07-1763 Florida League of Cities 2007 Legislative Action Agenda

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. Establishes a more simplified and informative truth-in-millage (TRIM) process for property owners specifically as it relates to a taxing authority's proposed budget and the implications for the properry owner's tax bill, including the elimination of information such as the "rollback" rate; . Enhances a local budgeting process to encourage public participation; . Establishes an equitable assessment system with standards and criteria that apply equally to all types of property and is based on the market value of the property's current use; . Establishes a statutory ceiling determined by the average assessment change in the previous five years to protect all property owners from unan- ticipated spikes in property tax bills. However, the League generally opposes artificial caps on properry assessments, municipal expenditures or revenues; . Authorizes municipalities and counties to provide exemptions or changes to properry tax assessment criteria (such as Save Our Homes, Save Our Seniors, pottabiliry of exemptions or special assessments for affordable housing) under specific circumstances within their jurisdiction; . Provides state financial assistance, in a revenue-neutral manner, to impacted local governments to allow for property tax adjustments without reductions in municipal levels of service, if exemptions or changes to prop- erty tax assessment criteria are implemented statewidej . Establishes specific assessment criteria and standards for the taxation of very-Iow-, low- and moderate-income housing; . Establishes property tax equity by authorizing property appraisers to assess new construction, subject to appropriate exemptions, on a partial-year basis; . Provides a constitutional amendment to clarifY the intent of Section I, Article VlII of the Florida Constitution that prevents the dual taxation of municipal property for the primary benefit of the property or residents in the unincorporated areas; and . Authorizes municipalities to levy any tax authorized by the state for any public purpose. The ad valorem tax or "property tax" is the primary source of general tax revenue for Florida's counties, municipalities and public education. For example, beginning in 2001, local property tax collections have exceeded state sales tax collecrions. In fact, during the current 2006-07 fiscal year, property tax collections are anticipated to exceed all of the state's general revenue sources. @