Tallahassee Spending Priorities: Taxes, School Choice

With just one week left in this year’s legislative session, the State House and Senate are trying to agree on certain spending and tax packages.

Both chambers have a difference of spending levels. The Florida State House budget is $115.4 billion, the Florida State Senate at $115.9 billion.

TAXES

A supermajority vote to increase millage rates whereas the governing body of a county, municipality, or independent special district to pass any property tax millage rate increase, would need a two-thirds vote.

The State Senate changed its tax proposal by adding a child care tax credit. The House and Senate have four different sales tax holidays and a temporary insurance premium tax reduction for residential properties. The House is proposing a one-year .75 percent reduction in the Business Rent Tax.

A proposed constitutional amendment to increase the standard exemption Tangible Personal Property (TTP). The exemption would go from $25,000 to $50,000. This would free 50,000, mostly small businesses, from not only paying the tax, but also from the burden of filing (after receiving a waver).

SCHOOL CHOICE

This proposal increases the scholarship cap growth rate for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for students with disabilities from 3 to 5 percent, plus an increase of an additional one percent based on demand. The bills also repeal the Hope Scholarship Program but keeps the tax credits for use by the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program.

HEALTHCARE

The Senate is addressing existing workforce shortages and increasing access to healthcare services. Their legislation would increase medical residency opportunities, encouraging out-of-state physicians to practice in Florida, and expanding telehealth access.

A home health care services bill would allow an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) or a physician assistant (PA) to order or write prescriptions for Medicaid home health services.

INTERNET EXPANSION
This bill provides a four-year extension that would be offered by municipal utilities to broadband providers to provide broadband service to unserved or underserved areas.