Florida Senate - 2015                              CS for SB 278
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Finance and Tax; and Senator Diaz de la
       Portilla
       
       
       
       
       593-02770-15                                           2015278c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to downtown development districts;
    3         creating s. 189.056, F.S.; providing legislative
    4         intent; authorizing the governing body of a
    5         municipality with a certain population and located
    6         within a certain county to levy an ad valorem tax on
    7         all real and personal property in a downtown
    8         development district to finance the operation of the
    9         district; limiting the tax to a specified percentage;
   10         providing for limitation of the district’s millage;
   11         providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 189.056, Florida Statutes, is created to
   16  read:
   17         189.056 Downtown Development District; Ad Valorem
   18  Taxation.—
   19         (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage the
   20  revitalization of downtown areas within large municipalities
   21  where the societal ills associated with urban blight are most
   22  prevalent. However, in recognition of the traditionally broad
   23  home rule power exercised by charter counties, the Legislature
   24  intends that this section apply only to certain counties.
   25         (2) The governing body of a municipality with a population
   26  of more than 400,000, as determined by the Office of Economic
   27  and Demographic Research, and located within a county as defined
   28  in s. 125.011(1), may, by ordinance, levy an ad valorem tax on
   29  all real and personal property in a downtown development
   30  district of up to 0.5 mill on the taxable value of the property
   31  located therein for the purpose of financing the operation of
   32  the district. In no event may the district’s millage exceed 0.5
   33  mill. The district’s millage is limited as provided in s.
   34  200.001(8)(d) for dependent special districts.
   35         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.