 |
|
|
|
 |
As expected the Final Report of the State Tax Reform Task Force received a cool reception if not a total rejection by members of the Florida Legislature. The final report can be read in it's entirety. Adobe Acrobat software required. Here it is, hot off the press! Read The Final Report! http://www.state.fl.us/edr/taxref/final_report.pdf We'd suggest printing the 30+ page document for closer scrutiny. As you know, President McKay bolted from the task force to propose his own agenda for tax reform, SJR 938, which has moved very briskly through committees with overwhelming support in the Senate. We've learned; the AARP has sided with President McKay, et al., in an effort to place this issue before the voters in November as a Constitutional amendment. The Association of Broadcasters and the other stakeholders have bombarded the air waves for the past two weeks in opposition to repeal of exemptions which, in effect, would impose new taxes upon the Citizens of Florida. President McKay has implied; this is not the case because SJR 938 is a 'budget neutral' proposal and he intends to communicating vigorously with the Citizens of Florida to seek support. The neutral aspect is predicated on the repeal of most business exemptions while reducing the state tax from 6% to 4.5%. Nevertheless, its seems doubtful members of the House support the concept of a Constitutional amendment for the purposes intend by enactmenet of SJR 938. Time will tell? In the meantime, we urge recipients to take time to; READ THE BILL in .html or .pdf format and stay tuned on this issue. We don't want another 'high speed train!' Senate 0938: Relating to Sales & Use Tax - Senator Pruitt In response to our personal appeal and concerns Governor Jeb Bush took time from his busy schedule to respond about this matter.
*** SEE BELOW ***
***************************** SEE BELOW ************************ Thank you for writing. I have expressed
my concerns about the implications of tax reform. The idea should be given
a fair hearing but we need to make sure that the unintended consequences
don't hurt Floridians.
Dear Governor Jeb Bush, Excuse my brashness but the Citizens are confused. What's really going on between these forces driven by reforming our tax system and their willingness to circumvent the efforts of the task force you created to review these issues? We've studied the final draft proposal of the task force vs SJR 938 and find a basic disagreement in the concept for the need to reform our tax base in Florida. We know you can't answer our concern but we don't understand why certain members of the task force relinquished their responsibility to our Governor and the Citizens they represent by refusing to stay the course to complete the mandate you implemented. What is going on here? We believe, the hasty enactment of SJR 938, before the final report of the task force on Februay 1st, has created a lot of confusion and enhanced diminished trust in the Legislature. The business community has bombarded the radio waves in opposition to tax reform and Citizens are at risk of not knowing if we could be voting on another 'high speed train' in November. We really don't want our 'pockets picked, ' again! While we realize you don't want to interfere with the Legislative process we do believe you need to take a stand on this issue because it's gotten out of hand and is only going to get worse when the House begins it's debate on this issue. Thank you for your consideration. We look
forward to your reply.
President of the Senate Sir,
The full committee has had eight (8) meetings. The sub-committee has had four (4) meetings. All meetings were held in Tallahassee. So much for public participation! While the agenda for all meetings has been posted at the task force Web site the minutes of all but two meetings, has not been provided to the general public. So much for the 'Sunshine' laws! Nevertheless, the last meeting of the full committee will be in January to formulate it's final recommendations to the Legislature and Governor by February 1, 2002. As a prominent member of the committee it's been reported, you intend to release your own tax reform agenda in lieu of the final recommendations from the task force. With all due respect; Mr. President, you might/might not have a lock on the best plan for reforming Florida's tax structure, exemptions, lack thereof and the method of collection. However, it seems appropriate to respect the wishes of our Governor and refrain from circumventing the intent and mandate of the task force for any perceived personal gain. Whatever happens to our tax structure will affect all Citizens of Florida. No doubt, we intend to have something to say about any final enactment. In the meantime, can you please explain your motivation for seeking to circumvent the task force? Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to your reply. Sincerely,
Ocala, FL
For those of you interested in the subject of this dispatch, the favorable passage of this bill postpones, for 18 months, the increase in exemptions under the tax on intangible property which is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2002, as suggested by Governor Jeb Bush, in order to assist toward balancing the current budget. The similar HOUSE bill is; H55-C * SEE BELOW * Incidentally, all bills under consideration can be reviewed at the Online Sunshine Network Web pages. Click on the Session tab. Click on the drop down arrow next to Select Year. Click on 2001C. To review bills in either chamber click on the drop down arrow next to Select Chamber. NOTE: several bills have been passed diminishing and/or delaying access to public records under the cloak of 'terrorism.' The best to you and yours,
Thanks to one of members, Bob D. from the Tampa Bay area, we've been provided the answer to the question raised in a previous dispatch. Was Governor Jeb Bush one of the 42 Governors that signed the letter asking Congress to "...let the moratorium on Internet taxation expire...to 'level the playing field' for small businesses," as reported in the Wall Street Journal? Our Governor was kind enough to respond directly to Bob so there isn't any need to guess any further. Thank you, Governor. * SEE BELOW * Nevertheless, we will monitor the final report from the Florida State Tax Reform Task Force and legislation filed and/or enacted with/without the Governors signature during the 2002 session In addition, with your help, we'll keep our eyes and ears open to determine the stance our Governor pursues on the matters of tax reform and Congress to determine for whom the field will be leveled and if good public policy for consumers will emanate in Florida and nationally or will it be, 'business,' as usual. To our friends around the nation: Thanks for continuing to let us know how this 'news' is being viewed by consumers where you reside. Thanks. BTW, next time you visit our Web site, please sign our Guest Book and consider clicking on that ever present JOIN button. We need YOU to help us convince OUR government to implement good decisions for Citizens; at the local, state and national levels. Thank you. The best to you and yours,
Bob,
Dear members and friends, As we continue to monitor the Florida State
Tax Reform Task Force deliberations we've learned (from the Wall Street
Journal) that; "....42 governors signed a letter urging Congress to let
the moratorium on Internet taxation expire...to 'level the playing field'
for small businesses."
Bob -- Public Relations -- CCFJ, Inc.
Yes I did sign the letter. I don't support taxing the internet but if there is a way to collect taxes already on the books, it should be allowed to be developed in return for the extension of the moratorium. Jeb Bush
As we continue to monitor the Florida State
Tax Reform Task Force deliberations we've learned (from the Wall Street
Journal) that; "....42 governors signed a letter urging Congress to let
the moratorium on Internet taxation expire...to 'level the playing field'
for small businesses."
* SEE BELOW * Incidentally, with the influx of; 'doing business on the Internet' isn't it simply a matter of time before all services provided on the Internet will be taxed to help small businesses and government or is the American public being taxed too much, before and after death? We understand the 'wiggle room' in the Governor's statement so we'll reserve further judgement on these matters until after the State Tax Reform Task Force has completed it's mandate, submitted it's final report and we have an opportunity to review legislation emanating from same during the 2002 Legislative session. We're mixing 'apples with oranges' to diminish the number of dispatches sent so bear with us as we mention a couple of other items. Thank you. Deregulation anyone? An excellant example comes from our member Joan in Tallahassee. She utilizes one of the deregulated telephone service providers; SPRINT, for her long distance calls. Joan made one long distance call to Cottondale, Florida which lasted (6) six minutes. Her total long distance charge was .60 (sixty cents) but other charges paid, representing a small portion of her bill, were as follows; CARRIER UNIVERSAL SERVICE CHARGE = .49; CARRIER PROPERTY TAX = .05; SERVICE CHARGE = 4.95; FEDERAL TAX = .19; STATE/LOCAL TAX = .58.....TOTAL =$ 6.86 Maybe some of you have joined the movement? What movement, you ask?Send a copy of your monthly telephone bill to members of Congress and state Legislators. Not simply one month but every month until they do something about this fiasco. If you haven't done so, do it today! Thank you. BTW, residents living in the unincorporated area of Marion county will see a new tax on telephone bills in October, thanks to a unanimous vote of county commissioners so you might as well send your County Commissioners a copy of your telephone bill, too. If you haven't done so, do it today! Thank you. Then get ready to vote, UP or DOWN, on the 1% sales tax increase which Marion county commissioners will place on the November ballot, minus the approval of Commissioner Andy Kesselring. Is this 'good public policy' emanating from this commission? What do you think? If you have an opinion to express tune and call in to WOCA radio, 1370 on your AM dial this Friday at 9 am when Commissioner Randy Harris will be the guest of host and moderator Chip Morris. The best to you and yours,
Tell your Governor: No sales-taxes on internet! GOVERNOR - The race for the Governor 's mansion could be tight in 2002 and even tighter for the President in 2004. The grass root level tax payer can not afford food on the table nor pills to keep them well with so little money coming in. The chances for these elections are at best 50/50. It is your choice, even being a registered
Republican, I now start having doubts in our system
of government. Tax and spend, Tax and spend, Tax and spend -
when we need smaller government, not larger! Major corporations are laying
off workers by the thousands, government is not following suit. Why?????
This is the response from the Governor's office: Dear Concerned Citizen; Governor Jeb Bush received your email concerning your opinions about increases to taxes and the attachment you included on taxing Internet sales and emails. He asked me to reply. The governor issued this statement about Internet taxes last month. Statement By: GOVERNOR JEB BUSH
TALLAHASSEE - - "I support the extension
of the current moratorium on Internet taxation, however I also believe
each state should have the flexibility to review and analyze collection
systems for already existing
Thank you for sharing your opinion on this matter. The governor will keep your views in mind
while forming policies (on) Internet taxes. Please write again with any
other state concerns.
Although we did not receive a response from the Governor's office re our concerns of the subject task force and it's effectiveness toward establishing its mandate we've learned; the task force will meet from 10 am - 4 pm on September 19, 2001 in room 37 (lower level) of the Senate office building in Tallahassee. Three sub-committees will split off in different directions and conduct meetings. Then a lunch break. Afterwards the full committee will resume meeting for briefings from the subs, etc. No time at any meetings on this day were set aside for public input. Scant details of a tentative schedule for future monthly meetings is posted at the task force web site. NOTE: a two day Public Forum is scheduled on November 13 & 14 in South, Central and North Florida. Time and actual location is not available. * SEE BELOW * After accessing the schedule page visitors will need Adobe Acrobat to review the Agenda of meetings. The best to you and yours,
Sir, We're puzzled by the inactivity of the State Tax Reform Task Force? Not because we're waiting to project winning sides on the issue of reforming our tax system but because the task force seems to be wallowing without any clear direction. The November/December meetings were cancelled.
When we inquired through the staff director of the Senate Finance & Taxation Committee we were informed; a steering committee was going to meet to discuss future meetings of the task force. A notice from the steering committee dated January 25, 2001 was posted on the task force Web site; "The Steering Committee of the State Tax Reform Task Force will meet to discuss the interim report and future meeting schedules." The interim report, a lengthy and comprehensive document, dated February 1, 2001, apparently, met it's deadline. We might have missed it but we found no approval of the interim report by the task force. How this happened without task force meetings is short of a mystery. A meeting was scheduled May 16, 2001 and the steering committee was anticipating discussion of schedule public meetings. There's no evidence this meeting ever happened and there haven't been any public meetings or any meetings of the task force, as best we can discern. How will the task force complete it's mandate to file a final report by February 1, 2002 if it isn't conducting any meetings or hearings; public or otherwise? Will the interim report stand on it's own as the final report, also? Skepticism is a kind word for this task force. It seems; there's a hidden agenda being concealed from the Citizens of our state and individuals and/or other entities are pulling the strings for tax reform. If we continue to wait for the filed bills during the 2002 Legislative session it will be too late for input from the Citizens of our state. We'll have no say, as we have had none, on these matters until it's too late. This task force and the Florida Energy 2020 study commission are too examples of government gone wrong. The door might be ajar but the windows have been darkened preventing the sun from shining in the 'Sunshine State.' Sir, in all candor and respect; an expeditious review of these matters should be the order of the day. Thank you for your consideration. We look
forward to your reply.
Our earlier efforts to determine future meetings of the State Tax Reform Task Force has fallen on deaf ears. We're making an additional inquiry to determine when public meetings will be convened because the task force is mandated to provide a final report to the Legislature before the 2002 session is convened. * SEE BELOW * The best to you and yours,
Several weeks ago you indicated a 'steering committee' would be meeting to schedule future meetings of the task force. It seems, it hasn't happened since no additional meetings of the task force have been announced nor have any public meetings been held since the first quarter of this year. How is the task force going to make its final recommendations to the Legislature if it isn't conducting any public meetings or has the task force completed its mandate? If so, is the final report available? If not, are the issues of tax reform being decided behind closed doors in Tallahassee by committees of the House/Senate, at this time? We hope this isn't the case. Your consideration is appreciated. We look
forward to your reply.
How many of you are aware of the effort by the "VOICES of the Florida TAXPAYER" to provide an opportunity for the residents of Palm Beach county to decide if term limits should be imposed upon county commissioners? Not a bad idea, actually, but as you know petitioning 'government' for redress is not an easy task nor is gathering the necessary signatures to place the issue on the ballot for voters to decide. However, this 'movement' could become a widespread phenomena in Florida counties and cities where term limits have not been enacted? It seems; these "VOICES" have provided reasonable arguments to implement change. In addition, a sample of their petition, if you're inclined to become involved in Palm Beach county effort or elsewhere? Check it out! Comments and suggestions appreciated. The best to you and yours,
Even before the State Tax Reform Task Force has completed it's assigned mandate, February 2002, the folks you've elected to the State Legislature, while espousing a $300 million dollar tax cut, is about to pick your pockets. You might have read about their desire to impose additional taxes on Satellite Dish, Cable TV and other communications services utilized by the Citizens of our State? Read these 'money grabbing' bill efforts and be prepared for a couple of sore eyes and thinner wallets in the process. Tax cut? YEAH RITE! ----------------------------------- * SEE
BELOW * -----------------------
|
For comments please
use our Bulletin Board (click on banner!)
Or click on Mail Box to send e-mail to : [email protected]
 |
 |
 |