THIS LETTER WAS SENT TO SENATOR HARIDOPOLIS AND PINELLAS COUNTY SENATORS FROM A LOCAL BEACH HOTEL OWNER.
It
illustrates the economic damage that high property taxes are doing to our tourist industry and small business owners.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Dear Legislator,
As a business owner, a resident of Pinellas
County, a member of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce, a member of Superior Small Lodging of Florida, a concerned
property owner, and a voter...
My business property taxes have increase by 279% since 2001!
My income has not.
My customers cannot pay
279% times the rate they paid in 2001.
How Current Tax Appraisal Law Has Been Used By Counties
• As a back door approach to eminent domain.
Small business
owners, unable to pass on all tax and insurance increases, have been forced in large numbers to sell their property. This
forced redevelopment isconsistent with the county's Pinellas by Design plan.
• To extract dramatic
tax increases from non-homesteaded property owners. - and to create a new class of individuals with Taxation and
NO Representation.
Florida's current tax laws have decoupled the fundamental relationship
betweengovernment and the people.
• To fund 'BIG' government spending, e.g., Pinellas County
has
• Set up and operates a television studio, a complex
broadcast schedule and
programming plus affiliated staffing. • Conducted an
ongoing 'Business' training & consulting programs. What the county offers has been and is being done by the Small
Business Administration &professional organizations (e.g., the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce)
• Implemented 'Pet Projects', e.g., mile markers on Gulf Boulevard. BTW, whenresidents & tourist didn't
understand why the markers were installed, the countyproduced high quality pamphlets to explain it!
•
To influence ballot issues - which I believe is questionable from a fiduciary responsibility standpoint.
Pinellas County spent over $200,000 to promote the Penny Ballot Issue last week. They
spent over $500,000 on a charter amendment to take governing rights from
cities - provoking beach towns to spend over
$250,000 to counter the campaign.
• To establish itself as the largest local employer with
excellent salary & benefitspackages--thereby forcing huge funding and tax liabilities on taxpayers of future years --for
retirement healthcare and pensions of current expanded staffpositions and salaries.
Information is available to substantiate
this...
The Consequence of How Tax Laws Have Been Used:
• It has
stalled the Florida tourism engine - affecting employment, spending,land investments and the attractiveness of Florida as
a place for doingbusiness.
• It has stalled the construction and building rehabilitation
engine
• It has reduced current tax revenues -- Sales Tax, Bed Tax andDiscretionary
Tax Revenues.
• And, it has created huge future tax liabilities for communities --to
pay for retirement benefits for current staff levels.
If there is any way that we can assist you in the important
work you are doing, please let us know.
Sincerely,
June Mohns