Farm Bureau opposes increasing homestead
exemption
(GAINESVILLE, Fla.) - Florida Farm Bureau Federation
opposes increasing the exemption on homesteads from $25,000
to $50,000. At its June 2004 meeting the Federation’s
board of directors put the state’s largest general interest
agricultural organization on the record in opposition to a proposed
amendment to the state’s constitution that would double
the current exemption.
“Florida Farm Bureau’s stated mission
is to increase net income to agricultural producers and to improve
the quality of rural life,” said FFBF President Carl B.
Loop, Jr. “The proposed amendment would degrade the quality
of life for Florida citizens, particularly those who live in
counties where the tax base is currently barely adequate to
meet the need for services.”
Loop observed that fourteen of the state’s
smaller counties are at the state-mandated 10-mill limit and
seven more are approaching the cap. It’s doubtful these
counties could raise taxes enough to maintain revenues to continue
to provide services. Statewide, increasing the exemption would
cut revenue to counties by $2 billion.
When the exemption was increased to $25,000, many
rural counties saw up to 60 percent of the homes within their
borders removed from the tax roles because of their low assessed
value. Some county governments responded by increasing assessments
on properties with higher values. Others removed certain services
from the general revenue budget and funded them through special
assessments.
“This amendment would not decrease taxes;
it would simply shift the burden from one group of taxpayers
to another,” Loop said. “This is one proposal that
promises only mischief should it get on the ballot.”
Florida Farm Bureau is urging its 152,000 member-families
to refuse to sign petitions aimed at getting the amendment on
the ballot, and to urge their friends to do the same.
The Florida Farm Bureau Federation is the state's
largest general-interest agricultural association with more
than 150,000 member-families statewide. There are Farm Bureaus
in 62 counties in Florida, where agriculture comprises a stable,
vital leg of Florida's economy, rivaling the tourism industry
in economic importance. Headquartered in Gainesville, the Federation
is an independent, non-profit agricultural organization and
is not associated with any arm of the government. More information
may be found on the organization’s Web site, http://FloridaFarmBureau.org.
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Florida
Farm Bureau Federation