Proposed amendment making it harder to raise taxes in Florida to go before voters

by | Mar 5, 2018

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The Florida Senate approved a resolution Monday morning that would place a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot making it harder for the Legislature to raise taxes.

The Senate vote was 25-13 in favor of the resolution.

“Florida families plan their budgets carefully to make every dollar count and the Legislature exercises the same attentiveness when appropriating the tax dollars Floridians send us,” said Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart. “Just like Florida families, state government should live within its means.”

The House has already approved the resolution back in January..

If approved by voters, the amendment would require a two-thirds majority vote by future legislatures to increase any taxes or fees.

The proposal has the backing of Gov. Rick Scott, who has made passage of the amendment one of his top priorities for this year.

“We have cut taxes more than 80 times since I’ve been in office because we know that Florida families and businesses succeed when we put their tax dollars back in their pockets,” said Scott. “I look forward to this important amendment being on the ballot to protect families from unfair tax increases.”

It also has the backing of the state’s small businesses.

“By overwhelming majority, small business owners support this resolution,” said Bill Herrle, the Florida executive director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses. “If it’s harder to raise taxes and fees, small business owners will keep more of their hard-earned dollars and be able to make even greater contributions to the economy.

As with all constitutional amendments, this proposal must be approved by 60 percent of the voters. If it is, the amendment would take effect Jan. 8, 2019.

 

 

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