TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - Florida lawmakers are moving swiftly on various proposals to roll back gun safety measures and eliminate property taxes for homeowners.
The Florida House voted to advance a measure that would roll back the rifle-buying age to 18. It is a move that rescinds a restriction that was put into place after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 2018.
During the debate before the vote, emotions ran high as the issue was raised.
One of the moms said to me, ‘We’re just another shooting now,'” said State Rep. Christine Hunschofsky, a Democrat from Parkland.
She said that the mom who spoke to her was a Parkland victim.
Another representative, Merritt Island Republican Tyler Sirois, said during the debate that he wasn’t in the legislature when the mass shooting took place. Still, if he had, he wouldn’t have voted to raise the age to buy a rifle or long gun to 21.
“There is no joy in this. I am someone who believes firmly in our Constitution, firmly in our Second Amendment,” he said.
The Parkland shooter was reportedly 18 when he bought the gun.
“Every year, the parents, the wife, the family members of those victims have to relive their experience. It’s very cruel,” said State Rep. Robin Bartleman, a Democrat from Weston.
A day before the vote, some Parkland parents gathered to voice their opposition to the change in age.
“It’s a big slap in the face. It’s like they’re spitting on my son’s legacy,” said Manuel Oliver.
Those parents were in Tallahassee following the tragic shooting to watch then-Gov. Rick Scott signed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Act, which included raising the age to purchase long guns to 21, into law.
Nearly eight years later, the victim’s families watched again as the majority Republican Florida House passed the change. Several Republican lawmakers, however, voted against the proposal.
“And, you know, this is just one of those things I don’t agree with,” said State Rep. Chip Marca, a Republican from Fort Lauderdale.
This bill has passed the House several times, but it has died in the Senate each time. This year, it remains unclear if the legislation will move forward in the Senate.
In the meantime, another hot-button issue, property taxes, was at the forefront of a committee meeting.
“I’m a homeowner, and we own a rental property. So I should be saying, ‘Yippee, skippy, no property taxes, right?’ said a resident.
The committee debated a proposal that would phase out non-school property taxes over the next 10 years. The bill would limit changes to police and fire budgets, but still cap them.
“The goal here is to reduce the cost of local government and to reduce the cost to taxpayers,” said State Rep. Monique Miller, a Republican from Palm Bay.
During the debate, lawmakers raised other ideas.
“Do you share in that concern, for example, of moving towards a fine or fee-based system where being able to go to the dog park or a splash pad will require an entry fee versus the structure we have today?” said State Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando.
“So I guess I would look at this like a business. You know, businesses have ups and downs. And sometimes when, you know, the economy is tight, we have to make shifts,” said Miller.
But critics say that, with billions of dollars lost, it leaves city and county governments with no way to fund transportation, water and sewer systems, roads, parks, and libraries.
“I know millions for sure that can impact Miami-Dade County. This will handicap local governments,” said State Rep. Ashley Gantt, a Democrat from Miami.
“Would I like a couple thousand extra dollars? Well, of course! But would I like what’s coming with that? No,” said the resident.
Ultimately, the proposal passed the committee, but it still has a long way to go before it impacts Floridians.
Lawmakers are considering a handful of proposals on property taxes.
These two bills were advanced on the House side of the chamber. The Senate has yet to take up either of these issues.
If they vote on it and pass, the gun bill would head to the governor, but the property tax proposal would need to be approved by voters in November.
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