More Tax Shift Madness

I have have griped several times here, here, here, and here about how Florida's state government shifts the tax burden to local governments. The Tallahassee Democrat calls for a comprehensive review of the tax system.

Coupled with the political momentum to reform the property-tax system, this may well mean that cities, counties and school districts will be forced to cut, cut, cut - not always a bad thing, particularly where fiscal discipline has been lacking.

The growing danger is that state support to communities will continue to diminish proportionately, while state lawmakers tie the hands of local governments to generate revenue for projects their citizens need and want, and unfairly make local governments keep paying for so-called "unfunded mandates."

Part of the reason the property tax madness started was local government trying to make up the differnce from Jeb Bush's tax cuts. Former Florida Senate President John McKay attempted tax reform. He was stopped by Jeb Bush and fellow Republicans. They bravely defended the right for skyboxes and limousine services to be tax free.