Florida GOP leaders want to end property tax in favor of 3-cent hike in sales tax
By Jason Garcia
Tallahassee Bureau
February 20, 2007
Tallahassee · Republican leaders in the Florida House are floating a radical tax overhaul that would eliminate property taxes paid by homeowners in favor of a 3-cent increase to the state sales tax.
The tax swap would be paired with stiff spending or revenue caps on cities and counties intended to limit the amount of property taxes they could collect from all other property owners, including owners of businesses, rental property and second homes.
"It's been kicked around," said Senate Majority Leader Daniel Webster, R-Winter Garden, who was briefed of the concept Monday.
House Republicans, who on Monday began a two-day property tax conference, say they still are considering an array of possible property tax changes. Measures that have been considered range from replacing school property taxes with a several-cent sales tax hike to scrapping all property levies and more than doubling the state's 6 percent sales tax rate to 13.5 percent.
Cities, counties and other governments are expected to collect just more than $30 billion in combined property taxes this year. A penny increase in the state sales tax would generate about $3.8 billion a year.
Critics argue the sales tax is too regressive, because lower-income residents pay a higher percentage of their incomes in sales taxes.
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