01-10-2008, 06:37 AM
Don't know about Florida, but its common practice for states to have owner-occupancy requirements when reduced taxes are involved. Typically, people apply for some form of exemption or reduction of property taxes and that exemption or reduction may have owner-occupancy requirements. You want the lower taxes, you agree to the terms of the legislation. Unfortunately, many people only see the money reduction and seldom examine the requirements that come with that reduction. Most times, people are able to abide by the restrictions but there are times when things don't go as plan and that's when they find out the privilege of reduce taxes comes with a price.
But forcing property holding without recourse for sale at inflated tax rates would probably be declared unconstitutional. That's basically the same as a government taking of rights. You are denied the ownership rights of purchase and sale of real property based on government desire to do what - reduce speculation? It's a fundamental abuse of government power. Government has the ability to control growth through planning. If government can't use that most basic tool to the people’s advantage, maybe new government is needed. To place an uneven tax burden on the very basics of land ownership and the sale of that property as one sees fit, Oh what a slippery slope we’re building!
But forcing property holding without recourse for sale at inflated tax rates would probably be declared unconstitutional. That's basically the same as a government taking of rights. You are denied the ownership rights of purchase and sale of real property based on government desire to do what - reduce speculation? It's a fundamental abuse of government power. Government has the ability to control growth through planning. If government can't use that most basic tool to the people’s advantage, maybe new government is needed. To place an uneven tax burden on the very basics of land ownership and the sale of that property as one sees fit, Oh what a slippery slope we’re building!