Chamber weighs tax ideas

One of the hottest issues in Tallahassee this year is property tax reform, and the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce is working to make sure Southwest Florida’s business community opinions are heard.

The chamber has sent out more than 2,000 surveys asking its members how they feel about extending homestead exemptions, possibly increasing the state sales tax and limiting local governments’ spending.

“Our members have talked about their concern with the issues people in Tallahassee are tackling,” said Nancy Keefer, the chamber president. “The idea behind the survey was to highlight the five different areas proposed.”

Keefer and some chamber members will be making a trip to Tallahassee on Monday and Tuesday as part of Lee County Days, in which community leaders meet with state representatives.

“When you go up there it shows some clout to be able to show what the business community is thinking,” said Keefer, who had more than 100 responses within the first hour of sending out the survey. “This will help us prove if some of these ideas will work or not.”

The questions on the survey included a brief explanation of the issue and the reason why those issues will be under consideration. Chamber members gave their opinions by answering yes or no.

“The purpose of the survey was to educate chamber members and gauge their attitudes about these proposals,” said John Spear, a 22-year chamber member, who helped come up with the questions but won’t be going on this year’s Tallahassee trip.

“It’s a neat tool for the chamber leadership and volunteers ... to do more than just guess as to whether they are on the right track or not.”

Figuring out what is best for Southwest Florida isn’t always easy for state reps, said Keefer.

“It’s our hope that we can go up there with some solid information and assist our lawmakers,” she said. “There is a lot of power in sharing with elected officials what is happening in the trenches.”

The survey is the second of its kind that members have filled out in recent months. The first survey dealt with transportation issues.

“I think that this is the best way to arm our city and county officials with information about our community,” said Spear, referring to the city and county officials who will comprise other chambers from Cape Coral and Sanibel. “This gives Tallahassee an opinion on a sort of real time basis so they can make (informed) decisions.”

Chamber members with additional opinions were also given an area on the survey where they could write freely about the issues.

“I’m going to fill it out because it’s so important to give my opinion,” said Rolf Paul, a chamber member who received the survey. “It’s important to get feedback on property taxes. It matters to everyone.”

QUESTIONS ON SURVEY:
1. Would you support the elimination of local government (city and county) property taxes on homesteaded residences to be replaced by an additional 2.5% increase in the state sales tax?

2. Do you believe the Save Our Home property tax discount we enjoy as full-time Florida residents should be portable to apply to the purchase of a new home if we stay within the same county?

3. Do you believe the state should establish an annual limit on the growth of the appraised value of all developed properties for the purposes of local government taxes?

4. Do you support the doubling of the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $50,000?

5. Do you believe the state should pass a law to limit the growth of local government spending to the annual CPI and the amount of growth?