Senate Bill sb0560c2

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    Florida Senate - 2007                     CS for CS for SB 560

    By the Committees on Finance and Tax; Community Affairs; and
    Senators Atwater, Storms, Deutch, Haridopolos and Geller




    593-2491-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to local governments; amending

  3         s. 73.071, F.S.; requiring that the value of

  4         the expected future tax benefits for homestead

  5         property be compensated for in an eminent

  6         domain taking; creating s. 73.0725, F.S.;

  7         requiring the condemning authority in an

  8         eminent domain taking to determine the present

  9         value of the expected future tax benefit for

10         homestead property; amending s. 193.011, F.S.;

11         clarifying the standard for determining highest

12         and best use for purposes of deriving the just

13         value of property; amending s. 195.052, F.S.;

14         specifying data to be used for tabulating

15         property value and taxation including

16         information concerning ad valorem taxes and

17         millage rates; requiring that such data be

18         reported to the Department of Revenue for

19         publication on the department's website and all

20         property appraiser websites, if available;

21         amending s. 200.069, F.S.; requiring that the

22         notice of proposed property taxes mailed to

23         taxpayers include the county government's

24         official website address; requiring the

25         electronic reporting of local government

26         revenue and expenditure data; requiring the

27         reporting of local government budgets;

28         requiring the electronic reporting of local

29         government contracts; providing for a study by

30         legislative staff and a report; providing an

31         appropriation; providing an effective date.

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

 2  

 3         Section 1.  Subsection (3) of section 73.071, Florida

 4  Statutes, is amended to read:

 5         73.071  Jury trial; compensation; severance damages;

 6  business damages.--

 7         (3)  The jury shall determine solely the amount of

 8  compensation to be paid, which compensation shall include:

 9         (a)  The value of the property sought to be

10  appropriated;

11         (b)  Where less than the entire property is sought to

12  be appropriated, any damages to the remainder caused by the

13  taking, including, when the action is by the Department of

14  Transportation, county, municipality, board, district or other

15  public body for the condemnation of a right-of-way, and the

16  effect of the taking of the property involved may damage or

17  destroy an established business of more than 4 years' standing

18  before January 1, 2005, or the effect of the taking of the

19  property involved may damage or destroy an established

20  business of more than 5 years' standing on or after January 1,

21  2005, owned by the party whose lands are being so taken,

22  located upon adjoining lands owned or held by such party, the

23  probable damages to such business which the denial of the use

24  of the property so taken may reasonably cause; and any person

25  claiming the right to recover such special damages shall set

26  forth in his or her written defenses the nature and extent of

27  such damages; and

28         (c)  Where the appropriation is of property upon which

29  a mobile home, other than a travel trailer as defined in s.

30  320.01, is located, whether or not the owner of the mobile

31  home is an owner or lessee of the property involved, and the

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 1  effect of the taking of the property involved requires the

 2  relocation of such mobile home, the reasonable removal or

 3  relocation expenses incurred by such mobile home owner, not to

 4  exceed the replacement value of such mobile home.  The

 5  compensation paid to a mobile home owner under this paragraph

 6  shall preclude an award to a mobile home park owner for such

 7  expenses of removal or relocation. Any mobile home owner

 8  claiming the right to such removal or relocation expenses

 9  shall set forth in his or her written defenses the nature and

10  extent of such expenses. This paragraph does shall not apply

11  to any governmental authority exercising its power of eminent

12  domain when reasonable removal or relocation expenses are must

13  be paid to mobile home owners under other provisions of law or

14  agency rule applicable to such exercise of power; and.

15         (d)  Where the appropriation is of homestead property,

16  the present value of the expected future tax benefits of the

17  property as provided under s. 4(c), Art. VII of the State

18  Constitution.

19         Section 2.  Section 73.0725, Florida Statutes, is

20  created to read:

21         73.0725  When homestead property is appropriated under

22  this chapter, the condemning authority shall separately

23  determine the present value of the expected future tax

24  benefits provided under s. 4(c), Art. VII of the State

25  Constitution.

26         Section 3.  Section 193.011, Florida Statutes, is

27  amended to read:

28         193.011  Factors to consider in deriving just

29  valuation.--In arriving at just valuation as required under s.

30  4, Art. VII of the State Constitution, the property appraiser

31  shall consider take into consideration the following factors:

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 1         (1)  The present cash value of the property, which is

 2  the amount a willing purchaser would pay a willing seller,

 3  exclusive of reasonable fees and costs of purchase, in cash or

 4  the immediate equivalent thereof in a transaction at arm's

 5  length;

 6         (2)  The highest and best use to which the property can

 7  be expected to be put in the immediate future which is

 8  reasonably probable, physically possible, and legally

 9  permissible as well as financially feasible and maximally

10  productive, and the present use of the property, taking into

11  consideration any applicable judicial limitation, local or

12  state land use regulation, current zoning limitation,

13  variance, or historic preservation ordinance, and considering

14  any moratorium imposed by executive order, law, ordinance,

15  regulation, resolution, or proclamation adopted by any

16  governmental body or agency or the Governor when the

17  moratorium or judicial limitation prohibits or restricts the

18  development or improvement of property as otherwise authorized

19  by applicable law. The applicable governmental body or agency

20  or the Governor shall notify the property appraiser in writing

21  of any executive order, ordinance, regulation, resolution, or

22  proclamation it adopts imposing any such limitation,

23  regulation, or moratorium;

24         (3)  The location of said property;

25         (4)  The quantity or size of said property;

26         (5)  The cost of said property and the present

27  replacement value of any improvements thereon;

28         (6)  The condition of said property;

29         (7)  The income from said property; and

30         (8)  The net proceeds of the sale of the property, as

31  received by the seller, after deduction of all of the usual

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 1  and reasonable fees and costs of the sale, including the costs

 2  and expenses of financing, and allowance for unconventional or

 3  atypical terms of financing arrangements. If When the net

 4  proceeds of the sale of any property are used utilized,

 5  directly or indirectly, in determining the the determination

 6  of just valuation of realty of the sold parcel or any other

 7  parcel under the provisions of this section, the property

 8  appraiser, for the purposes of such determination, shall

 9  exclude any portion of such net proceeds attributable to

10  payments for household furnishings or other items of personal

11  property.

12         Section 4.  Section 195.052, Florida Statutes, is

13  amended to read:

14         195.052  Research and tabulation of data.--The

15  Department of Revenue shall conduct constant research and

16  maintain accurate tabulations of data and conditions existing

17  as to ad valorem taxation, shall annually publish such data as

18  may be appropriate to facilitate fiscal policymaking, and

19  shall annually make such recommendations to the Legislature as

20  are necessary to ensure that property is valued according to

21  its just value and is equitably taxed throughout the state.

22  The data published must include the annual percentage increase

23  in total nonvoted ad valorem taxes levied by each municipality

24  and county and information concerning the distribution of ad

25  valorem taxes levied among the various classifications of

26  property, including homestead, nonhomestead residential, new

27  construction, commercial, and industrial properties. The

28  published data must also include the previous year's adopted

29  millage rate, the current year's millage rate, and the current

30  percentage increase in taxes levied above the rolled-back

31  rate. At a minimum, the data must be published on the

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 1  department's website and on the websites of all property

 2  appraisers of this state, if available. Publication must shall

 3  occur within 90 not later than 60 days after receipt of

 4  extended rolls for all counties pursuant to s. 193.122(7).

 5         Section 5.  Section 200.069, Florida Statutes, is

 6  amended to read:

 7         200.069  Notice of proposed property taxes and non-ad

 8  valorem assessments.--Pursuant to s. 200.065(2)(b), the

 9  property appraiser, in the name of the taxing authorities and

10  local governing boards levying non-ad valorem assessments

11  within his or her jurisdiction and at the expense of the

12  county, shall prepare and deliver by first-class mail to each

13  taxpayer to be listed on the current year's assessment roll a

14  notice of proposed property taxes, which notice must shall

15  contain the elements and use the format provided in the

16  following form, and include the address of the county

17  government's official Internet website. Notwithstanding the

18  provisions of s. 195.022, a no county officer may not shall

19  use a form other than that provided herein. The Department of

20  Revenue may adjust the spacing and placement on the form of

21  the elements listed in this section as it considers necessary

22  based on changes in conditions necessitated by various taxing

23  authorities. If the elements are in the order listed, the

24  placement of the listed columns may be varied at the

25  discretion and expense of the property appraiser, and the

26  property appraiser may use printing technology and devices to

27  complete the form, the spacing, and the placement of the

28  information in the columns. A county officer may use a form

29  other than that provided by the department for purposes of

30  this part, but only if his or her office pays the related

31  expenses and he or she obtains prior written permission from

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 1  the executive director of the department; however, a county

 2  officer may not use a form the substantive content of which is

 3  at variance with the form prescribed by the department. The

 4  county officer may continue to use such an approved form until

 5  the law that specifies the form is amended or repealed or

 6  until the officer receives written disapproval from the

 7  executive director.

 8         (1)  The notice must shall read as follows:

 9  

10                NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAXES

11                  DO NOT PAY--THIS IS NOT A BILL

12  

13         The taxing authorities that which levy property taxes

14  against your property will soon hold PUBLIC HEARINGS to adopt

15  budgets and tax rates for the next year.

16         The purpose of these PUBLIC HEARINGS is to receive

17  opinions from the general public and to answer questions on

18  the proposed tax change and budget PRIOR TO TAKING FINAL

19  ACTION.

20         Each taxing authority may AMEND OR ALTER its proposals

21  at the hearing.

22  

23         (2)  The notice must also shall further contain

24  information applicable to the specific parcel in question. The

25  information must shall be in columnar form. There shall be

26  five column headings which shall read:  "Taxing Authority,"

27  "Your Property Taxes Last Year," "Your Taxes This Year IF

28  PROPOSED Budget Change is Made," "A Public Hearing on the

29  Proposed Taxes and Budget Will be Held:", and "Your Taxes This

30  Year IF NO Budget Change is Made."

31  

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 1         (3)  There shall be Under each column heading there

 2  must be an entry for the county; the school district levy

 3  required pursuant to s. 1011.60(6); other operating school

 4  levies; the municipality or municipal service taxing unit or

 5  units in which the parcel lies, if any; the water management

 6  district levying pursuant to s. 373.503; the independent

 7  special districts in which the parcel lies, if any; and for

 8  all voted levies for debt service applicable to the parcel, if

 9  any.

10         (4)  For each entry listed in subsection (3), there

11  shall appear on the notice the following must appear on the

12  notice:

13         (a)  In the first column, a brief, commonly used name

14  for the taxing authority or its governing body. The entry in

15  the first column for the levy required pursuant to s.

16  1011.60(6) shall be "By State Law." The entry for other

17  operating school district levies shall be "By Local Board."

18  Both school levy entries must shall be indented and preceded

19  by the notation "Public Schools:". For each voted levy for

20  debt service, the entry shall be "Voter Approved Debt

21  Payments."

22         (b)  In the second column, the gross amount of ad

23  valorem taxes levied against the parcel in the previous year.

24  If the parcel did not exist in the previous year, the second

25  column must shall be blank.

26         (c)  In the third column, the gross amount of ad

27  valorem taxes proposed to be levied in the current year, which

28  amount is shall be based on the proposed millage rates

29  provided to the property appraiser pursuant to s.

30  200.065(2)(b) or, in the case of voted levies for debt

31  service, the millage rate previously authorized by referendum,

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 1  and the taxable value of the parcel as shown on the current

 2  year's assessment roll.

 3         (d)  In the fourth column, the date, the time, and a

 4  brief description of the location of the public hearing

 5  required pursuant to s. 200.065(2)(c).

 6         (e)  In the fifth column, the gross amount of ad

 7  valorem taxes which would apply to the parcel in the current

 8  year if each taxing authority were to levy the rolled-back

 9  rate computed pursuant to s. 200.065(1) or, in the case of

10  voted levies for debt service, the amount previously

11  authorized by referendum.

12         (f)  For special assessments collected utilizing the ad

13  valorem method pursuant to s. 197.363, the previous year's

14  assessment amount must shall be added to the ad valorem taxes

15  shown in the second and fifth columns, and the amount proposed

16  to be imposed for the current year must shall be added to the

17  ad valorem taxes shown in the third column.

18         (5)  The amounts shown on each line preceding each

19  entry for voted levies for debt service must shall include the

20  sum of all ad valorem levies of the applicable unit of local

21  government for operating purposes, including those of

22  dependent special districts (except for municipal service

23  taxing units, which must shall be listed on the line for

24  municipalities), and all nonvoted or nondebt service special

25  assessments imposed by the applicable unit of local government

26  to be collected utilizing the ad valorem method.

27         (6)  Following the entries for each taxing authority, a

28  final entry must shall show:  in the first column, the words

29  "Total Property Taxes:" and in the second, third, and fifth

30  columns, the sum of the entries for each of the individual

31  taxing authorities. The second, third, and fifth columns

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 1  shall, immediately below said entries, must be labeled Column

 2  1, Column 2, and Column 3, respectively. Below these labels

 3  shall appear, in boldfaced type, the following statement must

 4  appear:  SEE REVERSE SIDE FOR EXPLANATION.

 5         (7)  The notice must also shall further show a brief

 6  legal description of the property and the name and mailing

 7  address of the owner of record.

 8         (8)  The notice must also shall further read:

 9  

10                 Market       Assessed       Exemp-       Taxable

11                 Value         Value         tions         Value

12  Your Property

13  Value Last

14  Year         $.........    $.........    $.........    $.........

15  Your Property

16  Value This

17  Year         $.........    $.........    $.........    $.........

18  

19         If you feel that the market value of your property is

20  inaccurate or does not reflect fair market value, or if you

21  are entitled to an exemption that is not reflected above,

22  contact your county property appraiser at ...(phone number)...

23  or ...(location)....

24         If the property appraiser's office is unable to resolve

25  the matter as to market value or an exemption, you may file a

26  petition for adjustment with the Value Adjustment Board.

27  Petition forms are available from the county property

28  appraiser and must be filed ON OR BEFORE ...(date)....

29  

30         (9)  The reverse side of the form shall read:

31  

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 1                           EXPLANATION

 2  

 3  *COLUMN 1--"YOUR PROPERTY TAXES LAST YEAR"

 4  This column shows the taxes that applied last year to your

 5  property. These amounts were based on budgets adopted last

 6  year and your property's previous taxable value.

 7  *COLUMN 2--"YOUR TAXES IF PROPOSED BUDGET CHANGE IS MADE"

 8  This column shows what your taxes will be this year under the

 9  BUDGET ACTUALLY PROPOSED by each local taxing authority. The

10  proposal is NOT final and may be amended at the public

11  hearings shown on the front side of this notice.

12  *COLUMN 3--"YOUR TAXES IF NO BUDGET CHANGE IS MADE"

13  This column shows what your taxes will be this year IF EACH

14  TAXING AUTHORITY DOES NOT INCREASE ITS PROPERTY TAX LEVY.

15  These amounts are based on last year's budgets and your

16  current assessment. The difference between columns 2 and 3 is

17  the tax change proposed by each local taxing authority and is

18  NOT the result of higher assessments.

19         ASSESSED VALUE means:

20         For homestead property: value as limited by the State

21  Constitution;

22         For agricultural and similarly assessed property:

23  classified use value;

24         For all other property: market value.

25  

26  *Note: Amounts shown on this form do NOT reflect early payment

27  discounts you may have received or may be eligible to receive.

28  (Discounts are a maximum of 4 percent of the amounts shown on

29  this form.)

30  

31  

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 1         (10)  The bottom portion of the notice shall further

 2  read in bold, conspicuous print:

 3  

 4         "Your final tax bill may contain non-ad valorem

 5         assessments which may not be reflected on this

 6         notice such as assessments for roads, fire,

 7         garbage, lighting, drainage, water, sewer, or

 8         other governmental services and facilities

 9         which may be levied by your county, city, or

10         any special district."

11  

12         (11)(a)  If requested by the local governing board

13  levying non-ad valorem assessments and agreed to by the

14  property appraiser, the notice specified in this section may

15  contain a notice of proposed or adopted non-ad valorem

16  assessments.  If so agreed, the notice shall be titled:

17  

18                NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAXES

19                     AND PROPOSED OR ADOPTED

20                    NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENTS

21                  DO NOT PAY--THIS IS NOT A BILL

22  

23  There must be a clear partition between the notice of proposed

24  property taxes and the notice of proposed or adopted non-ad

25  valorem assessments.  The partition must be a bold, horizontal

26  line approximately  1/8 -inch thick.  By rule, the department

27  shall provide a format for the form of the notice of proposed

28  or adopted non-ad valorem assessments which meets the

29  following minimum requirements:

30         1.  There must be subheading for columns listing the

31  levying local governing board, with corresponding assessment

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 1  rates expressed in dollars and cents per unit of assessment,

 2  and the associated assessment amount.

 3         2.  The purpose of each assessment must also be listed

 4  in the column listing the levying local governing board if the

 5  purpose is not clearly indicated by the name of the board.

 6         3.  Each non-ad valorem assessment for each levying

 7  local governing board must be listed separately.

 8         4.  If a county has too many municipal service benefit

 9  units or assessments to be listed separately, it shall combine

10  them by function.

11         5.  A brief statement outlining the responsibility of

12  the tax collector and each levying local governing board as to

13  any non-ad valorem assessment must be provided on the form,

14  accompanied by directions as to which office to contact for

15  particular questions or problems.

16         (b)  If the notice includes all adopted non-ad valorem

17  assessments, the provisions contained in subsection (10) may

18  shall not be placed on the notice.

19         Section 6.  Truth in spending.--For the purpose of

20  providing truth in spending, local governments shall

21  electronically post all revenues received and all expenditures

22  made on the local government's official website if one is

23  available, or on the county government's official website in

24  all other cases. For the purpose of this section, the term

25  local government includes counties, municipalities, school

26  districts, water management districts, and any special

27  district that has authority to levy ad valorem taxes or non-ad

28  valorem assessments. By July 1, 2008, the Department of

29  Revenue shall develop a uniform format that permits local

30  governments to produce and report revenue and expenditure data

31  on a substantially similar basis and that is highly comparable

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 1  among the local governments. The uniform format must contain

 2  the standard categories of revenues and expenditures used by

 3  local governments in the annual financial report submitted to

 4  the Department of Financial Services under s. 218.32, Florida

 5  Statutes.

 6         (1)  The local governments shall begin electronically

 7  posting all revenues received and expenditures made during the

 8  previous fiscal year in a format that is accessible without

 9  charge to any individual who has Internet access using

10  standard web-browsing software and in accordance with the

11  following schedule:

12         (a)  By December 31, 2009, and annually thereafter, any

13  county, municipality, or school district that has a population

14  of 300,000 or more on April 1, 2007, as reported by the Office

15  of Economic and Demographic Research under s. 186.901, Florida

16  Statutes, and all water management districts.

17         (b)  By December 31, 2010, and annually thereafter, any

18  county, municipality, or school district that has a population

19  of at least 50,000 but fewer than 300,000 on April 1, 2007, as

20  reported by the Office of Economic and Demographic Research

21  under s. 186.901, Florida Statutes.

22         (c)  By December 31, 2011, and annually thereafter, any

23  county, municipality, or school district that has a population

24  of fewer than 50,000 on April 1, 2007, as reported by the

25  Office of Economic and Demographic Research under s. 186.901,

26  Florida Statutes, and all special taxing districts,

27  independent taxing districts, and any other taxing authority

28  created by state law, a political subdivision, or referendum.

29         (2)  The local governments shall also prepare a summary

30  report of all revenues and expenditures electronically posted

31  which shall be made available to the residents within the

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 1  jurisdiction of the respective local government by mail,

 2  newspaper advertisement, or in an electronic format posted on

 3  the appropriate website in accordance with the following

 4  schedule:

 5         (a)  By February 1, 2010, and annually thereafter, the

 6  local governments subject to paragraph (1)(a).

 7         (b)  By February 1, 2011, and annually thereafter, the

 8  local governments subject to paragraph (1)(b).

 9         (c)  By February 1, 2012, and annually thereafter, the

10  local governments subject to paragraph (1)(c).

11         Section 7.  Transparency in local government

12  budgets.--For the purpose of providing transparency in local

13  government budgets, each local government shall provide

14  electronic access to its budget information. For the purposes

15  of this section, the term local government includes counties,

16  municipalities, school districts, water management districts,

17  and any special district that has authority to levy ad valorem

18  taxes or non-ad valorem assessments. Not later than the date

19  the notice of proposed property taxes and non-ad valorem

20  assessments required under s. 200.069, Florida Statutes, is

21  mailed, the local government shall electronically post its

22  anticipated revenues, proposed budget, and tentative millage

23  rate on the local government's official website, if one is

24  available, or on the county government's official website in

25  all other cases. Within 10 days after the adoption of the

26  budget, the local government shall electronically post its

27  adopted budget and millage rate. All county government

28  official websites shall have a link to the websites of local

29  governments within the county's jurisdiction.

30         Section 8.  Transparency in local government

31  contracting.--For the purpose of providing transparency in

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 1  local government contracting, local governments shall

 2  electronically post all contracts that are public records on

 3  the local government's official website, if one is available,

 4  or on the county government's official website in all other

 5  cases. For the purposes of this section, the term local

 6  government includes counties, municipalities, school

 7  districts, water management districts, and any special

 8  district that has authority to levy ad valorem taxes or non-ad

 9  valorem assessments. School district employment contracts are

10  exempt from this section. The contracts shall be posted in

11  accordance with the following schedule:

12         (1)  By November 1, 2007, any county, municipality, or

13  school district that has a population of 300,000 or more on

14  April 1, 2007, as reported by the Office of Economic and

15  Demographic Research under s. 186.901, Florida Statutes, and

16  all water management districts, shall electronically post

17  contracts of $25,000 or more executed on or after October 1,

18  2007.

19         (2)  By November 1, 2008, any county, municipality,

20  water management district, or school district that has a

21  population of at least 50,000 but fewer than 300,000 on April

22  1, 2007, as reported by the Office of Economic and Demographic

23  Research under s. 186.901, Florida Statutes, shall

24  electronically post contracts of $15,000 or more executed on

25  or after October 1, 2008.

26         (3)  By November 1, 2009, any county, municipality, or

27  school district that has a population of fewer than 50,000 on

28  April 1, 2007, as reported by the Office of Economic and

29  Demographic Research under s. 186.901, Florida Statutes, and

30  all special taxing districts, independent taxing districts,

31  and any other taxing authority created by state law, a

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 1  political subdivision, or referendum, shall electronically

 2  post contracts of $5,000 or more executed on or after October

 3  1, 2009.

 4         Section 9.  By January 31, 2008, staff of the Senate

 5  and the House of Representatives shall conduct a study and

 6  submit a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker

 7  of the House of Representatives relating to the administrative

 8  process for appealing property tax assessments provided in

 9  part I of chapter 194, Florida Statutes. Staff shall conduct

10  the necessary research and shall develop detailed

11  recommendations for legislation to improve the accessibility,

12  fairness, efficiency, and disclosure of all levels of this

13  process, including recommendations relating to forms, manuals,

14  guidelines, training materials, checklists, other types of

15  documentation, training activities, and taxpayer outreach at

16  all levels of the appeal process.

17         Section 10.  The sum of $50,000 in nonrecurring funds

18  is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the

19  Department of Revenue for costs incurred in assisting

20  legislative staff in gathering, compiling, and analyzing data

21  needed to prepare the report reviewing the administrative

22  process for appealing property tax assessments.

23         Section 11.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007,

24  and the provisions of section 4 of this act apply to the

25  January 2008 tax roll and subsequent tax rolls.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                     CS for CS for SB 560
    593-2491-07




 1          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
 2                            CS/SB 560

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 4  The committee substitute requires local governments to provide
    a single source for taxpayers to obtain information about
 5  local government revenues, expenditures, and contracts. In
    addition, it requires a condemning authority in an eminent
 6  domain proceeding to compensate a homeowner for the present
    value of the expected future tax benefit from Article II,
 7  section 4 (c), of the State Constitution (Save Our Homes). It
    clarifies the standard for determining highest and best use
 8  for purposes of deriving the just value of property. Finally,
    it provides and appropriates $50,000 for a study of the
 9  assessment appeal process, including Value Adjustment Boards./

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