Entries from March 2006 ↓

I am a fiscal conservative. Although we have a projected surplus of $3.2 billion dollars in collected revenue this year, I would not support other ideas passed or pending in the Legislature like:

• Rolling back the tax rates charged for schools
  At a time when schools are under-funded, we cannot afford to lose $570-million annually.
• Repealing the intangibles tax on stocks, bonds and notes (benefiting the wealthier and creating a loss of revenue for the future - $130 million dollar loss per year)
• Creating a one-week sales tax holiday for big-ticket items like plasma TVs and automobiles, which only benefit those able to afford such luxury items including foreigners and out-of-state visitors not Florida residents who do not have the disposable income to purchase large ticket items during the sales tax holiday week.

In addition, I would support the review of all sales tax exemptions individually to determine the merits of each one as it pertains to that industry or service today. Many of our sales tax exemptions have been ‘on the books’ for a very long time with no formal review process in place. For every $1 you pay in sales tax; someone else is getting a $1.35 tax break. Some if these exemptions are very appropriate; others are purely the result of special interest lobbying efforts. According to the Committee known as Floridians Against Inequities in Rates (FAIR), Florida’s tax code has not been reviewed since 1949. Bipartisan efforts by distinguished legislators, past and present, including John McKay (R), Bob Butterworth (D), Bob Milligan, and Jack Latvala (R) to place a Constitutional Amendment on the 2004 ballot forcing the legislature to review its outdated tax structure failed to reach the voters after the wording was reviewed by Florida’s Supreme Court. Legislators can and should take the initiative to conduct this review on their own without voters demanding it via a ballot initiative.

Furthermore, we need to assess our needs five to ten years into the future and not just until the next election cycle.

If you are a fiscal conservative like me, I ask you to support my candidacy. Let’s not place the cost of our existing needs on the backs of our children and grandchildren.

With a projected surplus of $3.2 billion dollars in collected revenue this year, the Legislature and the Governor have some serious choices to make.

They could use some of that windfall to offset the rising costs of homeowners insurance needed to bailout Citizens Property Insurance Company, the State sponsored “Insurer of Last Resort”. This move would give all homeowners a real tax break by not requiring Citizens’ to invoke its right to impose a 7% surcharge on all homeowner policyholders across the State when it runs a deficit paying out more in claims than it receives in premiums. Homeowners received that new “tax” surprise when they opened their Homeowners’ bill this past year. It may be too late for homeowners to get a break in 2005 but not too late for 2006.

…And, they could use that money to help implement the class size reduction that the citizens of Florida mandated with a Constitution Amendment.

…And they could bail out school boards that face a deficit like Pinellas County that projects a $20 million dollar shortfall this year after sending more of its citizens’ property tax dollars to Tallahassee than it receives back to run our school system.

…And, they could use a large portion of the money to pay down state debt, now at $22.5 billion. Florida TaxWatch, a fiscal conservative group, estimates we could save as much as $160 million in annual debt service payments.

…And they could use part of the savings from the annual debt service payments to set up a statewide healthcare plan for the indigent similar to the one already successfully in place in Hillsborough County. By covering that portion of the healthcare formula, employers could negotiate better rates from all healthcare providers for those of us under insured plans.

…And, they could make the Save Our Homes protection portable, so your property tax on a new home wouldn’t be much more than that on your previous home.

…And, we could shore up environmental projects like the Everglades restoration.

…And, we could catch up on infrastructure needs, like roads, sewers and water systems.

These are some smart choices that I would not only support but would help craft legislation to include them when I go to Tallahassee this fall.

Everyone knows the time to prepare for “lean” times is during times when there is a surplus. While the State has seen a windfall this year and expects more over the next several years, its citizens are experiencing:

• Soaring health care rates
• Sky-high fuel costs
• Unaffordable homeowner insurance rates
• A loss of available rental housing
• A loss of affordable, average income housing
• …and overcrowded school systems with misguided expectations and under-funded budgets

Let’s put the surplus where the needs are! Let’s help Floridians live better lives!

Carl has three high profile speaking engagements this week…

On Wednesday, March 8th, Carl will be speaking at the Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce Luncheon at the East Lake Woodlands Country Club around 11:30 AM. Other District 48 candidates will be speaking before the crowd as well.

Later evening, Carl will be part of the monthly North Pinellas Democrats meeting at Countryside Library. The meeting is scheduled to get underway at 7 PM.

On Friday, March 10th, Carl has the honor of speaking before the Democracy for America meeting at the Largo Public Library. The engagement starts at 7 PM and both Democratic candidates for governor, State Senator Rod Smith and Congressman
Jim Davis will be speaking as well.