PART IV Paying the Piper
If property taxes are eliminated, it may affect Martin County more than other counties.
Why? Because our county is so reliant on residential property taxes. Economists will
tell you that a healthy county’s economy should be only 50% reliant on residential
property taxes and 50% on commercial and industrial. Martin County has an abysmal
4% commercial and industrial combined! The County has been “no growth” vs smart
growth for so long that we have grown ourselves into a corner. 45% of our budget
depends on residential property taxes. Yet, watch any BOCC meeting dealing with a
development issue, and you will witness residents marching up to the Board stating that
they “came here from [insert crowded city name], because it was too crowded there”.
“So please deny such and such a development”. The same will cry out for housing that
can be afforded by young people or blue-collar workers. The hypocrisy is lost on them.
And if you are new to Martin County, MCTA welcomes you. Please realize that you are
safe from Broward or wherever you hail from because around 50% of our county is
owned by some form of government…state, local, federal, or the South Florida Water
Management District. That, coupled with our 4-story height limit, will not allow us to ever
look like Broward. A better strategy would be to relax and invite more commercial and
industrial. Indiantown, a must-visit for historical purposes, welcomes growth, and our C
& I would be welcome there.
Ending property taxation would go a long way toward making housing more affordable.
Insurance reforms or an insurance subsidy should also be considered. As it is, your
kids cannot afford to inherit your home! They can’t pay the taxes on it. Riding our
children of property taxation could help create generational wealth. Remember, equity is
capital. So important to growing an economy or a generation!
We have instituted an INSIGHTS series of events, which will feature a prominent issue
or speaker of importance to you, the taxpayer. And, of course, there is our monthly
newsletter, which will report on Commission meetings, etc. To get invitations to the
INSIGHTS events or to sign up for the newsletter go to www.mctaxpayers.org. Email
us at mctaxpayers1950@gmail.com. We’d like to hear from you!
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