Florida House of Representatives Speaker Marco Rubio, (R- Coral Gables, Fla.) has one controversial proposal that he is circulating. Rubio and other Republicans are pushing to replace taxes on all homesteaded properties with a 2.5 percent sales tax. The measure is drawing fire from some businesses and Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish. Parrish supports portability as a means of tax reform. Such a measure would allow homeowners to carry tax breaks with them to a new home. She also supports tax caps for commercial properties.
Whatever happens, state lawmakers seem intent on passing some sort of tax reform this legislative session. All the reforms are in response to public and business outcry relating to soaring taxes, which resulted from the three-year real estate boom.
South Florida Business Journal’s Real Estate Editor Darcie Lunsford sat down with Parrish to discuss all of the proposals on the table.
