn't a 12th-hour quick decision to "just do something" so Sorry Charlie can tick it off his list of campaign promises like he did with the Insurance and Tax "promises."
Florida is in some serious economic do-do; it's going to take years to unwind from this housing boom mess. Right now Chuck and his cabal of Idiots are just throwing crap at the wall to see if anything sticks. I'm voting "No" to this silly Super Homestead--I don't want my fingerprints on that trainwreck.
The best we can hope for is that Charlie gets caught playing Footsie in the men's restroom at the Tampa Bay Airport and we can start all over again.
.
First, your choice to vote NO is a choice to take away my choice to move. The best solution is surely not to do anything. And I do not see citizens voting to do away with SOH. Of course you would probably vote for the Hometown Democracy amendment. Take away more choices for people.
Second, if CC were to get caught playing footsie, it would do nothing more than cause more problems. There is no one to remove him and playing footsie is not illegal, I do not believe. Then instead of doing the business of the people we would all be focused on CCs personal proclivities.
I would prefer to continue to see if the insurance and tax problems could not be fixed so people could get back to buying and selling houses. I have no interest in what CC does in his personal life.
Beach Lover
Yes values have dropped in 2007, but those formulas do not come into play until someone actually sells their property.
I stopped by the property appraisers office last week. It was amazing to look at the parcel maps provided by them and see how few properties had sold in 2007 and the staggering price reductions they sold at vs. 2006. The areas I specifically looked at were Beach Highlands and Gulfview Heights. It would appear that values will be down next time around.
SoWal ExpertAuthor
BTW, if you ever get a chance to hear Patrick Pilcher explain how values are determined, it is something worth hearing. Yes values have dropped in 2007, but those formulas do not come into play until someone actually sells their property. Maybe there will be enough foreclosures by the end of the year to drive values down next time.
I've heard Patrick discuss how assessed values are determined. I think Patrick is a good person to be in that office. The problem I have with the entire system is as Patrick notes -- the assessments and budgets are created @ss backwards. Patrick is required to turn in the assessments prior to the budgets being finalized. The reverse should be the way it is done, with the County determining what they need to spend, then setting the taxes accordingly. As it is currently, they get to see how much they have to spend and blow the whole wad.
SoWal ExpertAuthor
First, your choice to vote NO is a choice to take away my choice to move.
...but what if someone wants to move next year, then remain in the same house for 25 years? They are penalized by your vote of yes, are they not?
SoWal Insider
Assess at 80%? Get with the times. That is so history. The Florida DOR tightened all of that up years ago. Now they have to run so much statistical information to get those rolls up to 95% or they will not be certified. Remember this is how the State funds education. Take from the counties like us that are value rich and give to those that are value poor. I think it was Dempsey Barron that helped put this program together years ago.
I have been a property owner in three different counties in Florida for 11 years; six different properties all told. All of them have been assessed (and still are) at close to the 80 percent of value mark. Sometimes as high as 85 percent, but nothing close to 95 percent. When we lived in Massachussetts for a year our home and others nearby were assessed at market value, but only every three years.
SoWal Insider
...but what if someone wants to move next year, then remain in the same house for 25 years? They are penalized by your vote of yes, are they not?
I would like Florida voters to vote no, but even more strongly demand a better solution ASAP. I would like to see an independent panel of very smart people get together publicly (like the Iraq Study Group) and issue a report that would automatically have credibility. Otherwise, if the Super Homestead is voted down, the Legislature is likely to throw up its collective hands and blame everything on the voters for not making the changes they demanded. :roll:
SoWal Insider
I find it interesting that few are willing to strike down SOH to help the many. This is exactly how The Civil War started. This "I've got mine", posturing does not solve anything. Seniors need to be protected, government spending must be capped, and the rest of us need to go back to the old way of paying our fair share. This logical fix has no chance against human nature. Does it?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
SoWal Insider
First, your choice to vote NO is a choice to take away my choice to move.
My NO vote does not take away your choice to move....I've read through the legislation and nowhere does it outlaw the use of cardboard boxes and U-Hauls.
Answer me this....the current SOH amendment with the 3% cap has been on the books for over 12 years....12 YEARS!! Why has this only in the last year or so become an issue? (Hint: It rhymes with Zinvestulators)
I have no interest in what CC does in his personal life.
You forgot to add, "Not that there is anything wrong with that." ;-)
.
Edited
SoWal Insider
My NO vote does not take away your choice to move....I've read through the legislation and nowhere does it outlaw the use of cardboard boxes and U-Hauls.is the increase in spending relevant?
Answer me this....the current SOH amendment with the 3% cap has been on the books for over 12 years....12 YEARS!! Why has this only in the last year or so become an issue? (Hint: It rhymes with Zinvestulators)
You forgot to add, "Not that there is anything wrong with that." ;-)
.
SoWal Insider
is the increase in spending relevant?
You mean for crap like this?
"As part of Walton County?s Phase Improvement Plan on Scenic Highway 98, eight state-of-the-art lighted crosswalks were recently added west of Pompano Joe?s restaurant that are designed to better alert motorists of pedestrians crossing the busy road."
Beach Lover
You mean for crap like this?
"As part of Walton County?s Phase Improvement Plan on Scenic Highway 98, eight state-of-the-art lighted crosswalks were recently added west of Pompano Joe?s restaurant that are designed to better alert motorists of pedestrians crossing the busy road."
The lighted crosswalks on the west end of 30-A no longer even work. Maybe they did a crosswalk study and have improved the design.
SoWal Insider
The lighted crosswalks on the west end of 30-A no longer even work. Maybe they did a crosswalk study and have improved the design.
Improved the Design?: http://www.waltontaxpayers.org/Porktest.htm
BTW, this is what a proper<w/British Accent> crosswalk looks like:
I pity the fools who got caught running down folks on them.
.
Edited
Beach Lover
I live a bit West of Gulf Place and the showers don't work there either.
SoWal Insider
Improved the Design?: http://www.waltontaxpayers.org/Porktest.htmLooks like they hired British autoworkers to paint the traffic lanes.
BTW, this is what a proper<w/British Accent> crosswalk looks like:
I pity the fools who got caught running down folks on them.
.
SoWal ExpertAuthor
Looks like they hired British autoworkers to paint the traffic lanes.probably union workers.
Beach Fanatic
It is not a theory. Revenues are limited by statute. So that must be taken into account. Revenues are limited to inflation plus new construction. This is going to force the millage rates down.
It is a theory. Watch the budget process sometime - the BCC starts with the assessed values at the current millage, then they start calling their pals and relatives to fill up the budget. I spent many useless hours trying to discuss this "statute" with the BCC last year, and even the honest ones seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.
I checked the SOH calculator, and the disturbing part was how much our taxes will go up, either way. Super Exemption will cut our taxes in half the first year.
Beach Lover
I've heard Patrick discuss how assessed values are determined. I think Patrick is a good person to be in that office. The problem I have with the entire system is as Patrick notes -- the assessments and budgets are created @ss backwards. Patrick is required to turn in the assessments prior to the budgets being finalized. The reverse should be the way it is done, with the County determining what they need to spend, then setting the taxes accordingly. As it is currently, they get to see how much they have to spend and blow the whole wad.
No argument there at all. But that is a political problem. Governing bodies should make a list of what they want to do, prioritized that list, then see how much money they have and go from there. Unfortunately no one in this county governs that way. A school board member recently told me that the school district 'problem' was that it is awash in cash and needed to get rid of it. I suggested returning it to the taxpayer so that economic activity could be jump started. That go nowhere. At a recent school board meeting, Bill Laird made the statement that the reason taxes were so high, was the greed of the people trying to make money off of real estate. Imagine that! Of course a review of the school board tax actions in the past and they never passed up a chance to take and spend more of our money. Until we get true leadership that wants to budget and tax in a meaningful way instead of just responding to every popular problem for political points, it ain't going to change.
BTW, the Walton County School District is now in the process of building a new $45 million dollar high school for approximately 700 students in DeFuniak Springs. They are paying cash for the school. And they still have too much on hand.
SoWal ExpertAuthor
No argument there at all. But that is a political problem.
Am I missing something, or is the SOH not a political problem, too? It is all lumped together in my opinion. By law, the Property Assessor has to turn in the assessments to the County before the BCC approves any budgets. I've mentioned what I think of as spending problems by the BCC in the past, and in particular, paying cash for multi-million dollar school buildings. If the County operated as they should, you wouldn't hear a peep about SOH or the NOT-So-Super Exemption, because taxes wouldn't amount to much.
Checking your forum account
Please wait while we verify your forum account.