You may be and don’t know it yet. Let’s see if I’m right. Do you think you should feed the government BEFORE you feed your family? That is precisely what you are doing now under the income tax because of federal withholding from your paycheck. By the use of withholding you are telling the government that they are your highest priority. Under the FAIRtax federal withholding is eliminated. You are only taxed when you spend your money, not when you earn it, putting your family first. Do you think the government should know more about your financial life than you are willing to tell your own children?
Through the income tax forms, the government knows how much you earn, where the money comes from, how much you have invested, how much you gave to charity, how much interest you’ve earned, how much you have in savings, what property you have sold or bought, what depreciation you may have taken, what your mortgage payments are, etc, etc, etc. Under the FAIRtax the only thing the government knows is how much your employer paid you for the year so the Social Security Administration can calculate your benefits upon retirement. Do you think the IRS is an efficient and secure repository for your financial information? First of all, the IRS budget for 2023 was over 12 billion dollars with a request for over 14 billion dollars for 2024. That’s a lot of tax dollars. Continue reading
As we enter this new year, the Ocala Metro has made a few national lists which are worth highlighting:
U-Haul
Every year, U-Haul unveils their Top 25 Cities for Growth. This list ranks cities based on one-way moves using U-Haul. While not entirely scientific, it is a great barometer of where people are moving. The Ocala Metro has made this list each of the last several years but this year ranks #2 following last year’s ranking as the top city where people are moving. This is important because of who moves using U-Haul – overwhelmingly, it is younger people. We know that 30-39 year olds in the Ocala Metro are growing at double the national average. This is a key demographic for workforce, home ownership, and families.
Housing
One of the best and most significant measures of the strength of the local economy is the housing market. 2023 was a record-year on several fronts. It marked the highest ever number of new single-family homes completed, and the 2nd highest number of permits issued. Additionally, it was the 2nd best year on record for the sale of existing homes. The Ocala Metro was one of only 3 Florida metros and one of only a handful nationwide that saw an increase in year-over-year sales of existing homes. Finally, 2023 saw the largest number of new Multi-Family developments to come online with the addition of approximately 2,000 units. Continue reading
Dear Friends,
The Florida Legislature has officially adjourned the 2024 Legislative Session, marking the conclusion of this year’s 60-day regular session. Over those 60 days, Senate Republicans have delivered on key issues that impact Floridians across our state.
The Senate Republican Caucus stood firm in defense of the freedom that every Floridian holds dear. We enacted strong legislation to protect private property rights, passed critical measures to empower American energy production, and called for much needed accountability in Washington.
Senate Republicans introduced and passed vital legislation to expand access to critical health care services, empower neighborhood public schools, crackdown on rampant theft, and protect children from harmful online material. Additionally, the Florida Senate passed a balanced, fiscally conservative budget, while delivering critical tax relief to families and small businesses across the State of Florida. Continue reading
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