Broward County Plans To End Issuing Property Tax Notices Under $30

In a property tax paradox, Broward County is looking at a way to find extra money in the budget, by collecting less of it.

The County Commission will decide on Tuesday whether to stop issuing property tax bills to people who owe less than $30. These tax bills are often for property such as carports and sheds attached to mobile homes or for businesses run inside homes, Property Appraiser Lori Parrish said. And the county argues that it spends more money sending tax notices to those property owners than it collects in taxes.

Under the proposal, about 21,000 tax bills would fall into the category. About 28,500 people already do not receive tax notices because they owe less than $1 in tax.

The proposal would reduce tax collections by about $380,000. But the county would save the about $528,500 is spends appraising those properties and sending tax notices.

Some tax-burdened homeowners called the plan a wonderful idea, and critics call it "madness" that would punish the poor. Local elected officials said the proposal, which is far from assured of passage, would hobble their municipalities because it would impose a ceiling on their ability to tax and spend.

Vanessa Arellano Doctor