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, .' ...-1-- ,I / ....(. t tv' "./11 ( I!/. (,1 .-,.,,- /I..... '1/ f, _/~ 1 i {! . /1 "'"l/iv/ v'v [it- {"",r RESOLUTION 08-1859 "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF CASSELBERRY, FLORIDA URGING ITS CITIZENS TO CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROPOSED CONSTITUTINAL AMENDMENT CONCERNING PROPERTY TAXES THAT WILL APPEAR ON THE JANUARY 29, 2008 BALLOT; OPPOSING SAID PROPOSAL FOR REASONS STATED HEREIN, SUPPORTING A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROHIBITING UNFUNDED STATE MANDATES IN ORDER TO REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES; SUPPORTING A PROHffiITION ON THE STATE'S PRACTICE OF REQUIRING LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES; URGING THE FLORIDA TAXATION AND BUDGET REFORM COMMISSION TO DEVELOP MEASURES CONSISTENT WITH THIS RESOLUTION; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE." WHEREAS, the City Commission supports property tax reform because the current property tax structure created by the state and imposed on cities is unfair and unsustainable in that certain property tax payers are forced to assume tax burdens that, in fairness, should be borne by the owners of all types of properties and similarly situated homeowners are treated differently for purposes of ad valorem taxation; and WHEREAS, the City Commission supports a tax structure that is fair and equitable for all property owners, is competitively neutral and allows cities the flexibility to provide adequate services to their citizens; and WHEREAS, the state continues to force cities to raise property taxes to fund state initiatives at the expense of services to their citizens; that is, the state continues to place "unfunded state mandates" on cities; and WHEREAS, the state continues to shift its constitutional responsibility to adequately fund public education to local school districts by forcing school boards to increase their "required local effort"; that is, the state continues to force school boards to raise property taxes as a condition to the receipt of state revenues; and WHEREAS, the state has proposed an amendment to Florida's constitution that increases the homestead exemption, permits the portability of Save Our Homes, provides a $25,000 exemption from the tangible personal property tax and places a 10% per year assessment limitation on non-homestead properties; and WHEREAS, said proposal compounds the disparities and inequities imbedded in the current property tax structure and in current appraised values and ignores the dramatic influence "unfunded state mandates" and the state's shifting of its educational funding responsibility have had on property tax increases; and WHEREAS, the fiscal impact of the amendment is unknown, and thus the proposal fails to adequately inform citizens of its impact on their essential services, including education and public safety. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CASSELBERRY, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: