Tax reform amendment is about principle
To the editor:
“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the
next place oblige it to control itself.” — James Madison
Who should benefit first from the increasing value of a family’s home, the family who owns it, or the government that taxes it? That is the question Floridians should consider as they debate the proposed expansion of the homestead exemption.
Much of the discussion has focused on what local governments may lose if this proposal passes. Those concerns deserve consideration. Local governments provide essential services that we all rely on: police officers, firefighters, roads, parks, and critical infrastructure.
The issue is not whether government should be funded, but how much it should expect from the people who fund it. Should government receive continual growth in revenue simply because property values continue to rise?
Floridians have watched insurance premiums climb, housing costs increase, and the cost of everyday life rise. Many families are paying more than ever just to remain in the homes they already own. At the same time, governments across our state, including Cape Coral, have grown dependent on rising assessments and increased tax collections, even as household incomes have not kept pace.
Unlike government, families do not have the luxury of automatically increasing their income when expenses rise. When budgets are strained, they make adjustments. They prioritize, postpone, and separate needs from wants. They make difficult choices because they must. Government should be held to a similar standard.
Having served in local government, I know there is always another project, another program, and another request for funding. That is not a criticism, it is the nature of governing. Which is why discipline matters.
For years, many taxpayers have watched public budgets grow while their own have tightened. They are often told that each new expenditure is necessary and every project essential. Some certainly are, but not all.
At some point, Cape Coral and every government across our state should ask the same question families ask around their kitchen tables; Is this a need or a want? That question is not anti-government. It is the foundation of responsible government.
The proposed homestead exemption will not eliminate essential services in Cape Coral or elsewhere, nor will it prevent investments in public safety or infrastructure. What it does require is greater discipline, clearer priorities, and a renewed focus on the people paying the bills.
At its heart, this debate is not about accounting; it is about principle. Should the benefits of rising property values belong first to the family that worked for them, saved for them, and invested in them? Or should government assume an ongoing claim simply because assessments increased?
The answer lies not in what government may lose, but in what citizens should be allowed to keep. A government worthy of the people’s trust does not fear returning power to the people; it welcomes the discipline such restraint provides.
Liberty has never depended upon the abundance of government, but upon the independence of the citizen. If government has become too dependent on rising property values, perhaps it is time to restore the balance and allow Floridians to keep more of what they have earned.
Rich Leon
Cape Coral
(Editor’s note: Rich Leon is a candidate for mayor of Cape Coral.)