Communcations & Publications

Download this newsletter as a PDF
View News & Notes Archive

News & Notes
Special Session D - Property Tax Reform

Constitutional Amendment for Property Tax Reform

The House and Senate both passed legislation (SB 2D) during Special Session D that will be placed on the Jan 29 election ballot. Below are the four (4) components of the constitutional amendment that will be presented before the voters.

1) Double Homestead Exemption
An additional $25,000 homestead exemption is provided for the value of homestead property above $50,000. This exemption does not apply to school taxes. According to Senate estimates, this would result in an $892 million statewide tax roll reduction in 2008-09.

Example: If you live in a home that is currently assessed at $250,000 in value, you will be exempt from paying taxes on the 1st $25,000 in value (this is the current Homestead exemption), you will pay full taxes on the 2nd $25,000 in value ($25,000- $50,000 in value), you will be exempt from all taxes except school taxes on the 3rd $25,000 in value ($50,000 - $75,000 in value), and you will pay full taxes on the entire value of your home after $75,000. If you live in a home that is valued at $50,000 or less, this new exemption will not apply to your home.

- more -

FAC 2008 Legislative Conference
World Golf Village Renaissance Resort (St. Johns County)
November 13-16, 2007

Allan Bense, Chairman of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, will be the guest speaker at FAC's Legislative Conference. Chairman Bense will update the membership on the work of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission during the Finance Transportation Administration Committee meeting on Thursday, November 15th at 3:00 p.m. Bense, of Panama City, is a partner with GAC Contractors. He was elected Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives where he served from 2004-2006. He was the first Republican elected to House District 6 and served that district for eight years. He is a board member of the Florida Council of 100, Florida Chamber of Commerce, and Enterprise Florida.

- more -

St. Johns County Commissioner Exchange Program

Officials attending FAC's Legislative Conference are invited to attend the County Exchange: On-Site Facilities Tour. Hosted by St. Johns County, this event will take place on Friday, November 16 from 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The tour will begin with a stop at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, Florida's brand new outdoor concert venue. Next will be a narrated trolley tour through historic downtown St. Augustine. The tour will also include a stop at the St. Johns County Hurricane House. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP by Wednesday, November 7, to Nichole Pepper at (850) 922-4300.

Flagler County Government Services Center Tour

After the conclusion of the St. Johns County Tour, you will also have the option to tour Flagler County's new Government Center. The center is home to a state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center, a four-story Justice Center, a fleet maintenance and public works operation, a chiller plant responsible for cooling the two largest buildings, and the Government Services Building which houses the Board of County Commissioners, School Board, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector and Supervisor of Elections. For more information, and/or to arrange a personal tour to best meet your individual desires and travel plans while attending the FAC conference in St. Johns County, please contact Christie Mayer or Chris Lundy in the County Administrator's Office at (386) 313-4001.

CCC: Florida's Legislative Process Workshop
Deadline Approaches!

The deadline to register for the Florida's Legislative Process workshop is Monday, November 5. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, November 13, before the 2008 FAC Legislative Conference in St. Johns County. Participants will receive an overview of the legislative process including bill tracking, grassroots lobbying techniques, and the roles that the Executive Branch, Senate, and House have on legislation. Commissioners will receive 3 Elective credit hours towards their CCC certification for attending.

- more -

Watershed Webcast on Financing - Moving Beyond Grants

EPA's Watershed Academy is pleased to sponsor free Webcast seminars. Local watershed organizations, municipal leaders, and others are invited to sign up for these free, on-line Webcast training sessions. Creating a watershed-financing plan that identifies and leverages sustainable funding sources is key to successful implementation of any community effort, including watershed restoration and protection. Essential elements of developing a watershed finance strategy and key steps in the financing planning process will be discussed. Concepts will be demonstrated through presentation of successful watershed finance case study examples. URL: http://www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts/

Maximize Your Future Funding with LUCA

Deadline to Register: November 19

Every county in Florida has an opportunity over the next six months to improve its chances for an accurate and complete population count in the 2010 Census. A little- known program offered by the U.S. Census Bureau allows counties to request a copy of the official -- top secret -- address list that will be used in 2010 to deliver Census questionnaires. The program is called LUCA for Local Update of Census Addresses and every county received an invitation to participate.

- more -