The Tax Shift: Yachts and Planes

The Florida House Finance and Tax Committee was suppose to eliminate $29 million in sales tax loopholes. The end result was tax cuts for yachts and private airplanes. The Committee added tax loophole that places $25 million against the budget. Republicans say the yacht tax breaks for to promote job growth.

Jim Waldman, D-Coconut Creek, proposed a 6 cent sales tax on bottled water. That was quickly killed.

"Water is an incredibly valuable resource in Florida; we have shortfalls all the time," said Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, who tried to attach the amendment to a wide-ranging committee bill to make changes to the tax code.

Blue Crystal Bottled Water and Silver Springs Bottled Water are major companies in Florida. Candidates from either parties do not want to get out the bad side of these financial powerhouses.

The Florida House doesn't have the stomach or the maturity to deal with the budget crisis. Republicans say people are buying yachts outside the state. Purchases out of Florida is beyond the state's control. The yacht industry is not a huge growth market for jobs. To sell this as job creation is disingenuous.

Democrats want to make the sales tax holiday permanent. Republicans ignored their pleas.

''If we can afford a bill that helps out struggling families in tough economic times then we probably can afford this going into the future,'' said Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, a Sarasota Democrat who sponsored the amendment.

"I don't think it's a good idea to make this permanent, said Chairwoman Ellyn Bogdanoff. "This is premature, especially in these economic times. I would encourage everyone to vote against it."


Republicans deem yachts are more imporatant than school clothes and hurricane supplies. Fuck the middle class.

Florida Sales Tax Exemptions

Florida is facing a budget shortfall, members of the House Finance & Tax Council were asked what sales taxes should be repealed. Tom Grady (R-Naples) came out against repealing any sales tax. Jim Waldman (D-Coconut Creek), Rich Workman (R-Melbourne) and John Tobia (R-Satellite Beach) mentioned bottled water as a possibility. No one went on-record supporting a bottled water tax. Ron Schultz (R-Homosassa) brought up "satellites which are up there." I think Schultz is confusing satellite television taxation with outer space satellites. Satellite tv is taxed in Florida. I have questions about if taxes on outer space satellites are legal under Florida law.

The Florida Department of Revenue estimates repealing the bottled water sales tax would raise an estimated $42.3 million. I would support repealing the tax. Especially since so many Florida communities go through water shortages. A bottled water tax alone isn't going to solve Florida's budget woes.