Posted by  Amber Alexander, Lexington, SC on 09/20  at  08:06 AM

Let me say that I’m a FL native, as both of my parents are too, so I have a good idea about what I’m talking about. I’m not meddling Mr. Cook.  My parents want me to move back to FL but the property taxes and home prices are two of the reasons I don’t. Again, FL doesn’t pay state income tax.  We pay a sate income tax in SC, but enjoy low property taxes. So if you don’t pay in property taxes, you’ll pay in other ways.  The state will get the money they need to support all the moochers.  All 50 states have plenty of them.  Maybe if more people worked and took care of themselves and their bills, the county could lower taxes.  Now that is a great idea!!!

Posted by  Raymond Greenlee, Ruskin, Florida on 09/19  at  05:47 PM

Our apparaised value has gone up over 150% each year for the past two years. From 3000 a year to over 11,000 and if you can not afford to pay them right away they charge you 25% interest. Bad as credit card companies. Way out of line for the actual reate of increase.

Posted by  Ida Rodriguez, Riverview, FL on 09/19  at  04:16 PM

I just moved to the Riverview area in Feb. 2006 and Hillsborough County Taxes seem to be the highest. Sure some families are grandfathered in with lower taxes but if that family wants to upgrade to a newer home their taxes will be as high as the rest of us. Middle class people should speak up, something has to be done, the taxes are way too high.

Posted by  Rick Tally, Tampa on 09/19  at  03:31 PM

So according to David Cook’s logic in his post, the first time homeowner, those mopving into the area, or those who have been living in the area for a long time but moving into a different house don’t matter because they only make up a small portion of homeowners in the area. You could not be more wrong - what a shortsighted and totally ignorant view.

Posted by  David Cook, Tampa on 09/19  at  01:16 PM

I guess Mr. Millen did no research on the implications of selling his house and building one in Palma Ceia. Spending 15 min on the Property Appraiser’s website would have given him a rough estimate of future taxes and explained loss of the A10 cap. Next, I’m tired of hearing out-of-state residents complain. How dare they mettle in our government. Several have threatened to move away. I hear Arizona is nice. Maybe traffic will improve. They’re one reason market values are so high. Final point - these complaints are coming from a small portion of property owners. Most owners have been homesteaded for years (read voters) and are happy with the present system. Don’t look for major changes. The politicians know where the voters are.

Posted by  Mike Strong, Odessa on 09/19  at  08:21 AM

These tax rates are killing the market and preventing potential buisnesses from moving in. Who can afford to sell and move up into a nicer neighborhood? How are these tax increases improving our quality of life?  This has gottten out of control. Adjustments need to made to correct this action ASAP. No more property tax increases.

Posted by  Amber Alexander, SC on 09/19  at  08:01 AM

Quit complaining.  You don’t pay state income tax in Florida.  The money has to come from somewhere.

Posted by  Ann Cerbone, Palm Harbor on 09/19  at  07:57 AM

Not only fed up with taxes,,,worse are the home insurance rates,,,,what are we supposed to do??Politicians have to do something soon to help the homeowners keep their homes......Florida is not the sunshine state anymore,,,more like the greedy state...Help!!!!

Posted by  David McClister, Temple Terrace on 09/19  at  07:34 AM

We purchased our home last year, and one of the attractive features was the lower tax bill compared to where we used to live. Now my taxes are set to double, sending it far above the over-taxed situation from which I came (and this on top of the outrageous Citizens insurance premiums). I do not understand why taxes must be so high when Florida has a record number of people moving into the state to share the tax burden. The county and state officials are going to drive people (including me) out of the state if they do not do something to provide relief. If they won’t listen to us now, maybe we’ll just have to remind them at election time.

Posted by  Michael MacQueen, Tampa on 09/19  at  07:04 AM

Taxes are part of the reason the housing market is depressed. Taxes on my home are $2600 because I’ve been here 28 years. If I sold my home for market value, the new owner would pay over $12000. When a purchaser faces a thousand a month just for taxes, on top of principal, insurance, etc. etc. it makes one pause.
I’ve felt the bite on a rental condo. Between a tax and insurance increase, my expenses went up $200 a month, in a week’s time, $120 of that being taxes.
Makes it tough to sell something....

Posted by  Mike Ferlita, Tampa, Florida on 09/19  at  06:43 AM

I’d rather be paying taxes to our governement than pay over-inflated insurance premiums to private companies.

Posted by  irene entwistle, new port richey on 09/19  at  06:18 AM

Between insurance and taxes the american dream of owning a home people
will have to leave them.
There are people right now using their
credit cards to pay for the increase of
insurance and taxes because some brought
homes thinking it was a good deal because of interest rates.
we are going to have to start looking
in other bordering states to leave
and just leave and start all over.
i feel so sorry for mykids and friends

Posted by  William O'Lynnger, Spring Hill, FL on 09/19  at  06:00 AM

Hello!  Federal tax cuts.  The War on terror.  Less money trickling down to the states.  Where do people think the money is going to come from to fight a war, fix potholes and fund police forces let alone aid firemen and schools.  It all sounded good on paper.  The President’s approval rating were very elevated when he proposed these cuts and we all for the war, until the bill came.  It time for us to wake up and live with the mess we were all a part of creating.  We have no one to blame but ourselves.  Remember, we got what we asked for…

Posted by  William O'Lynnger, Spring Hill, FL on 09/19  at  05:58 AM

Hello!  Federal tax cuts.  The War on terror.  Less money trickling down to the states.  Where do people think the money is going to come from to fight a war, fix potholes, and fund police forces let alone aid firemen and schools.  It all sounded great and grand on paper.  The President’s approval rating were very elevated when he proposed these cuts and we all for the war, until the bill came.  It time for us to wake up and live with the mess we were all a part of creating.  We have no one to blame but ourselves.  Remember, we got what we asked for...now pay up!