Grant Park residents in unincorporated Hillsborough County took their first tentative steps this week toward a proposal to move into the city. ...more

October 6, 2007

SEBRING — The ruling of a circuit court judge has removed the property tax relief proposal from the Jan. 29 ballot, but the Legislature has time to reverse that action. ...more

September 26, 2007

A bungalow for sale on North B Street in Tampa has become a poster home for tax reform. ...more

September 21, 2007

A lot of angry senior citizens want to know why potential property tax breaks were not known to them until an article appeared in the paper telling them about it. They have a right to be upset. Information about these tax breaks should be well known and not a surprise to so many people. Besides being cranky about not knowing about the tax breaks, many seniors are upset that the county only offers 1/10th of the tax break that state law allows under Save Our Seniors. The breaks could be as much as $50,000, but in Highlands County the maximum qualified homeowners can get is $5,000 off the taxable value. ...more

September 21, 2007

SEBRING — Two questions are being raised about the "Save Our Seniors" property tax discount, passed statewide by voters in 1998 to help lower-income homeowners age 65 and up. First: Should Highlands County commissioners raise this tax break? Highlands County offers 1/10th of the maximum level of this tax relief, available to seniors with annual household income of $23,600 or lower. The commissioners authorize it at a $5,000 reduction in the taxable value of a homestead house. The constitutional amendment creating Save Our Seniors originally gave cities and counties the option of reducing homestead taxable value by up to $25,000. A year ago, the state Legislature adjusted the maximum up to $50,000. ...more

September 16, 2007