Will Florida taxpayers be sunk by their government’s overspending problem? The answer is yes if their representation moves forward with tax increases to try to make up the $3 billion in overspending that has taken place.
Florida lawmakers need to seek ways to cut government in order to balance the budget rather than weighting down the backs of the taxpayers with more taxes. The Florida budget has grown approximately $9 billion since 2002. Out of control spending is the problem and tax increases will not be the answer.
Since the beginning of this fight to protect the taxpayers of Florida, there has been numerous tax increases floated: new taxes on bottled water, higher cigarette taxes, and numerous taxes that they have wrongly called "fees". Many of these are still very much alive in the legislative process.
In Florida, Governor Crist, along with 8 Senators, and 22 Members of the House have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge (Copy of Governor Pledge or Copy of State Legislator Pledge). Click here to view ATR’s April 6th letter to Pledge signers stating our opposition to all tax increases and defining the term "user fee". To see ATR’s April 6th letter to all Florida legislators and the Governor opposing all tax increases, click here.
Excerpt from Grover Norquist’s letter of April 6th:
"Your constituents, many of whom are already struggling to make ends meet, are counting on you to make sure that their tax burden does not increase. Increasing their taxes will only add fuel to the fire, and further depress economic activity…….I urge you to stand up for taxpayers and oppose and vote against any and all tax increases."
-Grover Norquist
Stay tuned to the tax increasing discussions in Florida. We will wait to see if Governor Crist and Florida Legislature are willing to show real leadership by making cuts (reducing the burden of government on the people) rather than increasing taxes (increasing the burden of government on the people).