Saying it would mislead voters, a circuit court judge has removed Amendment 5, the so-called “tax swap” amendment, from the November general election ballot. Gov. Charlie Crist and proponents of the amendment said they would appeal the Aug. 14 ruling.

The Coalition to Protect Florida’s Economy, of which FFVA is a part, had filed a lawsuit urging the court to strip the amendment from the ballot. “I was very pleased with the way the arguments went and felt Judge (John C.) Cooper had a firm understanding of the issues. Unfortunately for them, opposing counsel’s arguments fell short,” said Coalition attorney Barry Richard.

By eliminating most school property taxes, Amendment 5 would result in at least a 25 percent tax cut for property owners. The Legislature, which already has slashed the state budget because of revenue shortages, would have to replace the money – an estimated $9 billion to $11 billion. The lost tax revenue would be made up by increasing the state sales tax, eliminating sales tax exemptions or cutting the budget. The Coalition’s suit argued that voters were being led to believe all lost school funding would be replaced, which is not the case.

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