Stop the Tax Hikes

Here in Hillsborough County, we pay the 3rd highest sales taxes in the state. The county maxes their property tax levy every single year. They impose 3 separate gas taxes. They increased our water bills by 4%. And those are just the ones you can see—there are a lot more buried each year in the budget.

I have voted against 4 different property tax increase attempts, and I'll continue to vote no. Our county government has gotten into the habit of increasing taxes to fund their wasteful spending. I guess that's what we have come to expect from politicians, but as a small businessman, I've advocated for identifying more creative solutions.

A prime example is our two millage tax approach. 1.1 million residents live outside of the city yet pay into the countywide tax which can't be used on things like roads or safety. I developed a fairer plan that shifts a portion of this tax to the unincorporated millage rate, resulting in an additional $50 to $60 million that can be used for roads, sidewalks, and fire safety. This actually lowered property taxes for residents in the City of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City and did not increase taxes for unincorporated residents.

Seniors on fixed incomes are being taxed out of their homes.

We can't continue the same approach that's been done in the past because tax hikes hurt working families and seniors throughout the county. Seniors on fixed incomes are being taxed out of their homes. Families already living paycheck-to-paycheck are struggling to get by. Young couples aren't able to afford to begin their families. Entrepreneurs can't start their own businesses. Poverty is increasing in the county. Residents are going across county lines to buy homes and make purchases.

But being creative and thinking outside of the box is what will let our residents keep more of their hard-earned money to spend as they see fit. It will help families thrive. It will help people create generational wealth through buying a home rather than having to rent. And it will help lift the working poor out of poverty and give them opportunities to lead their family to the middle class and beyond.