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HB 7109

Florida Realtors Commends Gov. Scott for Signing HB 7109

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Bill Includes Reduction in Florida’s Business Rent Tax

Maria Wells, 2017 president of Florida Realtors® and broker-owner with Lifestyle Realty Group in Stuart, issued the following statement regarding Governor Rick Scott’s signing of HB 7109 today.
“Florida Realtors® applauds Governor Scott and members of the Legislature for making these tax cuts possible for Florida families. From a Realtor® perspective, I am particularly excited about the first-ever cut to the business rent tax that is included in this bill. The business community has been working to advance this tax cut for several years.
“The most significant steps are often the first ones we take on an issue and this cut opens the door for future reductions of this burdensome tax. More importantly, it puts $61 million back in the hands of businesses to grow and hire more people, and when businesses grow, communities prosper.”
Currently, Florida charges a six percent sales tax on business rent, creating a financial burden for any business that leases space. It is the only state that charges this tax on business rent. Once HB 7109 takes effect on Jan. 1, 2018, the new state tax rate on commercial leases will be 5.8 percent. Lowering the business rent tax will provide Florida businesses with more capital to expand, hire more employees, improve benefits and raise salaries.
Florida Realtors and other members of the Business Rent Tax Coalition have long advocated for a reduction in the state’s business rent tax. Gov. Scott signed HB 7109, which includes other tax cut provisions, during a morning press conference at 3Cinteractive Corp., a mobile marketing service provider in Boca Raton.

Florida Leaders Applaud Gov. Scott’s Signing of $180 Million Tax Cut Package

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Governor Rick Scott today signed HB 7109, the “Tax Cut Package” which will cut $180 million in taxes for Florida families and businesses. This brings the total of taxes cut since Governor Scott has been in office to $6.7 billion. Here’s what Florida leaders are saying:
Senate President Joe Negron said, “I am pleased to see this comprehensive tax relief package become law. Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature have worked together for the last several years to reduce the tax burden facing Florida families and businesses in a broad-based and meaningful way. This good bill furthers that commitment.”
House Speaker Richard Corcoran said, “I’m grateful to all the members of the Florida House for their hard work on HB 7109 and to Governor Scott for signing it into law today. This tax cut package is a big win for every Floridian. It means real money back into the hands of families and businesses.”
Bryan Koon, Director of Florida Division of Emergency Management, said, “This tax cut will ensure that folks can obtain everything they need in order to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. I encourage all Floridians to take advantage of this great opportunity and save money while building their disaster supply kits.”
Tom Feeney, President and CEO of Associated Industries of Florida, said, “I’d like to thank Governor Scott for his commitment to keeping Florida competitive and making it easier for businesses to thrive in our state. The reduction in the business rent tax will help Florida job creators continue to grow so they create even more opportunities for families across the Sunshine State.”
Bill Herrle, Executive Director of the National Federation of Independent Business said, “I applaud Governor Scott for signing this important bill to help Florida businesses thrive in our state. Every tax cut allows our job creators to reinvest more of their hard-earned money into growing their businesses and creating more jobs for our families, which is great news for our entire state.”
Frank Walker, Vice President of Government Affairs for the Florida Chamber of Commerce, said, “The signing of this year’s tax package marks the first step in what we hope will be the eventual complete elimination of the business rent tax. With his signature today, Governor Rick Scott once again demonstrated his commitment to reducing the tax burden on Florida families and local businesses.”
Florida Retail Federation President & CEO R. Scott Shalley said, “We are grateful to Governor Scott for signing these important tax measures that will allow retailers, consumers, and other businesses to see their money stretch farther and help grow this economy. The .2 percent reduction in the business rent tax will allow small businesses to keep more of their own revenue, allowing them to reinvest those funds and create jobs. The 3-day sales tax holiday for disaster preparedness will encourage both consumers and retailers to properly prepare for and purchase the supplies they need in the event of a hurricane, or other natural disaster. Lastly, the 3-day sales tax holiday for back-to-school is always incredibly successful as families are able to purchase more of the supplies their children need for the upcoming school year including expensive technology such as computers and tablets. All three of these tax relief measures will provide significant economic benefits to Florida families and business owners, and we thank Governor Scott for signing this important legislation into law.”
Maria Wells, 2017 President of the Florida Realtors, said, “I applaud Governor Scott for signing this bill and making these tax cuts a reality for Florida families. From a Realtor perspective, I am particularly excited about the first-ever cut to the business rent tax. The business community has been working to advance this tax cut for several years and this is a tremendous success for Florida Realtors and the entire Business Rent Tax Coalition. When businesses grow, communities prosper.”
Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, “I’d like to thank Governor Scott for signing HB 7109 into law today. This tax package is a win for state taxpayers, reducing their tax burden and allowing them to make their own decisions on how their hard-earned money is spent. The package addresses the onerous business rent tax, a long-standing TaxWatch recommendation, which is the only statewide sales tax on commercial leases in the nation and establishes beneficial sales tax holidays for back-to-school and disaster preparedness.”
3Cinteractive Founder and CEO John Duffy said, “We as a Florida based business are thankful that Governor Scott signed this bill today. We are glad that the Governor is cutting taxes for commercial leases, as this will help our business invest money back into our community”.

Florida Realtors Statement Regarding Signing of HB 7109

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Please see the following statement from Maria Wells, 2017 President, Florida Realtors, regarding Governor Rick Scott’s signing of HB 7109.
“I applaud Governor Scott and members of the legislature for making these tax cuts possible for Florida families. From a Realtor perspective, I am particularly excited about the first-ever cut to the business rent tax that is included in this bill. The business community has been working to advance this tax cut for several years. This is a tremendous success for Florida Realtors and the entire Business Rent Tax Coalition.
The most significant steps are often the first ones we take on an issue and this cut opens the door for future reductions of this burdensome tax. More importantly, it puts $61 million back in the hands of businesses to grow and hire more people, and when businesses grow, communities prosper.”

Gov. Scott Signs Legislation to Cut $180 Million in Taxes for Floridians

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Governor Rick Scott signed HB 7109, which cuts taxes by $180 million for Florida families and businesses. This brings the total amount of taxes cut since Governor Scott has been in office to more than $6.7 billion.
Governor Scott said, “I’m proud to sign this legislation today that cuts more than $180 million in taxes for Florida families and businesses. Since I’ve been in office, I’ve fought to cut taxes and reduce burdensome regulations to help boost Florida’s economy and ensure our children and grandchildren have the opportunity to succeed in our great state. Every time we cut taxes, we are encouraging businesses of all sizes to create opportunities for families across the state and more money is put back in taxpayers’ pockets.”
The $180 million tax cut package includes:
Decreasing the Tax on Business Rents by $61 Million – Florida is the only state that has a tax on commercial leases which unfairly targets small businesses. This legislation reduces the tax on commercial leases by 0.2 percent in 2018, savingFlorida businesses $61 million a year.

  • Sales Tax Holidays to Save Families $37.9 Million – The tax cut package includes two sales tax holidays, which will save Florida families an estimated $37.9 million in the upcoming fiscal year. These sales tax holiday savings include:
    • $33.4 million from a 3-day back-to-school sales tax holiday (August 4-6, 2017).
    • $4.5 million from a 3-day disaster preparedness sales tax holiday (June 2-4, 2017). For more information visit www.floridarevenue.com.
  • Cutting Taxes for Low-Income Floridians and Florida Seniors: $32.7 million.
    • $6.9 million by expanding the property tax exemption for Assisted Living Facilities beginning in 2017.
    • $25.8 million by providing a 50 percent discount in property taxes to certain multifamily, low-income housing projects.

To view a copy of the transmittal letter, click HERE.
To see the full bill, which includes the additional tax cuts, click HERE.

FLORIDA TAXWATCH STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF HB 7109

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro released the following statement on the HB 7109, which passed the House earlier today –
“Florida TaxWatch commends the Florida House for their commitment to Florida taxpayers. Their tax package is a win for the state and will reduce the tax burden on Floridians, allowing them to make their own decisions on how their hard-earned money is spent.
“The package addresses numerous TaxWatch recommendations, including reducing the onerous business rent tax, which is the only statewide sales tax on commercial leases in the nation. HB 7109 reduces the business rent tax by 1.5 percent for two years. After that, the rate is reduced permanently by 0.5 percent.
“Florida TaxWatch research has found that this onerous tax impedes small businesses and startups from reaching their potential by imposing additional costs upon them, restricting opportunities for growth and forcing companies to cut back on hiring. The House’s tax package would boost our state’s economy and encourage hiring of new employees.
“The package also establishes 3 sales tax holidays – Back to School (ten days), disaster preparedness (nine days) and veterans (one day) – the benefits of which have been highlighted in Florida TaxWatch research.
“Florida TaxWatch hopes that the Senate passes a similar comprehensive tax package that addresses the burdensome business rent tax and finally provides some relief to Florida taxpayers.”