Florida State Revenue Limitation, Amendment 3 (2012)
| State Revenue Limitation Amendment | |
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| Type: | Constitutional amendment |
| Constitution: | Article VII and Article XII |
| Referred by: | Florida State Legislature |
| Topic: | State budgets |
| Status: | On the ballot |
Contents |
The measure proposes replacing existing revenue limits with a new limitation based on inflation and population change. Any funds that exceed the revenue limits would be placed in the state's "rainy day fund." Once the fund reaches 10% of the prior year's total budget the Florida State Legislature would be required to vote to either provide tax relief or reduce property taxes.[2][3]
The proposed measure requires 60 percent voter approval for adoption.[4]
Background
- See also: Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR)
The proposed legislation is modeled after Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights which limited state revenue using a formula based on population growth and inflation. The measure was approved in Colorado in 1992. In 2000 an amendment to Amendment 23 required education spending to increase and in 2005 voters approved a ballot measure that loosened many of TABOR's restrictions. However, in 2008 voters rejected Colorado Initiative 126, also known as Amendment 59, which would have extended the 2005 amendment past it's 2010 date.
Support
Senate President Mike Haridopolos is a long-time supporter of "Smart Cap." On February 24, 2011 he said, "Florida’s families are forced to spend their money responsibly and so should state government. Historically government has spent more when times are good and then been forced to make dramatic cuts when the economy takes a downturn. The ‘Smart Cap’ amendment ensures the state budget doesn’t grow beyond a family’s ability to pay for it."[2]
Opposition
Opponents include groups like the AARP and the League of Women Voters. Jack McRay of the AARP said the proposed revenue cap could prevent government services from keeping up with demand.[5]
On March 2, 2011 the League of Women Voters officially announced their opposition to SJR 958. "The League has opposed this bill since it was first introduced in Florida in 2008. TABOR has been brought up and defeated in more than twenty states; the only state to pass TABOR is Colorado," said the league.[6][7]
Path to the ballot
In order to qualify for the November 2012 ballot the proposed amendment requires approval by a minimum of 60% in the both the House and the Senate. On March 15, 2011 the Senate voted 27-13 in favor of the proposed measure. [8][9] On May 4, 2011 the House voted 78-40 in favor of referring the proposed measure to the statewide ballot.[10][11][4]
Timeline
The following is a timeline of events surrounding the measure:
| Event | Date | Developments |
|---|---|---|
| Vote | Mar. 15, 2011 | Florida State Senate voted in favor of measure, 27 to 13. |
| Vote | May 2, 2011 | Florida House of Representatives voted 78 to 40 in favor of the measure. |
See also
| By Bailey Ludlam Ballot measure writer |
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Similar measures
- Arizona Spending Limit Amendment (2012)
- Georgia Taxpayer Protection Amendment (2012)
- North Carolina Taxpayer Bill of Rights Amendment (2012)
Articles
External links
Additional reading
- The Miami Herald,"Lawmakers ask voters to weigh in on abortion, taxes and more issues in 2012," May 11, 2011
- The Herald Tribune,"Legislature passes 7 ballot items for 2012," May 6, 2011
- St. Petersburg Times,"Smart cap would not need voters' approval of new taxes," March 23, 2011
- The Palm Beach Post,"Senate Republicans fast-track controversial bills," February 24, 2011
References
- ↑ Florida State Senate,"SJR 958," retrieved February 28, 2011
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Senator Mike Haridopolos,"'Smart Cap' bill approved by final committee, moves to Senate floor," February 24, 2011
- ↑ Florida State Senate,"SJR 958 full text," retrieved February 28, 2011
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Associated Press,"State revenue cap going on Florida 2012 ballot," May 5, 2011
- ↑ The Florida Independent,"TABOR-style revenue cap ready for final Florida Senate vote," February 25, 2011
- ↑ League of Women Voters,"Take Action TODAY: Stop TABOR!," March 2, 2011
- ↑ Orland Business Journal,"League of Women Voters against TABOR," March 2, 2011
- ↑ The Ledger,"Senate OKs Revenue Cap For 2012 Ballot," March 15, 2011
- ↑ Daily Reporter,"Proposed constitutional amendment capping state revenue ready for floor vote in Florida House," May 4, 2011
- ↑ The Palm Beach Post,"Legislature puts four amendments up for vote in 2012," May 5, 2011
- ↑ Florida State Senate,"May 4 vote on SJR 958," May 4, 2011
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