50th No More!

Florida voter,before you vote, please inform yourself about the issues presented in your ballot. Amendment 5 has the potential to decimate education if we support it, but it also has the potential to save homeowners 25 percent of their current property taxes. Just like any other Floridian, I would love nothing more than to save 25 percent of my tax bill, but is it really worth it? For some, and especially those without children, amendment 5 should be an easy choice, but as I said before, please, inform your self before you vote.

Amendment 5 is being sponsored and advertised as a "tax savings" amendment for Florida voters, but the reality is that there is another tax replacing it. Sales tax should go up if amendment 5 is implemented, but sales tax will only cover less than 50 percent of our educational bill. Where will the other 50 percent come from? It is believed a service tax will be imposed to cover the gap, that is, a tax on your hair cut, a tax on your power bill, a tax on your dry cleaning....Get the picture? So where are the savings? Amendment 5 should be called what it really is, and that is a tax transfer, not a tax savings.

I don't have a million dollars to campaign against this amendment as the Florida Association of Realtors has to campaign for the amendment. All I have is the hope that voters will put education back where it belongs in the priority list, and not in the 50th place where we currently rank. Yes, Florida voters, we rank number 50 among all states on per pupil spending, and amendment 5 threatens to further damage that 50th place.

Our county at the school district level has already lost 146 instructional positions, 78 non instructional positions, and local colleges are raising tuition cost 6 percent, and reducing enrollment to stay under their budgets. I see a brain drain pouring out of Florida, and benefiting other states.

Florida voter, please keep in mind when you go to the polls that the decision you make, will affect mostly people who don't have a voice. School children have no right to vote, but they should have a right to a decent education. 50th no more! Vote no on amendment 5, and help us rescue education and bring it back were it belogs.