|
LOWER SALES TAX OR ABOLISHING PROPERTY TAX?
An Opinion
By Jan Bergemann
Published
April 8, 2025
This will be the big question Florida's citizens
may have to decide in the near future. While Speaker Daniel Perez
wants to lower the sales tax, Governor Ron DeSantis supports a
constitutional amendment abolishing property taxes in Florida.
Governor DeSantis has in my opinion a very good argument on his
side: "Despite paying for your property, you don't really own your
property. You're constantly paying rent to the government by paying
property taxes" -- and he is absolutely correct.
For many years we have been told by our local county governments
that increased building of homes would eventually lower our property
taxes. Nothing further from the truth! Despite building homes and
apartment buildings -- a lot more than the infrastructure can keep
up with -- our property taxes have been increased year for year.
That raises the question: Why should the property owners feed the
greed of local governments? We all know one thing about governments:
The more money -- the more waste!
What speaks against lowering the sales tax?
Florida lives a lot from tourism. Tourists come to visit -- and they
buy a lot of things, meaning they are paying sales tax. So, if the
government increases the sales tax, a lot of money would be added to
Florida's tax coffers, paid for by out-of-state tourists.
Abolishing property taxes would put money into the pockets of
Florida's citizens -- and even landlords could lower the rent
because they no longer have to pay property taxes
Wouldn't that help all of us?
WHAT SAY YOU?
|
