So many reasons why you should oppose Amendment 5

Monday, August 11, 2008

Scott Maxwell | TAKING NAMES

Want a good reason to vote against the latest tax scheme to come out of Tallahassee?

Here are 10 of them.

1. The trust issue.

The premise of Amendment 5 is based on trusting politicians—two words that go together like “jumbo shrimp,” “bad sex” or “congressional ethics.” It calls for cutting the property taxes that pay for schools and then trusting legislators to come up with new taxes and other ways to replace that money. Will they raise enough? Too much? Who knows? You’d have to trust them.

2. It’s regressive.

If you own a home, your property taxes would go down by 25 percent. But everybody would start paying higher sales taxes, since the proposal also all but guarantees the sales taxes will be raised from 6 cents on the dollar to 7. Under this “tax cut,” those who don’t own homes would pay more taxes.

3. Florida Lottery.

Remember when we trusted that proceeds from the lottery would supplement existing education funding? Well, Florida legislators could give carnies a lesson in shell games. To this day, we have one of the worst-funded education systems per capita in the nation.

4. They were wrong.

Remember when we were told that January’s tax cut would be a “sonic boom” for the economy? Well, in June, Florida led the nation in job losses.

5. Enough ‘help.’

After Charlie Crist and the Tallahassee crowd passed their version of insurance reform, many residents actually saw their rates rise. And taxpayers were placed more at risk if a big storm comes through. As Shel Silverstein once wrote: Some kind of help is the kind of help that helping’s all about; And some kind of help is the kind of help we all can do without.

6. ‘Education is too important.’

That’s not my line. That’s from state Rep. David Simmons, a conservative Republican who usually would rather cut taxes than a piece of chocolate cake for himself. But even he says this plan to take money away from schools and then probably/maybe/possibly replace it some other way is too unreliable.

7. Not alone.

Many Republicans, including future Senate president Mike Haridopolos, who is personally leading the campaign against Amendment 5, are opposed to it. Seeing so many Republicans opposed to an alleged tax-cutting plan should raise more flags than a pride parade . . . which, by the way, would be a funny place to see the Republicans.

8. They’re ‘unsure.’

Here’s a headline from a recent story on Amendment 5: “Lawmakers unsure of tax break’s final cost.” And they want us to vote yes?

9. Pick your friends.

Supporting this Nov. 4 amendment are Realtors, who hope lower property taxes will help them sell houses. Now, compare that to those who oppose Amendment 5—everyone from the Florida Chamber and the Florida Farm Bureau to teachers and the AARP. Supporters have been trying to claim this plan will help seniors. And yet the AARP opposes it. Think about that.

10. Might’ve worked.

Amendment 5 isn’t all bad in concept. In fact, back in January I actually proposed something similar—a break on property taxes in exchange for closing the special-interest loopholes that exempt everything from limousine rides and bottled water to ostrich feed and lawyer bills from sales taxes.
But that’s not what Amendment 5 is. This tax swap lacks specifics and asks Floridians to trust politicians—with both our wallets and our children’s education. And they have given us little reason to do either.

Watch the debate

Aug 10th FlashPoint on WKMG-Channel 6 there is a debate on Amendment 5. At 11:35 p.m., you can see State Rep. Frank Attkisson do his best to promote the effort, while state Sen. Mike Haridopolos and I express concerns. Haridopolos brought props, including a stuffed ostrich.