Headlines: Volume 12 Issue 21

Tell it to the judge

A Florida circuit judge tossed out a challenge to Florida’s popular Save Our Homes (SOH) amendment last week, but the plaintiff’s lawyer says the fight will continue. Three residents of Alabama who own second homes in Florida are challenging SOH, saying it unfairly shifts the property tax burden to non-homesteaded owners and businesses, which is unconstitutional under U.S. law. Next stop for the court challenge: the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee, which upheld SOH in a 2000 legal challenge.

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Joining the fight

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), a small business advocacy group with offices in Washington, D.C., and all 50 states, announced it would join FAR and others in campaigning for passage of the Jan. 29 ballot referendum to reform SOH. The amendment would significantly increase the homestead exemption and provide a $25,000 exemption on tangible personal property taxes. “It’s not the size of the tax cut that matters, it’s how you use it,” says NFIB/Florida Executive Director Bill Herrle. "Florida's small business owners can use this tax relief as business owners and as homeowners. They are stakeholders on both sides of the block—on Main Street and at their residences—so their voice is very important in this debate.” Herrle says the group is creating a communication organization called Small Business Speaks to run television and radio ads this winter for the amendment. “It’s going to take about $4 million to $6 million to get this thing across the finish line, at least. “We don’t have a strong history of fundraising, so we’re looking for allies.” Last month, FAR pledged $1 million to support the amendment.

Vote of confidence

Floridians are optimistic about housing prices despite the gloom pervading much of the real estate industry, a new University of Florida (UF) survey finds. Eighty-two percent of the 287 homeowners surveyed expect the value of their homes to rise, and 13% say prices will remain the same. UF economists said they aren’t surprised by the survey results. “The last time housing prices fell and didn’t recover within five years was during the Great Depression,” notes Jonathan Hamilton, a UF economics professor and chairman of the economics department. “Most of the problem in Florida right now is that we’ve had a huge amount of building and lots of speculative buying, and things are now catching up.” Although there is a large inventory of condominiums for sale statewide, many of these units are likely to be sold and occupied within the next few years, he adds. Click here for more.

National disaster insurance bill filed

It’s been seven months in the planning stages. Last week, South Florida Democratic Reps. Ron Klein and Tim Mahoney introduced their much-anticipated bill that would create a national insurance fund to reduce the soaring costs of homeowners’ insurance premiums. The Homeowners’ Defense Act of 2007 would allow states to contribute to an insurance fund to help pay the unusually high number of claims that result from a natural disaster. States would have to ensure that private insurance companies pass along savings to homeowners in the form of lower premiums. “The increased security and predictability of a national backstop will help to stabilize markets following a catastrophe, prevent insurance availability problems, and reduce insurance costs for consumers," says Rep. Klein. Adds Rep. Mahoney: “A successful catastrophe program must help the insurance industry manage risk, provide homeowners reliable and affordable insurance and create incentives for builders and homeowners to mitigate losses by using state of the art construction technology.” So far, the legislation has attracted more than 40 bi-partisan co-sponsors representing more than 20 states.

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Answer the call

Do you have an old cell phone no longer in use? Donate it and make a difference. FAR President Nancy Riley requests that you bring old, unwanted cell phones to the 2007 Convention & Trade Expo, Aug. 22-26, at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa in Lake Buena Vista near Orlando. They will be donated to St. Petersburg-based CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse). Cell phones will be refurbished and given to women at risk for domestic violence. Having a dependable cell phone to make a 911 call could be the difference between life and death. Look for the cell phone collection center near the FAR Registration area.

People in the news

Minorities are now the majority population in 10% of the nation’s counties, according to the latest U.S. Census figures. Among the nation’s 25 most populous counties, Miami-Dade had the highest minority proportion at 82%. Florida also had four of the 10 counties with the highest proportion of people age 65 and older, with Charlotte County topping the list at 31.2%. Click here for more.

Take me to your leader

The following slate of FAR officers for 2008 will be voted on by FAR’s Board of Directors during FAR’s Annual Convention & Trade Expo later this month:

President: Chuck Bonfiglio (2007 President-Elect), Davie
President-Elect: Maggie Morris, Fort Myers
Treasurer: Bob Hudgens, Fort Walton Beach
Secretary: Summer Greene, Fort Lauderdale

View the full slate of FAR Officer and NAR Director candidates.