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Property Tax Fight Goes To Florida Supreme Court

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - The Sarasota County property appraiser has gone to the Florida Supreme Court in a dispute about whether a resident was entitled to a full homestead property-tax exemption after renting two bedrooms to tenants.

Property Appraiser Bill Furst filed a notice last week that is a first step in asking the Supreme Court to take up the case, according to documents posted Tuesday on the court website.

The move came after a panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal in June rejected a decision by the property appraiser that homeowner Rod Rebholz was entitled to a homestead exemption on only 85 percent of the residence because bedrooms were rented out.

Rebholz filed a lawsuit to challenge the property appraiser's decision. A Sarasota County circuit judge sided with Rebholz, and the appeals court, in a 2-1 ruling, agreed that the home should not be divided up for tax purposes.

"Based upon our analysis of the Florida Constitution, statutes, and codes, we conclude that the property appraisers of this state are not authorized by law to carve up a homeowner's permanent residence in order to remove the protection provided by the constitutional homestead exemption when that person rents a bedroom or any other space within their home," the majority opinion said.

As is common, the notice filed last week does not detail arguments that Furst will make at the Supreme Court.

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