As property values have soared, so have our
property taxes, and we are all feeling the squeeze. Going into the 2007
Legislative Session, Charlie Dean claimed that addressing this issue was
a top priority, but he accomplished nothing. What is more frightening is
that he sought to swap lower property taxes for some with higher sales
taxes for all. In fact, Charlie Dean supported what would have been
the largest tax increase in
Florida's history, a whopping $10 BILLION in new
taxes.
While Charlie Dean was
claiming to address the burden of high property taxes, he was also
helping to pass a budget so full of "pork" that Governor Charlie Crist
had to veto a record $459 million dollars in wasteful spending, topping
previous budget veto levels set by former Governor Jeb Bush.
And to add insult to
injury, Charlie Dean forced over $1 billion dollars in
spending upon local governments in the form of unfunded mandates. These
unfunded mandates supported by Charlie Dean will likely lead to
higher property taxes, just what Florida's homeowners don't need.
As your next State
Senator, I will not support a state income tax, and I will not support
the $10 billion dollar Charlie Dean sales tax increase. I will support real tax relief to homeowners
that does not depend on raising other taxes. Swapping one
tax for another is not relief, it is ridiculous. Taxpayers want
solutions, not shell games.
I
believe, as the great American Thomas Paine once said, that Public
money ought to be touched with the most scrupulous conscientiousness of
honor. As a former state legislator, I have a record of providing over
$1 million dollars in property tax relief for my constituents. As the
next State Senator for District 3, I will use my experience to stop
wasteful spending in Tallahassee,
stop unfunded mandates, and deliver the property tax relief that
Floridians so desperately need and deserve.
