Housing spinoff failed to deliver

Comments made on Herald.com

Local government is concerned about Property Tax limitations? Please! Gov Crist is exactly right. Lack of accountability and proper management of funds is ramped in Miami Dade. Now that they face the possibility of having to tighten their belts...they complain and try to induce the thought that homestead exemptions will hurt the county's ability to provide crucial services. It's mismanagement such as this that creates a deficit, not tax cuts. Get ready Miami Dade County, it's time to act like a responsible administrator.

Posted by: Robert Brutus

6/29/2007 8:33 AM

City of Homestead growing in leaps and bounds

New population estimates put Homestead at 53,767 residents in July 2006, up 21 percent from the previous July. It's the first time the city has been recognized by any outside agency as having a population of more than 50,000.

''It confirms what we knew; we just needed to get it validated,'' said a jubilant Homestead Mayor Roscoe Warren. ``We're on our way. We are on our way.''

In Florida, Homestead jumped into the state's top 50 cities, leapfrogging past Sarasota, Jupiter and Coconut Creek. It had already passed Coral Gables.

Cities spared from Property Tax cuts

These are the South Florida cities being forced to hold tax collections steady, but not required to make additional cuts:

• Cutler Bay
• Dania Beach
• Doral
• Indian Creek
• Islandia
• Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
• Lazy Lake
• Miami
• Miami Gardens
• Miami Lakes
• Opa-locka
• Palmetto Bay
• Southwest Ranches
• West Park

Not all cities cutting taxes

Either because they're only a couple of years old, or because of the past or present state of their finances, some South Florida cities will escape the deepest budget cuts in the property tax plan.

Crist signs 1st phase of tax cut plan

Gov. Charlie Crist signed into law the first piece of the largest tax cut in Florida history Thursday with a trip around the state that brought him to the homes of three recent home buyers -- the one group that will reap the most savings if voters support phase two of the tax-cut plan.

5 tips for wisely tapping your home equity

Millions of Americans are using home-equity loans and lines of credit for splurges. That's risky. But for better investments, these loans can make sense.

How taxes would be cut

Florida lawmakers passed two major pieces of legislation Thursday to cut property-tax rates. Here's a look at each:

Large tax cuts needed to revive housing market, Broward real estate agents say

Fort Lauderdale -- A delegation from Broward County's real estate industry implored state Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, on Thursday to push for the deepest possible property tax cuts during next week's special legislative session.

Tax-cut letdown: Numbers may not add up

Florida lawmakers are discovering they may not be able to cut property taxes sharply while maintaining vital services.

What the tax cut means for you

Legislative analysts estimate the proposed tax cut plan will have the following impact.

Who's most at risk for foreclosure?

There's a flood of foreclosures coming -- about 1.1 million of them, a new study estimates. Here are the borrowers who are most likely to lose their homes.

PROPERTY TAXES

Tax plan: Big savings, major cuts

The details of the Legislature's plan to cut property taxes called for record tax cuts that would benefit taxpayers but would hit schools harder than originally expected.

Your 5-minute guide to home buying

Home shopping is a high-stakes, stressful venture. Here are 24 tips to help you through the biggest purchase of your life.

Select an experienced, full-time real-estate agent before you begin your search. Ask friends and family for referrals.

Tax plan needs time

Legislators said they needed more time to review their ever-complicated property tax cut plan, but they pushed ahead with an earlier primary date.

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