In what may be a first for the U.S., the state of Florida is proposing a plan to offer property owners a choice between two ways of calculating property taxes.
"Pending voter approval in January, residents would have two choices next year: Keep their current homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap of 3 percent assessment increases, or switch to a new 'super exemption' that would provide deeper immediate tax cuts with future increases limited by a new cap on city and county revenues."
"Democrats and Republicans had argued earlier this week that many voters would not willingly give up the guaranteed annual cap of 3 percent increases in the future even if they received deeper cuts immediately with new exemptions equal to 75 percent of the first $200,000 of their home's value and 15 percent of the next $300,000. Those exemptions are far greater than the current $25,000 exemption."
"But many lawmakers said that new caps on local government revenues based on population and inflation would only limit increases in the future to as much as 10 percent annually and that a few years of big increases would make the new plan less favorable than the current Save Our Homes cap."
"One national tax expert said it would be the first multiple-choice tax system in the nation in a flawed experiment."
"'Allowing citizens to decide, on an individual basis, the amount of their property taxes is ridiculous,' said David Brunori, an editor with State Tax Notes. 'The way it is proposed, everyone will seek to minimize their property tax burden to the detriment of local government services. To maintain the same level of education and public safety spending will require massive state increases.'"
FULL STORY: Homeowners May Get to Choose Taxes
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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ULI Northwest Arkansas
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