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Legislative Action Center

Day: February 20, 2020

    TAX & BUDGET POLICY

    TAX & BUDGET POLICY

    February 20, 2020 by John Hallman in

    Milton Friedman once said that “spending is taxation” and to achieve lower taxes, we believe that lawmakers should live under spending restraints in the same manner that families and businesses do by forcing lawmakers to set priorities and cut wasteful spending.

    Government spending displaces private-sector activity. Every dollar that the government spends means one less dollar in the productive sector of the economy.  We believe that taxpayers work hard for their money and it belongs to them, not the government. According to the National Association of State Budget Offices, between 2012 and 2017, state government spending in Florida increased by 31%, making it the 8th fastest growing yearly budget. The median state spending increase was 18%. State budgets continue to grow faster than population growth and inflation. Amy Baker, the state chief economist continues to warn that Florida’s budget has a structural imbalance and that any downturn in the economy would put the budget into deficit. If the Florida Legislature does not take seriously reducing the size of the budget, they may be forced to raise taxes. High or increasing taxes retard new business formation and expansion, thereby slowing job creation and wage growth.

    RLCFL Legislative Goals

    We support an exhaustive budget review process to find and eliminate duplicative programs, unnecessary programs, and wasteful spending practices. Under no circumstances would we support increased taxation to eliminate any future deficits should they arise.

    Florida is one of only two states that impose a sales tax on commercial leases (Arizona, which allows local governments to impose a similar tax, being the second) This sales tax has been reduced from 6% in 2017 to 5.5%, effective in January 2020. We support completely eliminating this unnecessary tax.

    PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS POLICY

    PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS POLICY

    February 20, 2020 by John Hallman in

    Many historians believe that the Founders considered using the phrase; “Life, Liberty, and Property” when writing the Declaration of Independence and influenced by Thomas Jefferson, they settled on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The phrase “Life, Liberty, and Property” is mentioned in the 5th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. There is no doubt the founders believed private property rights were the foundation of individual liberty based on the natural right to own with what our labor produces.

    It has been our free market system that has allowed individuals to prosper and the free market system depends on private property rights to function. Private owners take better care of their property, if not they will bear the consequences of reduced property values and in contrast, government-owned land is often in disrepair, and resources are depleted.

    When the government places restraints on property rights it takes away our freedom to prosper and moves more power to the government. We need strong protections of property rights to protect individual liberty and restrain the growth of government. The Founders created a government to protect private property rights.

    RLCFL Legislative Goals

    We support legislation requiring local government comprehensive plans to include a property rights element for the protection of property owners.  All counties and municipalities in Florida must adopt local government comprehensive plans that guide future growth and development. Comprehensive plans contain chapters or “elements” that address topics to be coordinated. Absent from the list of mandated elements is an element protecting property rights.

    CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM POLICY

    CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM POLICY

    February 20, 2020 by John Hallman in

    Election law in Florida provides for the establishment of “Political Committees” and “Election Communications Organizations” which can be operated by industry and trade groups, unions and other special interest organizations, and elected officials and candidates. In the case of elected officials and candidates, these PCs and ECOs operate independently of candidate campaign accounts. They can accept unlimited contributions and spend unlimited amounts of money advocating for the election or reelection of said candidates thus making campaign contribution limits meaningless. PCs and ECOs can also make contributions to other PCs and ECOs which can then make unlimited contributions to PCs or ECOs operated by candidates, making it exceedingly difficult for voters to understand where the money really comes from that finance’s campaigns for public office.

    It is time to put an end to the “legal laundering” of millions of dollars in special interest campaign contributions through political committees and electioneering communications organizations.

    RLCFL Legislative Goals

    We support legislation that would prohibit these transfers or contributions between PCs, ECOs, political parties, and affiliated party committees.