|
Five Point Taxpayer Protection Plan
The Five Point Taxpayer Protection Plan conceived by Property Appraiser Jim Ford involves several initiatives which act, in concert, to prevent unwanted and drastic increases in property taxes. The elements of the Plan include five amendments, one to the State Constitution and four to the Brevard County Charter. Each amendment closes a loophole whereby taxing authorities could excessively increase property tax revenue or receive revenue windfalls. The first initiative which was coordinated by Ford in Brevard County, involved the passage of the "Save Our Homes" State Constitutional Amendment 10, limiting annual increases in the assessed value of homestead properties in 1992. The second, a County Charter Amendment by petition initiative was spearheaded by Ford as Chairman of the CAPIT political action committee and approved overwhelmingly by voters in 1996. It lowered the County tax revenue increase from 10% to 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the prior year, whichever is less. The original cap of 10% was in the original charter. Consequently, when property is re-appraised, increasing the taxable value of the tax roll, the amendment would force the County Commission to reduce (roll back) the tax millage rate so as not to generate more tax revenue than this "cap" allows. The constitutionality of this cap was challenged by a group of citizens and the County Commission choose not to defend the cap. It was finally ruled that such a cap is unconstitutional. The third and fourth County Charter amendments were on the ballot in November 1998 and limit revenue for County non-ad valorem special assessments to 3% or the annual change in the CPI and require that any new County non-ad valorem special assessment programs must be approved by voters within the affected geographic area before an assessment can be levied. The limitation on non-ad valorem special assessment increases did not pass and is being reworded for placement on the ballot at a future date. The amendment requiring voter approval of any new non-ad valorem assessment programs passed. The fifth County Charter amendment would require that no new County Municipal Service Taxing Units could be implemented without voter approval. This final amendment was sponsored by a local political action committee seeking to place it on the ballot by petition initiative. The approval of this final Charter amendment will close many tax loopholes and is the final initiative of Ford's Five Point Taxpayer Protection Plan.
|
