CS/CS/HB 469

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to the tax on sales, use, and other
3transactions; providing a short title; amending s. 212.05,
4F.S.; imposing a maximum limitation on the amount of tax
5collected on sales of aircraft or boats in this state;
6providing an effective date.
7
8     WHEREAS, Florida's maritime and boating industry, including
9the sale and servicing of large boats, has historically been a
10significant component of Florida's economy, with over 220,000
11people employed in this and related industries, and
12     WHEREAS, Florida has become increasingly important in the
13field of aircraft manufacturing, sales, maintenance, repair, and
14overhaul, with approximately 80,000 people employed in the
15aviation and aerospace industries at an average annual wage of
16over $50,000, and
17     WHEREAS, the aviation and boating industries not only
18create significant numbers of jobs in Florida, but also attract
19large amounts of capital , cause significant tax revenue to be
20collected and create extensive indirect jobs and other benefits,
21and
22     WHEREAS, the voters in Florida made clear in the most
23recent election that, by amending Florida's constitution, they
24value highly Florida's working waterfronts, and want to see
25those waterfronts taking advantage of Florida's natural
26amenities and adding further to employment and capital
27investment in Florida, and
28     WHEREAS, current tax policy discourages the purchase, use,
29and maintenance of boats and aircraft in Florida, and actually
30requires certain purchasers to leave the state to avoid
31unnecessary taxation, with a resulting loss of jobs, capital
32investment and sales and use tax revenue, and
33     WHEREAS, current law and policy results in little or no
34sales tax revenue collection on the purchase and sale of large
35boats and aircraft because of far more advantageous law and
36policy in other jurisdictions, including offshore, and
37     WHEREAS, changing tax policy to encourage the sale, use,
38maintenance, repair, and overhaul of boats and aircraft in
39Florida would energize its economy, create jobs, attract
40capital, and generate additional sales and use tax revenue, and,
41indirectly, assist law enforcement and the Department of
42Homeland Security by decreasing the number of offshore
43registered boats in Florida's and America's waters, NOW,
44THEREFORE,
45
46Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
47
48     Section 1.  This act may be cited as the "Aviation and
49Maritime Full Employment Act."
50     Section 2.  Subsection (5) is added to section 212.05,
51Florida Statutes, to read:
52     212.05  Sales, storage, use tax.--It is hereby declared to
53be the legislative intent that every person is exercising a
54taxable privilege who engages in the business of selling
55tangible personal property at retail in this state, including
56the business of making mail order sales, or who rents or
57furnishes any of the things or services taxable under this
58chapter, or who stores for use or consumption in this state any
59item or article of tangible personal property as defined herein
60and who leases or rents such property within the state.
61     (5)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter,
62the maximum amount of tax imposed under this chapter and
63collected on each sale or use of an aircraft or boat in this
64state may not exceed $18,000.
65     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.


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