ZONING DECISIONS
Hometown Democracy – a nickname for a constitutional amendment proposal that would force all new subdivisions, shopping malls and other development plans to seek approval from voters rather than local leaders – received support yesterday from one of Florida’s largest environmental groups, the Sierra Club.
This constitutional amendment proposal could adversely affect the tax base for many towns, cities, and counties here in Florida.  At this time, the Florida legislature is looking for real estate tax relief for property owners. With other sources of tax revenues within a community, couldn’t some of the real estate burden be shifted to the new businesses within a community? Our tax base in many Florida areas is based upon residential real estate. At this time, I would have to disagree with this admendment proposal.
MR. GREENSPAN SPEAKS
Toning down some earlier remarks, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said during a Tokyo seminar that he does not think an economic slowdown in the U.S. is “probable.†Even better news: Greenspan also said that the nation has experienced the major part of adjustment in housing prices and “the worst is over.â€
I have finished the graphs for market conditions for the Naples real estate, Bonita Springs real estate, and Estero real estate markets. But still have to prepare the narrative to explain the graphs and how buyers and sellers can plan.
TAX TIP TO SAVE YOU MONEY
A new tax law could help some of your buyers. Under a provision passed in December, people with household incomes of $100,000 or less can deduct mortgage insurance premiums on their federal income taxes in 2007. Hopefully this assist some people in reducing their income taxes they owe or better yet increase their income tax refund. Remember federal income tax returns are due on April 17th this year, not April 15th.