The Southwest Florida Republican’s legislation would require a
supermajority vote for local governments trying to raise taxes.
State Representative Bob Rommel has filed House Joint Resolution 477, a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution that would prohibit local governments from raising taxes or fees without a vote approved by two-thirds of their members. In addition, the Constitutional change would require any such proposed tax or fee to be contained in a separate resolution or ordinance—the so-called single-subject provision, which fiscal conservatives believe is an important change to prevent governments from passing distasteful tax increases by bundling them with other important legislation.
“My bill is pure common sense,” said State Representative Rommel. “We have runaway government spending because we’ve made it too easy for politicians to pass new taxes. Right now, it’s as easy to pass a new tax as it is to name a new bridge. This bill is a move in the right direction.”
The resolution, if passed by the Florida Legislature, would be put before the voters of Florida for ballot approval. The change would apply to municipalities, counties, school boards, and special districts.
ON THE WEB: www.BobRommel.net
