Property taxes are $2400 /  year. My husband (30yrs) and I (26yrs) bought a house with an ARM, but it also had a "timely rewards program" (pay on time for 12 months, the interest rate will be lowered). We were tricked. As soon as the 12 months were up, and we had paid on time, we called in, and the guy that made the deal with us "left the company and took our paperwork with him".  We live in a two bedroom house in Dunedin, and are packing this week to move out and try to sell. Our payments are now $2300/month! I am working 72 hours / week. I have a 1 year old son. I have written to Charlie Crist. I requested a meeting with him. So far, I have not heard back.  Florida has one of the worst school systems (I think we are #48 out of 50) so just where is all this money going anyways? Does anyone have any advice for me? I am contemplating just filing bankruptcy, or letting my house get taken and going on welfare. I would get free groceries, free college and not really have to work any, let alone 4 jobs!

 

Carmen Goodwin

Carmen81@tampabay.rr.com

I emailed Charlie Crist last Monday requesting a meeting. I know it's too soon to hear back from him, but I just wanted to tell him no worries on contacting me back. I am a 26 year old mother of a 1 year old working 72 hours a week (probably a little more) to pay for taxes and insurance. We were going to lose our house, but have it worked out now. My family of 3 is moving into my mom's garage. Thanks for the help. Feel like I should just quit trying and go on welfare.

Carmen

Schools worried? What was lotto supposed to do for the schools? Where is all the money that was promised?

I would like to vote yes to increasing the homestead property tax rebate; however, I am concerned that many of our services will be cut drastically.  Where will the money come from for our fire department, police department, roads, and schools?

I truly think that we all would be better off if we had lower sales tax and it was replaced by either state income tax or increased sales tax. WHY??

Well when you retire you find your income move lower and your expenditures follow suit. This means that you are not locked into increased property taxes that can easily force you to leave a home that you have loved as you lived in it for years.

This would be a much more favorable way to have floridians pay state taxes and would tie into one age and income. We would be better off and not have people move out of Fla. because our very high property taxes.

I have discussed this with quite a number of people and they feel that this is the BEST way to go. So reduce the property taxes and replace the needed state income with sales taxes or income tax or a combination of both. Think this is the way many other states handle there income needs and it does work.

Thank you