I told you so! It has already started and the body is not yet cold. One of our local municipalities is already canceling their previously announced real estate tax cut. The reason stated is that costs have gone up for gas, insurance, pensions, etc. What happened to all the extra revenue from the previous years real estate tax? Another municipality, whose revenues rose 85 percent is bemoaning about a million dollar loss in parking revenue. Maybe they will cut services to make up for the shortfall.
In the old days they called it pillaging. Today it is just plain theft. Like I have stated before, the 265 MILLION in extra real estate taxes in Pinellas County is 265 MILLION less for the citizens to spend in the local economy. After all, isn't it widely known that the taxpayer and NOT the tax collector spend OUR money more wisely? They tax, they spend and we go broke. I do know this - the Piggy Bank is almost near empty.
A correction from last week's column. There was a typographical error pertaining to the Save Our Homes cap, it should have been 3 percent (3%).
Ric Cornelius is the Broker/Manager of Sand Key Realty Sales and Rentals, Inc. Sand Key Realty has three offices with 40 agents. One office is at 740 S. Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach, 727-443-0032; the second office is at 2701 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach, 727-595-5441; and the third office is at 309 Belleview Blvd., Belleair, 727-461-4200.