Property Taxes

The Florida Policy Institute estimates the state's public hospital districts and health systems could lose $323 million over the next three years.

The figures assume cuts would be made proportionally based on current funding levels and allocations; no funding decisions have been finalized.

Florida TaxWatch launched its Property Tax Research Center to help clear up any confusion on the Amendment 3 property tax proposal that voters will decide on Nov. 3.

Among the changes in the 134-page contract from May's nonbinding MOU: The Rays increased their commitment by $100 million, to $1.37 billion, with a corresponding decrease in the public contribution.

A draft is expected to go public Thursday. The agreement, which will include recent proposals by Councilman Bill Carlson, would then be added to upcoming agendas for the city council and county commission.

For organizations such as the Escambia Children’s Trust, the outcome could determine how much funding is available for programs designed to support children and families in their communities.

On Monday, the Rays are scheduled to announce the firm that will oversee building the ballpark. Meantime, Hillsborough College President Ken Atwater says definitive agreements on financing could reach local officials within days.

The new summary removes language that a circuit judge called "misleading and inaccurate" in favor of more neutral language.

This week on "The Florida Roundup," we spoke about the revised ballot language for Florida’s property tax amendment, how the measure would impact funding for Florida’s network of children’s trust services and more.

City councilman Bill Carlson says he has a “win-win-win” stadium plan that can benefit Tampa and Rays fans and won’t use sales taxes or increase property taxes.

On “The Florida Roundup,” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods talked about how tax cuts could potentially affect public safety across the state.

Bill Carlson says the Rays are receptive to his plan to cover Tampa's share of construction through new tax-increment revenue from the stadium district that would also seed a citywide infrastructure trust fund.