Several of my clients have always asked me to give out my list of favorites - whether it be restaurants, handymen, beaches, whatever - assuming because I meet so many people and I am so involved in St Pete that I have this 'list' somewhere. Well, I have been keeping one and giving that out to new buyers who move into our wonderful city and am just getting myself in gear and putting this online. I will try to focus on getting the full list on here in the best manner possible, but please be patient.
My first one on the list is a relatively new Italian cafe on 4th St, just north of Central, called Primi. I have been there about 6 times and each visit was as good or better than the previous visit. My wife and I went to Tuscany for a week last year so we became Italian food 'snobs', or at least we think we are, so we became even more skeptical of Italian food joints. Well, Primi works for us! The owners are from South Africa and bring a unique perspective to Italian food and it is wonderful. I think the staff is mostly family, the owners are always there, and the place just works on all fronts. The prices are very reasonable, the wine list is effecient and pares well with the menu, and the experience that the food, family, and vibe delivers is spot on.
My only beef is that they don't have a full bar, but hey - I couldn't get a glass of Makers Mark to save my life in all of Italy either.
If I do this correctly, here is a review from the Times
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/03/15/Weekend/Shaking_up_the_standa.shtml
here is one from Creative Loafing:
http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A70606
Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Latest News on Property Taxes
Well, it looks like the tax relief issue is going to be a 2-step dance.
Legislators are saying that they are looking at immediate relief in terms of reducing – Voters would get a chance to approve property tax relief and restructuring proposals during the Jan. 29 presidential primary election, legislative leaders agreed Monday.Rep. Dean Cannon, who chairs a joint select committee on property taxation, announced the agreement during the panel’s last scheduled meeting before a special legislative session set for June 12-22. Cannon, though, said another meeting may be held the day before the special session.The election date agreement between House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, and Senate President Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, follows their approval last week of a basic outline for the pending property tax reduction and overhaul.“There is already a statewide election on that date,” Cannon, R-Winter Park, said. “There will be no additional cost to the people of Florida to have the election.” The long-term constitutional approach to which Rubio and Pruitt have agreed would do away with the existing $25,000 homestead exemption for primary homes and, for most homeowners, the benefits they get from the Save Our Homes Amendment, which limits increases in homestead assessments to 3 percent annually. The proposed super-exemption basically institues a tiered approach or sliding scale that would apply tax rates to portions of the value of the home and that portion grows as the value of the home increases which appeals to those in more modest homes because more of their home is exempt than in a more expensive home.
So, that still leaves buyers (and sellers) in a position of not really knowing what their taxes will look like this year, next year, or whenever. it does, however, give some hope that at least the taxes will be less - but how much less is still up in the air.
Legislators are saying that they are looking at immediate relief in terms of reducing – Voters would get a chance to approve property tax relief and restructuring proposals during the Jan. 29 presidential primary election, legislative leaders agreed Monday.Rep. Dean Cannon, who chairs a joint select committee on property taxation, announced the agreement during the panel’s last scheduled meeting before a special legislative session set for June 12-22. Cannon, though, said another meeting may be held the day before the special session.The election date agreement between House Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, and Senate President Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, follows their approval last week of a basic outline for the pending property tax reduction and overhaul.“There is already a statewide election on that date,” Cannon, R-Winter Park, said. “There will be no additional cost to the people of Florida to have the election.” The long-term constitutional approach to which Rubio and Pruitt have agreed would do away with the existing $25,000 homestead exemption for primary homes and, for most homeowners, the benefits they get from the Save Our Homes Amendment, which limits increases in homestead assessments to 3 percent annually. The proposed super-exemption basically institues a tiered approach or sliding scale that would apply tax rates to portions of the value of the home and that portion grows as the value of the home increases which appeals to those in more modest homes because more of their home is exempt than in a more expensive home.
So, that still leaves buyers (and sellers) in a position of not really knowing what their taxes will look like this year, next year, or whenever. it does, however, give some hope that at least the taxes will be less - but how much less is still up in the air.
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