The State of Florida is boasting a 3 billion dollar budget surplus! And what better way to make the people happy than by giving them a sales tax holiday In a move that amounts to the largest tax cut in state history, the powers that be want to give it back to you. It must be an election year.
While many believe that the best thing the government can do with the money is give it back to the taxpayer, there are several dozen – if not hundreds or thousands – different areas where Florida’s budget surplus could be better spent. Can you think of a better use for the money? Go ahead, act like the government is can actually do something for the people, use your imagination and spend 3 billion dollars.
David Pinero
4 years ago
Uhhh, the money Jeb said we didn’t have for high speed rail? Local transit projects of *any* kind? How nice that the only way to “get this money back” is to spend money first.
John
4 years ago
There was money for transit – just not the mass variety. Road sand more roads! There’s money for everything they (those in power) want but nto what the voters mandate — like the class size ammendment. There’s no money for that! But lets give another huge payout to show them we DO care – about our retail industry companies and about those consumers who need a few cents off.
Editengine
4 years ago
This tax holiday has been a huge shot to local retailers which pumps money right back into the economy and is good for us all. Also low income families, especially those with kids, benefit from it greatly. At least this is what I gather from the news, is none of that true?
And high speed rail would cost quite a bit more that $3 billion I thought, plus the yearly budgets it would require. The same with teachers they would require this money every year thereafter for salaries and benefits. It is a one time surplus caused by higher than normal real estate transfer taxes and retail sales tax.
Joel
4 years ago
We could use the money to put up billboards all over the state with three simple words:
executive. legislative. judicial.
John
4 years ago
I guess I didn’t underline, Editengine and readership, that the tax holidy is underlined up to five thousand dollars this year and fits in with many a big-ticket item for sale…
Inf act the article form the Times (In the paper) benchmarked the sales tax with big ticket items that were now tax exempt… Tell me, are lower income families fightning to buy dual core Apple computers with 30 inch LCD widescreen monitors? Or Plasma HDTV’s? Or fine jewelry?
The sales tax holiday originally coincided the start of school — makign supplies mroe affordable. Now it’s being extended to help out those who aren’t scrappng together every nickle and dime they have to make ends meet…
Ben
4 years ago
Mass transit also benefits people of low income and business owners have whole new groups of customers that previously wouldn’t/couldn’t visit their businesses.
I am not so sure I want to live in a city where it is such a pain in the ass to get around and there is no one in any kind of leadership position that wants to do anything about it. Spend the money on mass transit and we all benefit.
Bryan
4 years ago
They could use some of that money to buy more land for preservation.
Editengine
4 years ago
I just don’t think that $3 billion is as much as it sounds like, a one time outlay like that comes no where close to providing salaries for teachers for the next 20 years or paying for the groundwork that rail would require. Furthermore the money isn’t just returned to taxpayers this way it is pumped right back into local busineses (local meaning in-state, Wal Mart counts) which benefits all in the form of increased work. From the stocker at the local big box retialer who gets more hours to the truck driver who spends more miles in Florida, to the resturant owner who has more patrons with discretionary income to the Wall Street investor looking at Florida real estate increased retail spending has a huge impact. If it was a steady source of income I would say sure lets add it to the budget for one of the huge projects this state needs but spending it on transit or hiring teachers seems like buying the biggest house you can make the downpayment for without caring if you can make the monthly payments.
Anonymous
4 years ago
What about using the money to fund that class size ammendment that Jeb says they don’t have the money for?
John
4 years ago
That’s another good use anon… And seeing politicians are trying to get around the ammendment or have it repealed – it gives even more reason to do so.
I mean, what do we need more? Citizens to be able to make large purchases tax free, or more schools?
Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog » Can’t Buy Me Love
4 years ago
[...] If so, please contact your legislators in Tallahassee. Tell them to shelve the idea of a week-long tax-free holiday. Jim Davis correctly referred to this plan as a gimmick and I agree. Instead, our representatives should use this revenue to solve some problems. [...]