SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
States around the country, especially states run by Republican governments, are looking at cutting property taxes. Florida is one of the states where lawmakers have a tax-cut proposal on the ballot in November, but local governments could end up having to cut services in response. From member station WUSF, Douglas Soule reports.
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DOUGLAS SOULE, BYLINE: Thirty seconds. When there's a fire in Clearwater, Florida, that's how quickly fire medic Isaac Humphreys wants to be out of the station.
ISAAC HUMPHREYS: When we set up our gear, we want to be set up for success. That way we can get dressed and get in the engine and get driving on the road as quickly as possible.
SOULE: But Fire Chief Chad Pittman says the department could lose 5% of its budget if a proposal to cut property taxes is approved by voters in November. Local governments collect taxes based on property value. The proposal would exempt the first $150,000 of the value of a primary home - about triple the exemption currently. The exemption goes up again in the second year. It wouldn't affect school system taxes, but it would impact cities and counties. Chief Pittman doesn't take a position but says...
CHAD PITTMAN: The residents could see a reduction in services when it comes to the amount of firefighters that respond to their calls and the number of fire trucks.
SOULE: Voters in states including Wyoming, Louisiana and Oklahoma also face proposals aimed at reducing property taxes or limiting them in the future. Other states already acted.
NICOLE FOX: A lot of states that are interested are monitoring what's happening in Florida. If this passes, will other states take note? I firmly believe so.
SOULE: Nicole Fox from the Washington-based Tax Foundation has written, there are more appropriate ways to limit taxes, and warns local governments could just raise money elsewhere, hurting businesses and residents.
FOX: Are they willing to pay more in, say, sales taxes, also other types of government fees because governments could impose new fees or increase current existing fees? For some property owners, it could be a tax swap.
SOULE: The Florida measure requires 60% voter approval. Francine Messano lives in Tampa. The recent retiree has taken to social media to encourage people to vote yes. She says it's an affordability issue, estimating she would save more than $2,000 a year.
FRANCINE MESSANO: For me, that savings - that yearly savings is going to go back into my home in terms of maintenance, which will really protect the value and the historic nature of my home.
SOULE: Florida Realtors, a trade association, has put $10 million into a campaign supporting the proposal. The group's immediate past president Tim Weisheyer says the benefit to taxpayers outweighs the lost revenue for local governments.
TIM WEISHEYER: I've seen a number of articles and headlines come out that say local governments stand to lose $5 billion next year, but I think the headline's written backwards. It should be Floridians stand to regain $5 billion of their own hard-earned money.
SOULE: There are also several campaigns against the ballot measure, and local governments have been listing the possible cuts. The city of Clearwater did a budget exercise. City manager Jennifer Poirrier can't take a position on the proposal, but she explained in an interview what it could mean.
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JENNIFER POIRRIER: Our response times are going to be different. Hours are going to be reduced, things like that. So I think it'll touch everybody 'cause whether you use our rec centers or not, or you drive down our roads, you know, there isn't an area that wouldn't be impacted from it.
SOULE: She said the city could have to cut positions and possibly close libraries and recreation centers.
For NPR News, I'm Douglas Soule in Tallahassee, Florida.
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