Studying financial trends April 28 in preparation for upcoming budget workshops, Plant City commissioners indicated spending cutbacks will be necessary. ...more

May 7, 2008

They laughed - a lot - but cried plenty as well as they passed more than 270 new laws affecting everything from your property taxes to license plates for your car. ...more

May 4, 2008

Florida voters will decide this fall whether to tack another penny onto the state sales tax and whether to resurrect one of former Gov. Jeb Bush's pet education projects. They will also weigh in on various tax breaks. ...more

May 4, 2008

Proposals that would trim 25 percent from your property tax bill or give you a new homestead exemption moved a step closer on Monday toward the November ballot. ...more

February 25, 2008

In 1998, the average national cost of a new home was $129,300, and people's annual average income was $38,100. ...more

February 23, 2008

The Pasco County real estate market might be showing signs of life. The recent passage of the Amendment No. 1 overhaul of the state's property tax system could be applying the medicine, several local real estate professionals believe. ...more

February 23, 2008

Perhaps some of the economic stimulus local folks are looking for will come from Amendment One, which passed in January. Everyone knew it would double the homestead exemption, but it's the portability factor that might give our area an economic boost. Portability gives homeowners with the Save Our Homes property tax cap the opportunity to take that protection with them to the next home they buy. That wasn't possible before Amendment One. All of a sudden, homeowners on either Florida coast can sell their $750,000 home, move here and buy the same house for $250,000, and with portability, pay little property tax. We won't claim that hundreds of people are lining up to do this, but the numbers are growing. Residents already living here also are moving within the county due to portability. We hope all of this bodes well for the real estate market. Getting some movement – any movement – will make a big difference. ...more

February 22, 2008

When we voted on the proposed property taxes to increase the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $50,000 here in Florida, it was passed. I called the Highlands County appraisal office. I asked the lady when it was going to go into effect, and she told me it would be Jan 1, 2008. I then called my mortgage holder, Bank of America, and they told me they got the notice, and that my homestead exemption went to $50,000 in Florida. She told me I would be getting a notice shortly on the new payment. I did not know that it didn't include Sebring. We now get an extra $5,000 for low income seniors and we could get the additional $20,000 more, which would give us $50,000 homestead exemption like the rest of Florida. ...more

February 22, 2008

The value of Hillsborough County's tax base is expected to drop 4.5 percent this year, the first time in more than a decade the figure has decreased from one year to the next, county officials say. ...more

February 21, 2008

Highlands County officials have every right to be upset with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. That's because he's apparently broke his promise to Highlands County and every other "fiscally constrained" county in Florida that will take a big tax hit. The citizens of Highlands County should be just as upset and make sure the governor's office knows about it. ...more

February 21, 2008