March 3: Before the Florida Legislature begins its shenanigans

*Here they come....

Ah, yes.....The Florida Legislature is back to do its thing. Everyone run and hide.

Last year, neither lawmakers nor Gov. Charlie Crist were satisfied with what House Speaker Marco Rubio of Miami was trying to do in slicing and dicing the state's tax base, so they softened it. Rubio's back to try to do his damage again.

Rubio wants to eliminate property taxes and focus on a state sales tax. No. No, no and no.

Rubio obviously lives on a different street than Floridians who have to live from paycheck to paycheck, so here's the reality; a sales tax is regressive. It hits those who are poor/working class the hardest, because they're the ones who have to buy the most products that include a sales tax.

Rubio might want to speak to his fellow Republican, former Florida Senate President John McKay, and compare notes. I wasn't a total fan of McKay's proposal either (The elimination of the intangibles tax has helped throw Florida and its municipalities into the current budget crisis.), but he aimed to lower the state sales tax.

My proposal, of course, will never be adopted: A state income tax. But I think that would help more than anything else.