Former state senator John McKay, a member of the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission (FTBRC), has filed a proposed constitutional amendment that would require the Legislature to review and repeal many of the hundreds of sales tax exemptions on non-essential goods and services. The amendment would use the resulting increase in sales tax revenue to fund schools, replacing most of the education property taxes. The current exemptions for food, prescription drugs, health services, and residential rent, electricity and heating fuel will be maintained.
McKay estimates that up to $100 billion in sales tax is uncollected every year because of the numerous exemptions that have been passed over the years, many of them the result of lobbying by special interests. In addition to mandating the repeal of all exemptions that do not serve a public purpose, the amendment would make it much more difficult for the Legislature to pass new exemptions in the future. Such exemptions would have to serve a public purpose, be in a stand-alone bill (not buried in an amendment), and pass by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature.
The FTBRC is a 25-member panel appointed by the Governor, House Speaker and Senate President. The Commission can make recommendations to the legislature for statutory changes and can also place constitutional amendments on the ballot. If McKay's proposal is approved by a two-thirds majority of the Commission, it would go on the ballot next November.
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