Here we are half way through the Legislative session and what have our elected officials accomplished? Not much! Although the session started off upbeat and with a lot of promise with the talk of real reform for real estate taxes not much has been accomplished. No wait a minute. I lied. There is heavy debate about changing the state song and restoring voting rights to felons!
It appears that while Rome is burning our elected officials are fiddling. It appears the Doomsday rhetoric is taking hold thereby eliminating any tax reform. The Representatives have floated several real estate tax reform ideas but nothing from the Senate. With only about 30 days left in the session I don't see any meaningful reform for our real estate tax dilemma. Remember I told you - Failure to achieve immediate reform will do permanent and long lasting damage to the state's economy as well as our local economy.
It is time for the politicians to act and not sit idly by. Besides, who gives a hoot about the state song? A majority of the people probably don't even know the title.
On the local scene here are some numbers to digest. In MLS areas 476, 477 and 478, an area bounded on the south at Harborage Dr., north through Clearwater Beach and Island Estates, there are 812 condos for sale and 201 single family homes as of March 31. For the month of March, there were 25 condos and 12 homes put under contract with 12 condos and 8 homes sold and closed.
Ric Cornelius is the Broker/Manager of Sand Key Realty Sales and Rentals, Inc. Sand Key Realty has three offices with 40 agents. One office is at 740 S. Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach, 727-443-0032; the second office is at 2701 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach, 727-595-5441; and the third office is at 309 Belleview Blvd., Belleair, 727-461-4200.
