Gov. Rick Scott embarked on a seven city "victory tour" Monday to herald his signing of a $400 million tax cut package passed by lawmakers during Florida's just-ended special legislative session.
While Scott promised savings to individuals and businesses, however, critics took to accusing him of complicity in a "bait and switch" that will see property taxes rise by $500 million statewide.
"First off, it's important to talk about how we saved money, how we give you back your money. It's important to recognize these businesses that are growing, thriving, because we are cutting taxes," Scott told reporters at a tour stop in St. Petersburg.
The Republican governor, in the first year of his second term, had called on the Legislature to pass a more ambitious $673 million tax cut package.
His hopes were dashed by a budget shortfall caused in part by the Republican-dominated Florida House's refusal to accept billions of dollars in federal funding to expand Medicaid. The highlight of the tax cuts set to become law July 1 is a reduction in cell phone and pay TV taxes on the order of $1 per month.
Even passing the current package was a heavy lift, so much so legislative leaders decided to scale back the state's share of education funding. That meant raising the 'required local effort', or the amount of education dollars counties contribute.
As a result, county property taxes are on track to increase.
"This is going to ring so hollow to people based on their everyday lives and what they're experiencing, the taxes that they're paying locally, the services that they're receiving or not receiving," said Damien Filer with Progress Florida, a group generally critical of the governor's agenda.
"I think that they're going to feel like somehow this feels disconnected to them."
The tax cut package also includes capping taxes charged on boat repairs and a ten-day back-to-school sales tax holiday that begins August 7.