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News & Notes
Taxation and Budget Reform Commission Updates
On Thursday, January 17, 2008, a constitutional proposal by Commissioner John McKay to mandate review of sales tax exemptions and exclusions and use the revenues to eliminate the Required Local Effort passed the TBRC Governmental Procedures and Structure Committee (8-3), with Commissioners Jacinta Mathis, Nancy Riley and Brian Yablonski dissenting. The bill will next be discussed at the TBRC Finance and Tax Committee at their February 11 meeting and could be put to a vote at the committee's February 12th meeting.
FAC's unfunded mandates constitutional proposal is in the continuing process and is being finalized by TBRC staff and the proposal sponsor, Mike Hogan. The proposal will be assigned to a committee by Chairman Bense and could be ready for agenda and first discussion at the assigned committee on February 11 or 12.
Finally, the TBRC approved its first constitutional amendment, a constitutional proposal by Commissioner Margolis to provide exemption from ad valorem tax for hurricane mitigation and energy efficiency additions. The proposal, which passed unanimously becomes the first amendment to be placed on the November 2008 ballot. In other news, a constitutional proposal by Les Miller to change the dates of the Legislative session to February-March was defeated 16 votes to 1 (Commissioner Martha Barnett dissenting); however, Commissioner Barnett subsequently motioned to revive the proposal for future consideration of the commission and this was approved unanimously.