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The Freedom Forum THE MAIN ISSUE IN THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S RACEFrom: Richard V. Vajs CommentsTHE MAIN ISSUE IN THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S RACE Back in 1994, Florida voters approved a Constitutional Amendment entitled, "Save Our Homes". The intent of this Amendment was to limit property assessment increases to residential property to a maximum of 3% or the c.p.i. (consumer price index) in any given year. The voters wanted to stop runaway taxation of their homes. By the time the Legislature implemented this Amendment, the wording had gotten changed so the new law read that homestead and residential property assessments HAD TO BE raised 3% or the c.p.i. (whichever was less) each and every year. This means that in a flat or declining market, homestead and residential property assessments get increased the maximum every year even if commercial property assessments get reduced (to follow the market). That's a 30% increase in only 10 years!!! Even officials at the state's Department of Revenue realize fraud has been promulgated. A bureau chief at the DOR, Mr. Hugh Harrel, told me that the DOR has been expecting some county Property Appraiser to challenge this law. But, he said, "no-one has come forth". The incumbent Okaloosa County Property Appraiser, Mr. Pete Smith, has not "come forth". If I am elected Property Appraiser, I have every intention of "coming forth". Richard V. Vajs ______ Last changed: March 04, 2008
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