The Tampa Port Authority staff will recommend a reduction in its portion of the Hillsborough County property tax for 2010 from $0.195 per $1,000 valuation to $0.1925 per $1,000. ...more

July 18, 2009

When the five supervisors of Spring Lake Improvement District were elected or appointed to their positions, there was no voter or property owner mandate that they purchase a golf course. Quite the contrary; they came to that job with a simple duty – overseeing the drainage issues, have grass cut and ensure that the water plant functioned correctly. Nothing more! Let us fast forward to the present. Buy a golf course so they can create a park and trails? Give me a break. When is the last time you saw a golf course with walking trails, parks, etc., that were for general use? Buy a golf course consisting of over 220 acres so they can get 17 acres of lakes. If that isn't just flat dumb and bordering on misfeasance-well I just don't know what is. ...more

March 13, 2009

When the five supervisors of Spring Lake Improvement District were elected or appointed to their positions, there was no voter or property owner mandate that they purchase a golf course. Quite the contrary; they came to that job with a simple duty — oversee the drainage issues, have grass cut and ensure that the water plant functioned correctly. Nothing more. ...more

March 11, 2009

In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the Highlands County commissioners tripled the property tax break granted to low-income senior homeowners who have a Homestead property. ...more

November 19, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Pasco County officials and law enforcement leaders might still be far apart on how much cuts might become necessary in the next Sheriff's Office budget, according to several comments today. Both Commissioner Jack Mariano and a Sheriff's Office spokesman, Doug Tobin, hailed the spirit of cooperation between the two sides in the wake of Amendment 1 property tax reforms. ...more

June 5, 2008

Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair, also a Tampa Port Authority board member, said Tuesday that he wants the port to consider eliminating the Hillsborough County property tax to save homeowners money and entice them to continue supporting a county property conservation program. ...more

May 21, 2008

TAMPA - Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair, also a member of the Tampa Port Authority board, called this morning for the port to eliminate its Hillsborough County property tax assessment of 19.8 cents per $1,000 valuation. ...more

May 20, 2008

TAMPA - Two Hillsborough County commissioners are proposing that the county and city merge some departments to cut costs to deal with reduced property tax collections resulting from Tuesday's passage of Amendment One. ...more

February 1, 2008

In 2002, my husband and I began investing in property in Highlands County. This county has always been a great place to "get away from it all." The fishing is fabulous, the traffic less congested and the beauty breath-taking. We were extremely excited to be able to retire early in 2006 to an area that we both love and enjoy. Our excitement quickly disappeared as we reviewed our 2006 Highlands County property tax bills. Our taxes had increased by 62 percent! If this county had adequate staff in 2005, why would a small 3 percent decrease this year (2007) be such a big deal when increases of 62 percent and higher in the prior year should have more than covered any additional staffing needs for police and fire protection? I am sick of hearing how devastating this tax rollback is for the county. What about the tax increase from 2005 to 2006 that many of us have been burdened with? What happened to those extra funds? A 3 percent rollback is peanuts compared to the previous years' increase. ...more

October 20, 2007