Taxes and Budges

County tax rate stays nearly put Ocala By Bill Thompson Marion County commissioners tentatively passed a $594 million budget for the new fiscal year on Thursday, but not before getting an earful ...

Miami Shores sets higher preliminary tax rate MiamiHerald.com The tentative tax rate can be decreased during the budget process, which lasts through September, but cannot be increased, according to Florida law. ... Funding Cuts Leave Area Colleges Gasping Washington Post The University of Maryland Baltimore County is cutting positions. And Virginia's state universities are coping with furloughs for the first time in recent ...

Around the state: Tax Increases

Schools Aided by Stimulus Money Still Facing Cuts
New York Times

Florida's second-largest system, Broward County Schools, laid off 400 teachers, but aided by stimulus money, rehired more than 100. ...

Property Tax Increase Could Be On The Way
NorthEscambia.com
A week from today, the Escambia County School Board is looking at a millage rate increase that would be the second highest in Florida. ...

Despite pleas, county oks higher tax rate
The DeLand-Deltona Beacon
The second and final public hearing on the county's budget and tax rates is set for 6 pm Thursday, Sept. 17, in the Thomas C. Kelly County Administration ...

Budget woes may shut 4-H MiamiHerald.com Miami-Dade would be only the second county to cut ties with 4-H in Florida, according to Marilyn Norman, 4-H state leader in Gainesville. ...

"They are going beserk"

Broward, Dade property owners `flipping out' over tax notices
MiamiHerald.com

The proposed tax notices arriving in Miami-Dade and Broward mailboxes in recent days have stirred a wave of protest, with dozens of homeowners taking to the streets Thursday and thousands of others dialing their property appraiser's office.

Many homeowners, already feeling pressures from high unemployment, a tumbling stock market and dwindling property values, were angry to open their TRIM -- Truth In Millage -- notices and see a property tax increase awaiting them, too.

``They are going berserk,'' said Charlotte Greenbarg, a Hollywood resident and president of the Broward Coalition, which represents homeowners. ``People are absolutely flipping out.''

Palm Beach County arts groups chase dwindling public funds
Sun-Sentinel.com
Other governments may have to cut arts funding entirely due to budget shortfalls. While some small cities don't contribute to the arts, county governments ...

Renew the Florida tax debate?

The Lee County Property Appraiser’s Office expects to mail out Truth In Millage (TRIM) notices to property owners by this Friday.

The TRIM notice shows what they’re to pay in property taxes depending on the appraised property value and on what tax rates cities, the county, the school board and other districts adopt before Oct. 1.

Last Friday news-press.com reported that Lee County’s population dropped by 1.38 percent, or 8,601 residents. So there are presumably fewer people to pay these taxes to cover the cost of government.

Add to that people walking away from their homes — and taxes — because of lost jobs, lost income or being underwater on their mortgage, and the drops in property values, and thus revenue, leading to budget cuts for taxing bodies.

One, thus, has to wonder whether the current property taxation system is sustainable. We believe it is not.

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Start Florida tax debate once again

Holding Steady in Highlands

SEBRING - The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to keep the 2009-10 county tax rate the same as last year even though it expects to collect less tax money from dropping property values.

Property owners will be assessed 7.1 mils for every $1,000 of assessed value. more...

Sarasota Memorial may raise tax rate

SARASOTA — - Sarasota Memorial Hospital board members are planning to propose a nearly 15 percent tax rate increase at their meeting today.

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The proposed increase, the hospital’s first since the recession began in 2007, comes as other taxing districts are deciding to hold rates steady or drop them.

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Hospital officials say the increase is needed to fund building projects and a growing number of expenses incurred as the region’s only public hospital, charged with providing services that are increasingly unprofitable such as delivering babies and treating the poor.

Without the rate increase, the hospital would lose an estimated $6.6 million because of the decline in property values.

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The board is set to vote today whether to propose a rate increase. The vote is on whether to increase the rate on Sept. 21, after the last of two public hearings. The proposed new tax rate is $1.08 for each $1,000 of taxable home value, up from the current rate of 94 cents per $1,000. More...