In a separate story, I’ve outlined the proposed property tax increases for South Florida which you can expect as you review your proposed property tax bill this week. In this story, I’m comparing how much South Floridians are paying compared to the rest of the country. There are 3,143 counties in the United States which impose property taxes. Of them where do you think your county ranks in terms of expense? Here’s a hint. If you’re in South Florida, there are few paying more. Not only are South Florida’s property tax bills among the highest nationally, it’s even worse when you adjust for median income.
Broward ranks 236th most expensive, Miami-Dade 210th and Palm Beach County 232nd. As telling as that information is, once you adjust for median incomes, it’s actually even worse. The following are where South Florida’s property taxes rank based on median income. Broward 159th most expensive, Miami-Dade 111th, and Palm Beach County 166th.
What’s more is that independent of the TriCounty, Florida’s property tax rates are right around the national average. This view of what we’re charged for the roof over our head and for our businesses, provides additional context for the extraordinary level of taxation we’ve had imposed on us. As with most things in life, context is key. Whether one looks at South Florida’s property taxes on an absolute or relative basis, we're among the highest taxed in the country. Do you feel your county is among the absolute best run in the country? If not, there’s a clear disconnect. A disconnect which will lead to many South Floridians losing their homes due to an inability to pay these extraordinary taxes. This is why I feel all attempts to raise property taxes should be opposed.
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