Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

Clearwater plans for more than $20M possible loss in property taxes

tampabay.com · 3hShare

If Florida voters approve a referendum in November to greatly cut property taxes , Clearwater will need to close a gap of more than $20 million in the first two fiscal years of the ballot measure’s adoption. That could mean cutting nearly 140 full-time employees, according to a contingency memo prepared by city staff. Property taxes are the largest contributor to the Clearwater’s general funding account, which pays for the police department, parks and recreation, fire and rescue, public works, libraries, planning and development, and administration. The Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s Office estimates Clearwater would lose $12.4 million in property tax revenue in fiscal year 2028 and an additional $7.9 million in fiscal year 2029. State legislators in June approved a constitutional amendment that would largely cut property taxes in Florida. It needs 60% of votes to pass in the November general election. In the contingency memo, which the City Council received last week, the city i

First report: Opinion: Would you vote to end the income tax? — deseret.com, 1d