The Potential Impact of Amendment 1

[downtownparks]

I would say this is a great time for communities to step up and take charge of their neighborhoods. Maybe being forced to take  a little ownership of their community will do this city and its denizens some good.

I voted against the measure, but it passed, so now lets hope our city tackles it with smart decisions and strong leadership...

Yeeesh...

[thelakelander]

I wonder if the fact that our city/county government happens to be consolidated played a role in this?  Considering most of Florida's residents don't live in incorporated cities, the passing of the amendment probably affects Jax moreso than most of Florida's cities.  So if most of the state is saving money by this move, the local vote here really didn't matter.  I guess its time for the local government to really learn how to set and stick to a budget.

[adamh0903]

Impact fees in nassau county are already over 9k closer to 10-11k for some people.

[Lunican]

The amendment passed statewide, but surprisingly not in Duval County (not that it matters).

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=101124

[thelakelander]

Do we really belong in South Georgia?

The rest of the State picks Hillary and McCain, supported Amendment 1 in a landslide, has been much more accepting of urban oriented development, aren't afraid to put the letters "FREE" on a free bus, and have been agressive in implementing various forms of rail, as opposed to fighting it for BRT.  Unfortunately, for the First Coast, if the other major metropolitan areas go one way, it doesn't matter how we vote.

[Steve]

Whoo Hoo, it passed! I agree with Governor Crist. Now, the local governments can't be wasteful with their spending any more. They will have to be creative. I believe this will be a time of change but not of the predicted doom and gloom. Its like you had a  pension comming  in addition to your normal income and now the pension is all spent. I guess you would have to learn to live back in your means. Good job voters!

Do you really think that if Peyton is lining people's pockets, he will stop now?

[Steve]

The amendment passed statewide, but surprisingly not in Duval County (not that it matters).

The reason probably has to do with the fact that South Florida has a property tax problem (they really do), but North Florida really doesn't have a problem.

[Lunican]

Thinking that this property tax cut will somehow transform city hall into a thrifty and creative bunch is probably a mistake. In fact, that is probably the least likely scenario.

With that said, now ask yourself what the most likely scenario will be.

[thelakelander]

Central Florida voted for the amendment by a large amount as well and they don't have the problem South Florida has.  The only two areas that voted against it was the First Coast and the Tallahassee/Big Bend area.  Just about everyone else wants their $240.

[lindab]

This just in (a little late): Business leaders tell legislators cuts will hurt services; legislators acknowledge there might be budget restraints.  OH, REALLY?

January 31, 2008

State chamber rallies troops for '08 agenda
By MELISSA GRIGGS
Business Writer

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Florida Chamber of Commerce will lobby to make it harder to amend the state constitution, fight to give business owners the right to allow guns on their premises and continue to push tort reform in the next Legislative session, chamber leaders said Wednesday.

Sheri McInvale, who handles governmental affairs for the state chamber, outlined the group's agenda to area legislators and business owners during a meeting at the Daytona 500 Experience attraction.

"We are going to be active in Tallahassee over the next few months," said Jim Cameron, vice president of government relations at The Chamber, Daytona Beach/Halifax Area. "It's all part of a grassroots effort on the part of the chamber."

McInvale said priorities this year will be insurance, workforce education, economic development, guns at work and constitutional amendment reform.

She said the chamber would continue to seek reforms in the state's property tax system. Voters' passage of Amendment 1 on Tuesday was a step in the right direction, she said. "We are very excited about the amendment passing yesterday," McInvale said.

The amendment to the state's constitution is expected to save taxpayers -- and cost local government and schools -- as much as $9.3 billion over five years.

Ernest Cantley, president of the Stewart-Marchman Center, told legislators that cuts in funding for human services will hurt the business community, just as cuts in education would. Employees taking time from work to deal with their own or a family member's drug and alcohol abuse hurts employers. Families struggling to pay for treatment have fewer dollars to spend in the local economy, he said.

"We are bracing for difficult times," he said. "As the economy sours, our demand for services is up."

Area legislators at the meeting acknowledged they are concerned about budget restraints during this year's Legislature.

melissa.griggs@news-jrnl.com

[SunKing]

We already have impact fees.  Its called Fair Share and they are payments to offset a developers impact on failing city services.  A city does not fund operations by impact fees or Fair Share, it doesnt affect the budget.  By law they are intended to fund growth.

[RiversideGator]

For all of you who are depressed that us tax hating troglodytes voted to cut our property taxes, I have one suggestion:  Simply mail a check for $240 made payable to the City of Jacksonville for your share of the tax cuts you voted against.  Since I am sure very few checks will be received by the City, this is all nothing but talk and hollow gestures.   

[Steve]

For all of you who are depressed that us tax hating troglodytes voted to cut our property taxes, I have one suggestion:  Simply mail a check for $240 made payable to the City of Jacksonville for your share of the tax cuts you voted against.  Since I am sure very few checks will be received by the City, this is all nothing but talk and hollow gestures.  

Okay RG - the issue is not my individual $240, or your individual $240, all of the people on this forum's $240.   It is the $240 for all of the homeowners in Jacksonville.  This is kind of my point behind all of this.  $20 a month for the average homeowner is not a whole lot, but if you pool all of the money together it is substantial.

If it helps anything, I would say that it will help the elected officials in the short term think about the expensive decisions more.  However, I believe this will be short term, a couple of years at the most.

[Jason]

Can a city government accept tax "donations"??

[Steve]

I guess, but what you see in most cities is businesses giving back to the community - in wasy like sponsoring parks, etc.  It's amazong that we see very little here.

If you want an example, look at Publix and Lakeland.  They have an extremely tight relationship, where Publix sponsors city things quite often.