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Issues & Advocacy

08 Election Central

 The GIC also has an ongoing campaign to encourage everyone to exercise their RIGHT TO VOTE! It is your opportunity to have your voice heard.

If you aren't registered to vote, please do so as soon as possible. The Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections website can help you with registration, election calendar(s), absentee voting, finding your voting precinct, and much more.

Upcoming 2008 Elections:

Primary Election -  August 26
General Election - Register by October 6 to Vote by November 4

REGISTERED TO VOTE? 

    Click here to download voter registration form

Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections seeking Poll Workers

Click here for details

Early Voting- SUSPENDED AUGUST 19 DUE TO STORM "FAY"

August 26 Primary Election

  Begins Monday, August 11, 2008  Ends Sunday, August 24, 2008- NO VOTING ON TUESDAY AUGUST 19 DUE TO HURRICANE FAY

November 4 General Election

  Begins Monday, October 20, 2008 Ends Sunday, November 2, 2008

Early Voting Locations/Times:  Click Here

Sarasota County Sample Ballots-Primary Election August 26, 2008

Non-Partisan

Democrat Ballot

Republican Ballot

Constitutional Amendments on the November Ballot

1. Relating to Property Rights/Ineligible Aliens

Summary: View Full Text (pdf)
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to delete provisions authorizing the Legislature to regulate or prohibit the ownership, inheritance, disposition, and possession of real property by aliens ineligible for citizenship.
Sponsor: The Florida Legislature

2. Florida Marriage Protection Amendment

Summary: View Full Text (pdf)
This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.
Sponsor:
Florida4Marriage.org
Post Office Box 521339
Longwood, FL 32752-0000 ; (407) 251-1957

3. Changes and Improvements Not Affecting the Assessed Value of Residential Real Property 

Summary: View Full Text (pdf)
Authorizes the Legislature, by general law, to prohibit consideration of changes or improvements to residential real property which increase resistance to wind damage and installation of renewable energy source devices as factors in assessing the property's value for ad valorem taxation purposes. Effective upon adoption, repeals the existing renewable energy source device exemption no longer in effect.
Sponsor: Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission

4. Property Tax Exemption of Perpetually Conserved Land; Classification and Assessment of Land Used for Conservation

Summary: View Full Text (pdf)
Requires Legislature to provide a property tax exemption for real property encumbered by perpetual conservation easements or other perpetual conservation protections, defined by general law. Requires Legislature to provide for classification and assessment of land used for conservation purposes, and not perpetually encumbered, solely on the basis of character or use. Subjects assessment benefit to conditions, limitations, and reasonable definitions established by general law. Applies to property taxes beginning in 2010.
Sponsor: Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission

5. Eliminating State Required School Property Tax and Replacing with Equivalent State Revenues to Fund Education

Summary: View Full Text (pdf)
Replacing state required school property taxes with state revenues generating an equivalent hold harmless amount for schools through one or more of the following options: repealing sales tax exemptions not specifically excluded; increasing sales tax rate up to one percentage point; spending reductions; other revenue options created by the legislature. Limiting subject matter of laws granting future exemptions. Limiting annual increases in assessment of non-homestead real property. Lowering property tax millage rate for schools.
Sponsor: Florida Taxation and Budget ReformCommission

6. Assessment of Working Waterfront Property Based UPon Current Use

Summary: View Full Text (pdf)
Provides for assessment based upon use of land used predominantly for commercial fishing purposes; land used for vessel launches into waters that are navigable and accessible to the public; marinas and drystacks that are open to the public; and water-dependent marine manufacturing facilities, commercial fishing facilities, and marine vessel construction and repair facilities and their support activities, subject to conditions, limitations, and reasonable definitions specified by general law.
Sponsor: Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission

7. Religious Freedom 

Summary: View Full Text (pdf)
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to provide that an individual or entity may not be barred from participating in any public program because of religion and to delete the prohibition against using revenues from the public treasury directly or indirectly in aid of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid of any sectarian institution.
Sponsor: Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission

8. Local Option Community College Funding

Summary: View Full Text (pdf)
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to require that the Legislature authorize counties to levy a local option sales tax to supplement community college funding; requiring voter approval to levy the tax; providing that approved taxes will sunset after 5 years and may be reauthorized by the voters.
Sponsor: Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission

9. Requiring 65 Percent of School Funding for Classroom Instruction; State's Duty for Children's Education

Summary: View Full Text (pdf)
Requires at least 65 percent of school funding received by school districts be spent on classroom instruction, rather than administration; allows for differences in administrative expenditures by district. Provides the constitutional requirement for the state to provide a "uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools" is a minimum, nonexclusive duty. Reverses legal precedent prohibiting public funding of private school alternatives to public school programs without creating an entitlement.
Sponsor: Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission

©2008 The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. 1945 Fruitville Rd. : Sarasota, FL 34236 : (941) 955-8187 : (941) 366-5621 fax