The spectre of a special session on property tax reform loomed a little larger Monday, when both Gov. Charlie Crist and Senate President Ken Pruitt seemed to acknowledge the Legislature is fast running out of time.
The session ends May 4, and both chambers still have to work out their $1-billion budget differences, which could take a lot of back-and-forth negotiating.
House Speaker Marco Rubio released his chamber's property tax reform plan early and has since revised it more than once. Meanwhile, the Senate hasn't released its plan to even begin the debate.
"The only thing we have to pass is the budget," Pruitt said. "The property tax issue is very important. But if the work product's not ready, we're not going to bring it to the floor."
Earlier in the day, after signing into law a provision that doubles the homestead exemption for low-income spears, Crist called it "the point of the spear as it relates to property tax reform." He said there is "more than enough time" for more meaningful reform, "but if we need more, we'll certainly have it."
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