If you think DeSantis’ proposal to cut your property taxes
by amending Florida’s constitution is a good idea, think again. Any thought of
lower taxes is enticing but this is a ruse. It just means all those services provided
to you by your locally elected officials because you need and demand them will
still need to be funded, and guess who will still fund them?
Exactly. You. Only then, you’ll be talking to the Governor
and Legislature instead of your locally elected city and county commissioners.
Local governments are vociferously lamenting how it will
prevent them from providing urgent services like fire departments, public
safety, and a myriad of other purposes that will need to be curtailed or even eliminated
if that source of revenue is lost. And they are right.
But hold on, DeSantis says. No worries. We will reimburse
you from state funds.
Well, think about that. Who funds the state?
Exactly.
You.
And given Trump’s ugly penchant for sending federal benefits
to Red states and cities while Blue states and cities get federalized National
Guard troops and ICE goons, one can expect DeSantis will do similarly on a
state level within Florida.
Exactly.
So, what’s really going on here? Well, remember back in 2010
and virtually each year since, when Rick Scott and J.D. Alexander severely cut
the taxing capacities of the five water management districts and removed their
budgeting and decision-making from the regional Governing and Basin Boards to
the Governor and the DEP Secretary? (And, by the way fired hundreds of
professional and other employees.)
What was that all about? Well, think about what has happened
across the country. This is no different. Every single year since the
Republican Party has taken control of both houses there has been a concerted
effort to take away the authority and decision-making of local governments (cities,
counties, regional governments and thus, YOU!) and hand it to state and federal
leaders.
This thing with DeSantis is just a continuation of that.
It’s simply more of that extremist right-wing Project 25 crap that posits
capitalism is sacrosanct and government is not only unnecessary but is demonically
dangerous to the survival of America as a country. And the way to control the
locals is to remove their power to govern by removing their power to fund their
own programs.
Voting for Amendment 3 would be a mistake of historic
proportions.
Once they have taken control of local government funding, how
much knee-bending and bootlicking by local officials will it take to get
critical local projects and programs funded by Tallahassee?
And how will you feel about having to go to Tallahassee
instead of your locally elected county and city governments to express your
needs and concerns?
Exactly.
Sandspur
