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If your object is to force those on fixed incomes out of their property, this is a good way to do it.

Is anyone associated with this bill proposing any age related caps?

I realize this is a free market but the price of insurance, taxes and utility "fees" keeps going up seemingly out of control.

We are getting squeezed out. We will be looking at a move in the next two years to another state.

That is true everywhere, in NJ the elderly keep whining about property taxes, they don't think they should pay theirs because they are on a fixed income, everyone else should pay their taxes because they want to live here and have a "right to". Meanwhile they take their month long cruises or trips to their summer homes in Florida. We owe them their choice of lifestyle. I'm sorry but I've seen allot of the "Greedy Old Geezer Syndrome"

If your object is to force those on fixed incomes out of their property, this is a good way to do it

Sorry, but I'm a little cynical too. I'm not afraid of the higher insurance costs, but I'm cynical of the government's motivation.

First we added the Hurricane Deductible...and higher costs. Then each year higher costs, and the Hurricane Deductible increased. (don't know if people outside of Florida realize that even with insurance, because of the Hurricane Deductible, the homeowner is responsible for a much larger deductible if their property is damaged by a hurricane.)

My skepticism comes from the fact that if you force an elderly person out of their home, there might be other motivation for the community/lawmakers.

Take myself for instance...we bought our home almost 18 years ago, for next to nothing. Property values have skyrocketed. Our taxes remain low because of Save Our Homes and the fact that they can only raise our taxes a couple percent a year, even though the value of our home goes up much more than that a year.

If I were "forced" to sell because of insurance rates, then my property would be reassessed for tax purposes and the new owner would pay those taxes.

The "gov't" would then be able to realize a 5 fold increase in taxes because without SOH, I'd be paying 5 times what I now pay.

Tax collected woud be $500 a month.

It's the motivation of the lawmakers/tax collectors, that's in question, IMHO.

If your object is to force those on fixed incomes out of their property, this is a good way to do it. Is anyone associated with this bill proposing any age related caps? I realize this is a free market but the price of insurance, taxes and utility "fees" keeps going up seemingly out of control.

Floriduh doesn't have an income tax, the sales tax rate is relatively low, and real property taxes are also relatively low. In fact, a large chunk of the tax revenues do not even come from residents, but rather, come from suckers like me through the extremly high hotel and occupancy tax that we pay when we visit Floriduh to waste our money at places like Disney World and Universal Studios. Even your homeowners insurance premium with the 25% increase is only a few ticks higher than what we pay here in the northeast and we don't have weekly hurricanes.

If you can't afford to live in Floriduh, than you are not spending and saving you money wisely. I suggest you take a second job at Walmart or move to cheaper state if there are any.

If your object is to force those on fixed incomes out of their property, this is a good way to do it.

A few points - this only applies to people who cannot get insurance through 'normal' channels. I think the only reason people use state insurance are those who have filed multiple claims and insurance companies refuse to carry them.

The second point that this only applies to people who haven't filed for homestead exemption - meaning you have two homes. No, I don't feel too bad for those who are on fixed incomes, own two homes, and can't get insurance through the free-market. Why should the state be obligated to subsidize these people's insurance???

Insurance rates are definitely going up in Florida but that is because of free-market forces.