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What our local legislators are saying about Amendment 1 passing: Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres: "That's incredible. I thought it was dead. The polls weren't good. I supported it, but, man, that's amazing." Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral" "This is truly a first step and it's a reaffirmation that it's a good step. I want the dialogue to continue, the ideas to continue to flow." Rep. Nick Thompson, R-Fort Myers: "Hopefully it will stimulate growth in our economy and as that growth occurs, the 10 percent cap will allow businesses to have some predictability in their tax bills to come. But we're not done yet. There's more to do. It's like chopping wood. You have to keep at it." Rep. Trudi Williams, R-south Lee County: "That is a huge coup for the people of Southwest Florida. It should really improve the economy especially in the housing market, which is where we really need it." Rep. Michael Grant, R-Port Charlotte: "I guess it goes to verify and confirm waht the state legislature has been saying for the past year, that property taxes are too high." "It is a step in the right direction but it is not the end of the line." Sen Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton: "It just goes to show the people in the state of Florida have recognized the fact that local government spending is totally out of control." "I recognize that state and national spending is also out of control and if the people could vote on this as a state or national issue they would say their spending is out of control also." Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples: "I think it is a very positive thing, the portability that is provided in this constitutional amendment will help a lot of people trapped in their homes."
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Arizona Sen. John McCain took a huge step to the Republican presidential
nomination Tuesday in the Florida presidential primary.
And Florida property owners will get a tax break thanks to passage to
Amendment 1.
McCain, the former Vietnam Prisoner of War, was declared the winner of
Florida’s 57 convention delegates at 9:15 p.m.
McCain’s hotly contested battle with former Massachusetts governor Mitt
Romney and a property tax reform amendment helped Lee County set a record
for largest turnout for a primary.
Nearly 58 percent of registered voters went to the polls on Tuesday. The
previous Lee record for a primary was 1988 when 39 percent voted.
Following McCain and Romney was former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.
The third-place finish ended his run for the nomination and he is expected
to give his endorsement to McCain Wednesday.
In the Democratic presidential primary, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton was
the winner.
Amendment 1, the property tax reform amendment, passed with more than
64 percent of the vote. It took a 60 percent yes vote for the measure to
become law. In Lee County, voters favored passage by about 5 to 1 and in
Collier the margin was 4 to 1 in favor.
The ballot proposal will cut property taxes an average of $240 a year for
primary homeowners.
Amendment 1 is expected to cut taxes another $9.3 billion in the first five
years. It offers primary homeowners, or homesteaders, the estimated $240
annual savings — more for those who move — and other reductions for
businesses, second homes and other non-homestead properties.
Local officials, public employee unions and other critics, though, said it
would exacerbate inequities in Florida’s tax system and reduce vital public
services including schools, fire protection, law enforcement.
In Bonita Springs, there will be a runoff in the mayor’s race. Ben Nelson
defeated incumbent Jay Arend, 46 percent to 33 percent, but since neither
had more than 50 percent another election will be held to determine a
winner.
In Bonita city council races Bill Lonkart defeated Ronda Lyles Lawhon in
District 6 and Janet Martin beat incumbent Alex Grantt in District 2.
Lehigh Acres voters, in a non-binding election, voted down incorporation.
"In year's past, we finished with 32 and 34 percent (voter turnout),"
Election supervisor Sharon Harrington said.
Harrington reported no major problems through the day, although she shared a
complaint echoed by election officials in other Florida counties: voters who
mistakenly thought they could change parties on the day of the election.
"Trying to educate the public is probably the hardest thing we do,"
Harrington said.
In St. Petersburg, moments before addressing supporters of Amendment 1, Gov.
Charlie Crist deflected speculation about a potential vice presidential run
in a CNN interview.
"It's very flattering to hear that," Crist told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer in a
remote interview in front of the hotel. "My focus is on Florida."
Crist defended his choice for McCain, answering questions about McCain's
controversial votes against tax cuts.
"I trust this man," Crist said. "He won't say things to appease me, he's
going to say things that are in his heart."
Clinton coasted to an easy victory in Florida's Democratic presidential
primary with no delegates to show for it.
"I'm thrilled to have this vote of confidence that you have given me today,"
she told cheering supporters at a rally in Davie. "This has been an intense
election because people really care about what's happening to our country."
The Florida win was symbolically important for Clinton, who lost badly to
Illinois Sen. Barak Obama in South Carolina last week. She predicted it
would give her a head of steam going into the 22-state primaries next
Tuesday, when nearly half the delegates needed for nomination will be at
stake.
"We will send a clear message that America is back," shouted the former
first lady.
The 2007 Legislature moved the state's presidential primary from early March
to Jan. 29 because the nominees have been decided in past election years
before the schedule reached Florida. Because of DNC rules, the national
party stripped the state of delegates and Democratic candidates refused to
campaign in Florida.
Clinton said she would ask the DNC to restore Florida's 210 convention
delegates to the national convention in Denver next summer.
Clinton picked up an endorsement by Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, who
unsuccessfully went to court with a federal lawsuit aimed at making the DNC
recognize the Florida delegation. Clinton pledged to seat the delegation, if
she is the nominee in Denver next summer.
"Iowa picks corn, Florida picks presidents," said Democratic National
Committeeman Jon Ausman of Tallahassee. "I think that's what we saw today."
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