Volusia Tax Reform

TBRC - BREAKING NEWS

2008-02-11T16:01:00.001-05:00

Everyone

Great News! The Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act has passed the committee of the TBRC and will now go before the full commission for approval. One Commissioner made a comment that of all the items they reviewed this is true tax reform!! Remember, this amendment caps all spending and revenues of the taxing districts at three percent or population and no new taxes without voter approval! If the full commission votes in favor of this, it will be on the ballot this November......

They will send it to the committee to "tweak the language a little bit" and then go to full commission.

This is a great step forward and all of your emails worked!!!

Now, this Sunday evening we are going to have another live webcast at 7 p.m. and you can watch it streamlining on www.kenneytv.com

There will be no charge for watching this live webcast. We will be discussing what happened at the TBRC this week and what to do next!!!

Keep up the great work everyone!!!!

Margie

www.volusiataxreform.com

Increase School Taxes or Remove Them All Together

2008-02-01T11:49:00.001-05:00

Everyone,

There is an interesting article in the Miami Herald today about the deep cuts to schools... Please read below.

Also, I received an email about Port Orange Budget for the fire department, which is posted below as well.

Another one of our crack research members emailed me the following:

Well it seems the TBRC is also looking into how much school money goes into
administration. This is off of their website and is a proposal to cut school administration which is taking 51% of a 12+ billion dollars a year (2006)!

Please read this proposal because it tells the sad story of education in ourstate! Only 49% of this money makes it to the schools. Please be aware they are not speaking about administration at the school level, ie. Those that work in the offices administratively at the schools or the principals -those expenses are considered "direct school budget" or classroom as is
referred to in this piece.

If anyone would like to receive this proposal, please email me as it is under adobe acrobat reader and is a big pdf file....

As for the removal of the School Board tax off the tax rolls and replacing it with a revenue neutral funding source, the Tallahassee newspapers are reporting "State should pick up local school tab, Wetherell says".. Please go to this following link:

http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080131/CAPITOLNEWS/801310323/1010/NEWS01

Crist budget may lead to tax hike

Gov. Charlie Crist unveiled a $70 billion budget that avoids deep spending cuts but relies on increased property taxes, more money from gambling and raiding dedicated accounts.

PROPERTY TAXES

The governor's budget also relies on a $337.8 million increase in local property tax revenue collections. School districts can make up that money if there is natural growth in property assessments because of rising property values. But if property values and revenues fall, districts might have to raise the tax rate to make up the difference.

The irony of raising taxes to pay for tax cuts wasn't lost on Broward school officials this week as they began trying to figure out how to overcome the $145 million loss to schools that Amendment 1 will cost the district over the next five years.

''So it looks like we're raising taxes,'' board member Bob Parks said. ``Don't you love America?''

Miami Herald staff writer Nirvi Shah contributed to this report.

For full story go here:

http://www.miamiherald.com/458/story/401893.html

All for now

Margie

www.volusiataxreform.com

Port Orange Fire Rescue; Historical Budget Information

Personel;

2003; 64

2004; 64

2005; 64

2006: 67

2007: 68

Fire Rescue Operating Costs;

2003; $5,272,813.................................($82,387 per firefighter)

2004; $6,121,337

2005; $6,207,958

2006; $6,589,472

2007; $7,284,026............................. (.$107,118 per firefighter)

2003-2007; 38 percent increase/ 9.5 percent annual average increase

Fire Marshall/ Fire Prevention Operating Costs;

2003; $106,360

2004; $185,000

2005; $218,906

2006; $229,851

2007; $241,343

2003-2007; 127 percent increase/31.75 percent annual averge increase

Public Education Program Operating Costs

2003; $52,767

2004; $68,104

2005; $77,271

2006; $81,125

2007; $62,100

2003-2007;19 percent increase/4.75 percent annual averge increase

Training Division Operating Costs

2003*

2004: $68,104

2005; $77,261

2006: $81,125

2007; $62,100

2004-2007; 9 percent decrease/2.25 percent annual average decrease

*The Training Division did not appear in the Budget in 2003

Pension Plan Costs;

2003-$356,000................$5,562 per Firefighter

2004-$597,000

2005-$951,000

2006-$1,200,000

2007-$1,400,000.................$20,588 per Firefighter

Consumer Price Index ( CPI)

2003; 2.3 percent

2004; 2.7 percent

2005; 3.4 percent

2006; 3.2 percent

2007; 2.8 percent

2008-02-01T11:10:00.000-05:00

Everyone,

There is an interesting article in the Miami Herald today about the deep cuts to schools... Please read below.

Also, I received an email about Port Orange Budget for the fire department, which is posted below as well.

Another one of our crack research members emailed me the following:

http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080131/CAPITOLNEWS/801310323/1010/NEWS01

Crist budget may lead to tax hike

Gov. Charlie Crist unveiled a $70 billion budget that avoids deep spending cuts but relies on increased property taxes, more money from gambling and raiding dedicated accounts.

PROPERTY TAXES

''So it looks like we're raising taxes,'' board member Bob Parks said. ``Don't you love America?''

Miami Herald staff writer Nirvi Shah contributed to this report.

For full story go here:

http://www.miamiherald.com/458/story/401893.html

All for now

Margie

www.volusiataxreform.com

Port Orange Fire Rescue; Historical Budget Information

Personel;

2003; 64

2004; 64

2005; 64

2006: 67

2007: 68

Fire Rescue Operating Costs;

2003; $5,272,813.................................($82,387 per firefighter)

2004; $6,121,337

2005; $6,207,958

2006; $6,589,472

2007; $7,284,026............................. (.$107,118 per firefighter)

2003-2007; 38 percent increase/ 9.5 percent annual average increase

Fire Marshall/ Fire Prevention Operating Costs;

2003; $106,360

2004; $185,000

2005; $218,906

2006; $229,851

2007; $241,343

2003-2007; 127 percent increase/31.75 percent annual averge increase

Public Education Program Operating Costs

2003; $52,767

2004; $68,104

2005; $77,271

2006; $81,125

2007; $62,100

2003-2007;19 percent increase/4.75 percent annual averge increase

Training Division Operating Costs

2003*

2004: $68,104

2005; $77,261

2006: $81,125

2007; $62,100

2004-2007; 9 percent decrease/2.25 percent annual average decrease

*The Training Division did not appear in the Budget in 2003

Pension Plan Costs;

2003-$356,000................$5,562 per Firefighter

2004-$597,000

2005-$951,000

2006-$1,200,000

2007-$1,400,000.................$20,588 per Firefighter

Consumer Price Index ( CPI)

2003; 2.3 percent

2004; 2.7 percent

2005; 3.4 percent

2006; 3.2 percent

2007; 2.8 percent

Amendment One

2008-01-31T08:44:00.000-05:00

As predicted by Volusia Tax Reform, Amendment One passed overwhelmingly. Volusia Tax Reform has advocated to educate our citizens on true, meaningful and comprehensive tax reform, of which VTR believes this Amendment did not address. We recognize this Amendment as a tax shift to those that already pay a disproportionate share of the tax burden. However, the good news is (1) the Legislators got what they wanted and they continue to say this is only step one in tax reform. We will be demanding further steps that will result in true, meaningful and comprehensive tax reform. (2) With regard to portability, let us hope it truly is a stimulus to the current depressed real estate market as our Legislators told us it would be. This was a clear message to our elected officials that the citizens of the State of Florida need tax relief and they are looking toward our elected leaders to do what is right and fair for all taxpayers.

Even Governor Crist and Speaker Rubio in their victory speeches tonight proclaimed this was the first step to tax reform. Volusia Tax Reform will now hold our Legislators "feet to the fire" and they should now support our efforts in forcing; the local cities and counties to be more transparent in all their expenditures. Even our Leglistators are stating that local governments need to be (1) more transparent in their spending; and (2) reducing their spending. Therefore, our Legislators should not have a problem in supporting VTR's efforts in obtaining a Taxpayer Bill of Rights as this is the next step for true tax reform. Volusia Tax Reform will now be pushing for the Taxpayer Protection Amendment Act which is a taxpayer bill of rights to cap all government spending and revenues at three percent or population growth, whichever is less, and no new taxes without voter approval. Volusia Tax Reform feels this is the foundation for any meaningful tax reform. Our Legislators have stated that our local governments need to be more transparent in their spending and therefore, they should support Volusia Tax Reform's efforts in requiring all taxing districts to publish on the internet every check they write, as is currently being done in other states.

In conclusion, you have not heard the last of Volusia Tax Reform and we have many opportunities before us, however, we will do what is right for ALL Florida taxpayers. We have many plans in place in case the Amendment passed and you will be hearing from us... Stay Tuned!!

Margie

www.volusiataxreform.com

Onward!

2008-01-31T08:42:00.001-05:00

You should have received VTR's press release regarding Amendment One passing. Please be assured there are still several avenues we can and are pursuing.

Also, please note, that the newspapers are already reporting that our Senators will not address tax reform any more this year as the voters just voted on the biggest tax cut in Florida's history. Please read the article below and go to the following link at the Orlando Sentinel editorial:http://www.orlandosentinel.com/video/?slug=orl-electionpropertytax012907

The foundation for any true and meaningful comprehensive tax reform is to cap all government spending and revenues, including impact fees, fire fees, etc., at three percent or population growth, whichever is less and no new taxes without voter approval. It is a spending problem! We are going to need everyone's help in getting this passed!!! We will need everyone to start pressuring the Tax and Budget Reform Commission to place this amendment that Dr. Barry Poulson drafted on this November's ballot. It is called the Taxpayer Protection Amendment (or taxpayer bill of rights). I would urge everyone to go to the TBRC website and start emailing and calling the commissioners. The website is:

http://www.floridatbrc.org

Also, the TBRC is debating Mr. McKay's proposal to remove all school board tax off the tax rolls and replace with a revenue neutral funding source. If this is done, every taxpayer across the board would receive a 40 to 50 percent reduction in their real estate tax bill. Remember, now, Tallahassee can do this legislatively and it does not have to go to voter approval and we would see that relief this year in our tax bills. This proposal together with the above amendment, if both voted on and approved, will give not only significant reform, but significant relief to ALL FLORIDA TAXPAYERS!

All for the moment!

Margie

www.volusiataxreform.com

Margie Patchett * Waterside Title Co. * 640 Dunlawton Ave * Port Orange, FL 32127

Phone: 386-788-1335 Fax: 386-756-0662

2008-01-29T23:54:00.001-05:00

As predicted by Volusia Tax Reform, Amendment One Passed by the Voters. Please check back here for our Press Release..

Margie

Volusia Tax Reform

2007-05-31T21:52:00.000-04:00

Everyone

This is our new blog site. Volusia Tax Reform would like you to post your blogs on how high real estate taxes in the State of Florida have affected you personally; perhaps post your ideas on tax reform or perhaps post any other tax issues that you are concerned with.

VOLUSIA TAX REFORM MISSION STATEMENT HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE:

* REDUCE VOLUSIA COUNTY REAL ESTATE TAXES THROUGH CAPPING GOVERNMENT SPENDING

*TO OVERSEE AND MONITOR THAT OUR TAXING AUTHORITIES ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO FISCAL SPENDING OF OUR TAX DOLLARS

Don't forget to come and visit our website at www.volusiataxreform.com

margie
executive director of volusia tax reform, pac
Pd. Pol. Adv. sponsored and paid for by Volusia Tax Reform P.A.C.