Latest news with #AnnaEskamani
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In Florida property tax debate, use a ‘scalpel' not a ‘chainsaw,' officials argue
Property taxes are necessary to fund local governments and agencies but can be unfair to first-time homebuyers, a group of local Democrats argued Tuesday. Six elected officials gathered Tuesday at a roundtable hosted by Rep. Anna Eskamani as debate continues across Florida on if and how to reform property taxes – which are top funders for everything from local police and fire departments to public schools. 'Instead of taking a chainsaw, I think it's important we use a scalpel,' said Eskamani, D-Orlando, who sits on a 37-member task force studying the issue. The push for property tax relief started when Gov. Ron DeSantis said earlier this year that Florida should ban the tax, assessed by local governments on property owners. He'd equated paying the tax as 'renting your property from the government.' House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, convened a task force to study the issue, which is expected to consider numerous ideas, ranging from outright abolishing the levy, adding homestead exemptions to lower tax bills and requiring every municipality to hold their own referendum on whether or not to ban it. DeSantis and others have argued that local governments have benefited from surging property values – even as most haven't increased their tax rate. With a bigger pool of taxable value, the money has poured in, with Orange County's budget growing by $1.7 billion over a five-year period, fueled in part by about a 40% increase in property tax collections in that same period. Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph said that the state's tax structure is designed to keep costs low for longtime Floridians, and in turn, hits first-time homebuyers with higher costs. 'If you're an existing homeowner who has owned a home for 7 or 8 years, you don't need a property tax break,' he said. 'If Florida wants to attract young people, young professionals …they've got to fix this problem.' But cities and counties, particularly in Central Florida, are grappling with growth. And growth requires infrastructure, law enforcement, fire protection and new schools to accommodate it. Property tax revenue is a critical funding source for local governments accounting for about 52% of the Orange County public schools budget and about 48% of Orlando's general fund. A study by the Florida Policy Institute found that state leaders would need to double its sales tax to 12% to make up a chunk of the revenue lost from banning the tax. After its publication, DeSantis said he'd veto any such increase. Sadaf Knight, the CEO of the Florida Policy Institute, said any tax relief should be targeted. 'I think whatever the solution is to make sure the tax relief is getting to the people who need it most,' she said. rygillespie@
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida state parks gain new protections after DeSantis signs ‘State Land Management' bill into law
The Brief Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 209, the "State Land Management" bill, into law on Thursday. It will give Florida's almost 200 state parks more protections that will help prevent development. The bill was the product of controversy last year, after they said a whistleblower brought attention to possible plans to allow development at several state parks. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Almost 200 parks across Florida will now have more protections. Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 209, the "State Land Management" bill, into law on Thursday. The Legislature approved the bill, which aims to prevent development in state parks, unanimously. PREVIOUS: State parks bill teed up in Florida Senate What they're saying "The idea of putting golf courses and mega-hotels in our state parks, as Floridians, we're just not going to stand for it," Rep. Lindsay Cross said. The new law will require public hearings for all updated conservation and non-conservation land management plans. "Just strengthening the policy in the bill that would require for there to be public facing processes," Rep. Anna Eskamani said. RELATED: State employee fired over leak of Florida park development plans The backstory State lawmakers said this bill was the product of controversy last year, after they said a whistleblower brought attention to possible plans to allow development at several state parks. The proposals included things like pickleball courts and a hotel. However, earlier this month, DeSantis was asked if he would sign the bill into law, to which he said yes. The bill received strong support from residents around the state and state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. "I do think the environment continues to be one of those topics that can build bridges," Eskamani said. "And oftentimes, it's not red versus blue. It's people versus corporations." The bill was also met with loud support from residents across the state. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Dig deeper State lawmakers say the new law also outlines things you can and cannot do on state park land. "Things like hiking, bird watching, really more passive recreation, things that doesn't require the creation of a pickleball court or a golf course that uses lots of fertilizer and water," Cross said. "Those really nature-based activities. And then, it outlines some of the that things that you can't do, such as golf courses or tennis or pickleball courts there. It also limits the type of lodging that we can have." What's next State leaders said this new legislation sends the message that this land isn't for sale. Some lawmakers said this is just a step in a long-term effort to protect the environment. The new law takes effect on July 1. The Source The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Kylie Jones. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill requiring landlords to disclose potential flood risks heads to governor's desk
The Brief A bill requiring landlords to disclose to tenants the potential flood risks of a property is heading to the governor's desk. The law would also apply to condominium developers and mobile home land owners. If Gov. DeSantis signs the bill, the new law would go into effect Oct. 1. TALLAHASSEE - A bill currently waiting for the governor's signature would require landlords to disclose to tenants the potential flood risks of a potential rental property. Senate Bill 948, passed unanimously through both chambers of the Florida legislature, would expand the flood disclosure law that passed last year, which mandated flood risk disclosures in property sales. Big picture view The expansion would require landlords to make similar disclosures to potential tenants. If they don't, the landlords could be responsible for refunding rent and deposits if the tenant suffers a substantial loss in a flood. The law would also apply to condominium developers and mobile home landowners. What they're saying "As state lawmakers, we've stepped in to mandate the transparency," said State. Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orange. "It's not fair for a tenant or a homeowner to not be made aware of the risk of where they're living, especially when they could potentially not only see damage to their personal property, but also, of course, the risk of impacting a loved one." This comes several months after tens of thousands of homes in Tampa Bay were impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. READ: Governor Ron and Casey DeSantis 'double down' on Hope Florida Timeline Eskamani pointed to a recent study that showed why this expansion is so important. First Street found that nearly half of all homes in Pinellas County and about a third of homes in Hillsborough County have a risk of flooding in the next 30 years. If Gov. DeSantis signs the bill, the new law would go into effect Oct. 1. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With Legislature divided on taxes, advocates say Florida should look at corporations
Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani speaking in the Capito Rotunda in Tallahassee on April 15, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) With Americans observing Tax Day on Tuesday, a Florida Democrat joined with a progressive group at the Capitol to call for the Legislature to embrace a form of taxation known as 'combined reporting' that they claim would move more than $2 billion into state coffers. The call came as the House and Senate worked toward a major sales tax cut for Floridians this session, although they remain far apart in terms of the amount and how it would be distributed. The Senate on Tuesday was poised to pass its $2.1 billion tax cut plan (SPB 7034), which features permanent elimination of taxes on most clothing and shoes priced $75 or less. The measure also calls for the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to establish a plan to reduce and potentially eliminate property taxes for homesteaded property. The study would conclude later this year and, if legislators are persuaded by it, they would vote during next year's legislative session to ask the voters to eliminate property taxes via the 2026 ballot. That's what Gov. Ron DeSantis began hyping earlier this year. But after House Speaker Daniel Perez announced last month his plan to permanently reduce the sales tax from 6% to 5.25% with an estimated savings of approximately $5 billion, DeSantis said the Legislature should spend that money on a property tax cut this year, giving an estimated 5.1 million residents who have a homestead exemption on their property taxes a rebate averaging $1,000 in December. But neither the House nor the Senate has responded to that proposal, and it isn't going anywhere this year. DeSantis has blasted the House proposal, saying he'd rather give a tax cut to Floridians and not to 'Canadian tourists,' alluding to the fact that a sales tax would affect everyone who spent on items in Florida, such as tourists (who contributed about 16% of the sales taxes collected in the 2021-2022 fiscal year). Meanwhile, during a press conference held in the Capitol Rotunda, Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani and Jackson Oberlink with the group Florida For All called upon the Legislature to link whatever sales tax emerges this year with what is known as 'combined reporting.' Combined reporting is a tax accounting method that states can require multinational corporations to use when calculating how much they owe on their annual profits. It's in place in 28 states. 'Our taxes should serve working families, not wealthy corporations,' said Oberlink, legislative director for Florida For All. 'Right now in Florida, multinational corporations are treating our state like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Combined reporting would close the loopholes that let giant corporations shift profits to tax havens and dodge billions in taxes.' Eskamani echoed Oberlink, and referenced a report issued Tuesday called 'The Cost of Corporate Giveaways 2025: How Florida Lawmakers Are Letting Big Corporations Dodge Taxes and Making Working People Pay the Price.' The report claims that adopting that system of taxing corporations would result in up to $2.4 billion in new revenue for the state without having to raise tax rates. Eskamani expressed concern about the House plan to cut $5 billion. She recognizes that sales taxes are regressive, she said, but worries about how the state will make up that lost revenue. 'We have a federal government which is slashing programs left and right, with very little due diligence or oversight,' Eskamani said. 'For a state like ours, which is very reliant on federal funding, we need to be cautious and careful about permanently cutting opportunities to generate revenue for essential services like Medicaid. Like public education. Like paying our public safety officials, and so forth. And so the solution that I have been mentioned many times as the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee is combined reporting.' Eskamani emphasized that supporting combined reporting is not a partisan issue. In fact, former St. Cloud Republican House members Fred Hawkins filed legislation in 2021 to mandate multistate and multinational companies to file single Florida corporate income tax return covering their entire businesses, rather than separate returns for subsidiaries. If all states that levy a corporate income tax adopted combined reporting, that policy would raise $18.7 billion a year, according to an analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida lawmakers consider plan to require E-Verify immigration searches for small businesses
A proposal that would require small businesses to use the E-Verify system to check someone's immigration status is now moving forward in the Florida legislature. The Republican-controlled committee voted to support the measure. If passed, businesses with 25 or more employees would need to use E-Verify to determine if people are eligible to work. 'Costs are up right now. We don't have a workforce to support Florida's growing population, in ag, tourism or healthcare. We are very reliant on immigrant labor,' said state Rep. Anna Eskamani. So far, a similar bill has not been heard in the state Senate. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
