FL Gov Jeb Bush vigorously defends his $14 billion tax cuts since 1999

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But most Floridians haven't seen a direct impact.

A review of tax cuts enacted during Bush's terms show the bulk of the cuts have aided businesses or investors, with cuts on estate taxes and investments accounting for nearly half of the tax cuts and cuts for businesses also well into the billions of dollars.

"The vast majority of tax cuts (under Bush) went to special interests, select corporations and our most privileged and wealthy citizens," said Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach. "They gave the wealthy and most powerful the vast majority of your tax breaks and gave everyone else a few crumbs and told them they've been to the party."

He said it's a "sad joke" that the public believes Republicans are the anti-tax party, yet little of those tax cuts make it to the middle or lower class.

"What's happened is Republicans are pretty good at bumper sticker politics. Everyone likes lower taxes and (Republicans) are for lower taxes, just not yours," he said.

Bush ripped such criticism, rhetorically asking, "How many tax cuts have (Democrats) proposed for Joe Bag of Donuts?"

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"Basically, if they had their way, if Democrats were in charge I think there's a safe bet you'd have higher taxes for the working families," Bush said. "The fact that we're leading the nation in job growth, the fact that our economy is red hot, I think, relates partially to the fact that we have cut taxes and we've cut taxes in areas that have benefited the economy." Asked which of his tax cuts provided direct benefits to working class Floridians, Bush cited sales tax holidays and a 1999 property tax rollback.

The tax holidays, short periods where no taxes were collected for back to school items, hurricane-preparedness supplies or for gasoline, have totaled about $250 million since 1999 - a little less than 2 percent of the total tax cuts. The 1999 property tax rollback lowered the millage rate by .42 mills, meaning a savings of about $42 for an owner of a $125,000 home with the homestead exemption.

But the bulk of the property tax break benefited businesses.

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