Senate Bill sb2342

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 2342

    By Senator Lawson





    3-1037A-02                                         See HB 1149

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the Legislative Committee on

  3         Intergovernmental Relations; requiring the

  4         committee to conduct a study relating to

  5         sharing the cost of government services and the

  6         feasibility of certain programs; requiring a

  7         report to the Legislature; providing an

  8         effective date.

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10         WHEREAS, county governments generate the majority of

11  their revenue from property taxes and properties of the state,

12  which are exempt from taxation, represent an important loss of

13  revenue to counties, and

14         WHEREAS, communities which house a large percentage of

15  tax exempt state properties regularly experience a large

16  influx of nonresidents who have an impact on local government

17  resources, and

18         WHEREAS, these communities face special challenges

19  providing for the service and infrastructure needs of the

20  tax-exempt property owners, such as policing various large,

21  organized gatherings, and

22         WHEREAS, there are 21 local governments throughout the

23  United States which offer various types of payment in lieu of

24  tax programs, and which receive funding, in one form or

25  another, from their state for unrealized property tax

26  revenues, NOW, THEREFORE,

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28  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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30         Section 1.  (1)  The Legislative Committee on

31  Intergovernmental Relations shall conduct a study to identify

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    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 2342
    3-1037A-02                                         See HB 1149




  1  ways to equitably share the cost of government services among

  2  those who benefit from those services, whether tax paying or

  3  tax exempt.  The committee shall examine the feasibility of

  4  various types of programs and issues, including, but not

  5  limited to, the following:

  6         (a)  Whether the program should exclude developed

  7  properties from the policy and include only undeveloped land.

  8         (b)  Whether local governments should have to relieve

  9  the state of its obligation to perform certain functions or

10  programs in exchange for some form of reimbursement for

11  tax-exempt properties.

12         (c)  Whether taxation policies should entail consent on

13  the part of the state to be taxed for certain properties which

14  may include consent to all property taxes, school taxes,

15  special assessments for public improvements, or other types of

16  local taxation.

17         (d)  Whether a payment for services policy should be

18  adopted which calculates the governmental expenses required by

19  the property, such as fire protection, and reimburses the

20  local government for that amount.

21         (e)  Whether a services in lieu of taxes program should

22  be adopted which consists of a noncash alternative under which

23  the tax-exempt entity performs a mutually agreed upon service

24  at a free or reduced rate to the taxing authority.

25         (f)  Whether a payment in lieu of taxes program should

26  be adopted wherein the state compensates local governments for

27  a fair percentage of the property tax that would be paid if

28  the land were not tax exempt.

29         (2)  The committee shall report the results of the

30  study to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the

31  House of Representatives by March 1, 2003.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 2342
    3-1037A-02                                         See HB 1149




  1         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

  2  law.

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  4            *****************************************

  5                          HOUSE SUMMARY

  6
      Requires the Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental
  7    Relations to conduct a study to identify ways to
      equitably share the cost of government services among
  8    those who benefit from those services, whether tax paying
      or tax exempt, and the feasibility of various types of
  9    programs and issues. See bill for details.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.