Miami-Dade Tax Relief needed NOW!, Property Values are down 25 to 35% but not so reflected in Appraisal Notices!

TRIM Notices…and people are re energized as to the lack of tax relief in their proposed tax bills. I have copied some more of those emails at the bottom of this one. Note: You have 15 days in which to file a petition to protest your assessed value….and we have all realized that most millage rates have gone up. REMEMBER: If the cities/counties budgets have gone up from last year, that is still AN INCREASE, EVEN THOUGH THEY SAY THEY ARE AT THE "ROLL BACK RATE" IT IS STILL AN INCREASE IN REVENUES! In the economic times we find ourselves in, people losing their jobs, being cut back to three day weeks, losing their health care benefits and pensions, then, then OUR GOVERNMENT CAN DO THE SAME…. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE GIVING RAISES TO IT’S EMPLOYEES AT THIS TIME!! NOTE, HOWEVER, VOLUSIA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD IS NOT GIVING RAISES TO IT'S EMPLOYEES... BUT ALOT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE.... WHY SHOULD GOVERNMENT WORKERS RECEIVE BETTER PAY AND BENEFITS THAN WHAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN AFFORD??? The private sector is not giving raises this year, as we all know, the private sector is losing jobs. Our jobless rate is the highest in the COUNTRY!!



The only way to get tax relief in our tax bills for this year is to pressure our local elected officials to go lower in the millage rates… You are encouraged to attend the budget hearings. At the bottom of this email is a list of the budget hearings that we are aware of to date. EVERY ONE THAT IS UPSET WITH THEIR TAXES NEEDS TO ATTEND THESE HEARINGS!! IF NOT, THE CITIES/COUNTIES WILL NOT LOWER OUR TAX RATES!! THIS IS YOUR TIME TO BE HEARD!! ALSO, EMAIL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AS WELL!! THESE MEETINGS ARE STARTING NEXT WEEK!!!!

A lot of you have been asking, now what? Well, remember AMENDMENT 5 IS NOT OFF THE BALLOT!!!! RIGHT NOW, AMENDMENT 5 IS ON THE BALLOT. Judge Cooper from Leon County ruled that it should not be on the ballot. This Amendment has bypassed the District Court of Appeals and has gone straight to the Supreme Court of Florida. The hearing on this Amendment will take place on September 8, 2008 before the Supreme Court. VTR is optimistic we will still be voting on this Amendment. For the past few days the news media has mistakenly reported that Amendment 5 will not be on the November ballot. With the Department of State scheduled to approve ballots in early September, it is likely that Amendment 5 will actually appear on absentee ballots regardless of the outcome of the Florida Supreme Court decision in early September (the absentee ballots must go to print soon after the August primary). We hope this clears up exactly where Amendment 5 is at this point. We will update you when we know more.REMEMBER: THIS IS THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT TAX RELIEF THAT WE HAVE!! THERE ARE NO OTHER OPTIONS FOR TAX RELIEF!! THIS IS IT FOLKS… OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN TALLAHASSEE HAVE NOT SHOWN THE POLITICAL WILL OR COURAGE TO ADDRESS ANY SIGNIFICANT TAX RELIEF MEASURES!



We have always know that Amendment 5 is the significant tax relief we need, but it also must be coupled WITH CAPPING GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND REVENUES AND NO NEW TAXES WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL…(THE TABOR AMENDMENT WHICH WAS VOTED DOWN BY THE TAX AND BUDGET REFORM COMMISSION.)… VOLUSIA TAX REFORM, TOGETHER WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY BEHIND THE SCENES ON THIS… THERE WILL BE A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.



We must have significant tax relief and tax reform… These two measures combined will provide the type of tax reform the citizens have been demanding from our elected officials.!!



Also, don’t forget the Florida Chamber of Commerce has sent out a press release that a special session in Tallahassee needs to take place to address tax reform measures, immediately… Lets see if our elected officials follow through. However, of course, they are calling for this special session after the elections!! So that the incumbents won’t feel the pressure of having to vote or not vote for tax relief just before their election!! Go figure! Politics!!



REMEMBER TOO, TOMORROW IS THE PRIMARY DAY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND VTR ENCOURAGES ALL TO GET OUT AND VOTE!!! IF YOU DON’T VOTE, THINGS CANNOT CHANGE. MY HUSBAND ALWAYS SAYS, THE DEFINITION OF STUPIDITY IS TO DO THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND EXPECT A DIFFERENT RESULT!!!