Crist orders counties to reconsider property tax bills in wake of oil spill
by Michael C. Bender | July 21st, 2010Gov. Charlie Crist issued the executive order today, which calls for BP to foot the bill for any lost tax revenue the new assessments cost cities, counties and schools. The order tackles at least one issue lawmakers were considering for their special session in the fall. (Read the executive order here.)
“I have not asked BP’s permission to this this. We got it from the Constitution,” Crist said.
The constitution gives Crist the power to issue executive orders. But we’re checking now to find out what allows him to use an order to seemingly change state tax policy. Even so, would anyone in Florida have the political will to oppose Crist on this move?
Crist said he was contacted by appraisers in the Panhandle who wanted to do this.
But we’re not sure the Property Appraisers Association of Florida will be too thrilled. The statewide group gave legislative leaders a list of reasons why they don’t want to make mid-year assessments, saying mid-year assessments are arbitrary and could lead to tax increases for the few properties that were not built when the initial assessments were completed.
Tags: Charlie Crist, oil spill
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July 21st, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Charlie Crist = Barack Obama
more spending and more taxation
republicans wanted to USE the UNused Stimulus money to fund further Unemployment.
democrats added MORE SPENDING to the American debt that you (beginning Jan 2011 and your grandchildren will be paying off for YEARS)
A vote for Crist is a vote for Pelosi and Obama. Any democrat elected in Florida will side with whatever the Obama administration puts forth.
Do you hear ANY democrat denying Obama’s agenda…NO, they are silent.
NO to local and state democrats or the state will fall to Obama.
Just remember Charlie’s trip to Europe and what it cost Florida taxpayers. Everytime Charlie wants to visit his wife’s condo he manufactures an “appearance” and then heads to the condo.
NO to Crist, being helped by the Obama administration and by former congressman Robert Wexler…you know the Florida QUITTER and Maryland resident who ‘represented’ S FL but PAID no FL taxes, as he and his family, RESIDED in the state of MARYLAND.
NO to democrats or EXPECT more of that same behavior.
Jeff Greene former FAILED CALIFORNIAN REPUBLICAN POLITCAL CANDIDATE, who moved to FL and ‘decided’ to be a democrat. A BILLIONAIRE, who has about $3000 in donations, BUT has spent HIS millions on promoting HIS candidancy.
Greene ‘represents’ FL? WHAT A JOKE.
NO TO ALL DEMOCratS.
July 21st, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Whatever it is, it will get him media coverage. Isn’t that the whole point?
July 21st, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Proves my point..no need for special session.
We want our money back schmuck..you could of done this instead of putting on a show at the taxpayers expense.
Again its all about you.
July 21st, 2010 at 2:34 pm
It’s not about Repubs and Democrats. In my opinion neither of these parties stand for much in these times. If we the people were allowed to vote about issues such as banning oil drilling then maybe we would get an idea as to what the People want, and not a bunch of crook-lobbied-self-promoting-swinebucklers want for their political careers. Most of us do not trust the government and most of the younger generation has been brought up not believing a word these people say. How do we elect a politician and have them vote in favor of the opposite campaign speech they fed to us months earlier? We do have a ‘do-nothing’ legislature as far as my opinion goes. Do-nothing-unless-lobbyists-give-you-a-financial-incentive is more like it. For those who voted to take away our rights to see this issue on the ballot, we will remember your names and cross them off our sample ballot sheets. The environmental organizations behind the drilling debate have more of a following than the crooks in politics and they’ll make it known in one way or another. This isn’t about oil and money, it’s about having an ocean we can harvest fish from and the ability to bring our children to the beach, free of oil. Some mention job losses related to the ban? I think you are misunderstanding the impact of losing your beaches and waters and the effect on the tourism industry, recreation, and real estate that our state is built around. Keep believing what you read and hear on the news. Let me know where you can find the latest tests for toxicity levels related to the dispersants off our beaches? You are a fool if you believe that mother nature will “naturally clean itself up”. We are going to see some much under-publicized news related to the effects of this oil spill on our environment than you realize. The tar balls washing up on tourist filled beaches contain a lot of toxins, such as the non-volatile organic compounds benzopyrene, toluene and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons; all are known human carcinogens used as biomarkers to detect human exposure to toxins. These cause DNA mutations and birth defects.
Wait… maybe they are playing with tar balls in Tallahassee?
July 21st, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Thankyou Charlie!
July 21st, 2010 at 3:12 pm
You could have done something about it 3 years ago when Larco Rubio proposed the ELIMINATION of property taxes. Now go curry favor with somebody else for this “too little, too late” gesture.
July 21st, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Too late for that. I filed for property damages and “BP is not paying for diminished property values.” This is all about getting elected to the Senate in November. Forget it Charlie !!!
July 22nd, 2010 at 11:13 am
If no property is selling, how is this supposed to change anything? Property Appraissers use comparable sales to come up with assessed values of property. Does Cahrlie Crist really think that enough properties have sold since the oil spill disaster to make a case for falling property values? Florida state law says that your assessed value is based on the condition of your property as of Jan 1st of that year. If the oil spill has really affected property values, they should be lowered NEXT year, the same way that assessed property values took about a year to fall after the real-estate crash a couple years ago. Crist needs to quit screwing around with property tax laws, he is only complicating matters in an effort to get himself some good publicity.
July 26th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
The only thing that Crist’s executive order may do is further diminish property values. Did he THINK before he did this??? We do not yet know what the impact on property values will be. Sales have slowed and there may be a decrease in values. This may have serious impacts…talk about the rule of unintended consequences. If he says it’s so, it’s so? Well I fear for everyone who is trying to sell their properties now. While I’m all for lower taxes, but he just cut the legs off an already faltering real estate market, especially in our coastal areas.