Date:

Subject: County Tax Portability

Dear [Decision Maker],

As a constituent from your district I am writing to ask for your assistance on an issue that is vital to our area economy and our own personal cost of living. Please take action toward writing legislation this year that will allow the voters of our County to decide if tax portability is a policy the voter’s desire and want today.

In five recent pieces of legislation in the Florida Senate and House, the Save Our Homes Property Tax Portability initiatives have been voted down. Tax portability allows all homeowners increased financial freedom to move within our County without being penalized by higher assessed value on our current home’s market value. I find the failure of these legislative initiatives to be unacceptable. To fail to address this pressing issue raises an inherent conflict of interest – local and State treasuries have enjoyed a windfall of tax income simply because the national housing boom of recent years has inflated home values.

Home ownership should pay its’ fair share of the cost of government. It should not, however, be the source of a hidden tax that government enjoys instead of improved fiscal management. During a time of increased individual and business prices and taxes due to the gas crisis, we cannot afford to allow this unreasonable property tax situation to continue.

We should learn from the mistake of unbridled property tax increases and correct this burden on homeowners this year. Only the Florida Senate and the House of Representatives can give the voters of each county the opportunity to decide locally if the time has come for Property Tax Portability.

I hope you agree with me. If so, please do your part to let your chamber know that you are opposed to the continued road-block to effective Save Our Home legislation. If you don't agree with me, please explain to me and the thousands of voters who want this change why this tax windfall is not a serious threat to our homeowners and local economy.

We’re all counting on you to help make this happen.

Sincerely,

(Name, address, city, state, zip)