Here Comes the Sales Tax

So much for the discussion. Speaker Marco Rubio is opening pitching the idea of abolishing property taxes. They will be replaced by sales taxes.

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Following through on their 100 Ideas efforts, House Speaker Marco Rubio, Chairman Ray Sansom, and other House leaders this morning unveiled a comprehensive property tax relief proposal designed to cut Floridians’ property tax bills by nearly 20 percent this year. In addition to reducing property tax bills by nearly one-fifth, the House leaders’ relief plan caps the rate of revenue growth for both state and local government at reasonable levels and gives voters the option of abolishing property taxes on homestead properties and replacing it with a modest increase in the sales tax.

Alex Sink pointed out the need for Florida to have an internet tax. Wayne Garcia touched on the internet tax issue. Several states are involved in the Streamlined Sales Tax Initiative. Their goal is to have Congress alter the Internet Tax Freedom Act. The law currently states it is "protecting electronic commerce from discriminatory State and local taxes."

Florida has to figure out something. The dying housing boom is creating less tax revenue. Florida needs to decrease property taxes to feed the endless growth problems. Florida then tries to lure more new residents for tax revenue. Which creates more growth problems.

The state needs sound growth management and a stable tax system. That isn't going to happen with conservative tax cutting ideology. That is what created the need for counties to raise property taxes. The state was underfunding counties during rapid growth.