Beach Taxes

Pensacola Beach leaseholders and businesses have been involved in several lawsuits regarding legality of taxing both leased land and improvements on the land since 2004.

The state’s highest court heard two cases in November 2012. One was for taxing improvements on 2,400 residential properties on Pensacola Beach. The other was for taxing land and improvements on roughly 850 pieces of property on Navarre Beach in Santa Rosa County.

In a pair of unanimous opinions issued on March 20, 2014, the Florida Supreme Court approved of the county’s assessment and collection of ad valorem real property taxes for certain leaseholds on Santa Rosa Island.  The Court found that Pensacola Beach leaseholders have “virtually all the benefits and burdens of ownership.” This effectively makes them the private owners subject to property taxation.  The cases largely put to rest the decades long debate over beach leasehold taxes. 

Now we are dealing with the fallout - how do these rulings affect the lawsuit on taxation of the land, how and when will the County address double taxation (ad valorem and lease fees), how much tax money will the County return to the island and what is the future of the Santa Rosa Island Authority?


2019 Update

The First District Court of Appeal, in an opinion released May 30, 2019, has unanimously AFFIRMED the ruling by Escambia County Circuit Court Judge Scott Duncan ruling that the Escambia County School District lacked standing to challenge the Constitutionality of Fla. Stats. Section 196.199(2)(b) governing taxation of leases on government-owned land.  This ruling lets stand the trial court’s ruling that the land beneath Santa Rosa Dunes at Pensacola Beach belongs to the County, and is thus immune from ad valorem taxation.

The issue was before the First DCA on an appeal by the Escambia County School District which sought, at the behest of the Escambia County Property Appraiser, to challenge the constitutionality of the controlling tax statute.   All of the judges on the three-judge panel acknowledged that controlling precedent supported the trial judge’s granting of summary judgment against the school district.  In a concurring opinion, Judge Bilbrey wrote that while he disagreed with the broad restrictions placed on standing by public officials, that he agreed the panel was bound to follow such precedent.   He pointed out that the First DCA had previously upheld the constitutionality of the challenged statute, concluding that “even if the District had standing to sue, we would be correct to affirm…”

“We are obviously pleased with this decision,” said Ed Fleming, who together with Todd Harris, represented Santa Rosa Dunes.  “This puts to bed the last avenue for challenging the earlier wins for Pensacola Beach leaseholders in Island Resorts v. Jones, and Beach Club v. Jones.”

Harris said that more than half of the pending cases with the Property Appraiser concerning valuing improvements only, recognizing the immunity of publically-owned land, have been resolved; and he and Fleming are optimistic that the remaining cases can be resolved as well.

Click here for the full appeal.


2014 Updates

6/21/2014 - Unpaid taxes on improvements due by July 25

5/23/2014 - Supreme Court Denies Motions on Taxes

4/4/14 - Clarification Motion Filed by Attorney in Florida Supreme Court


Feb 2014 Blog article explaining why you must pay your 2013 taxes if you want to remain a party to the prior years' litigation (2004 - 2012).

Related Articles

You can also browse through our Blog to read past newsletter articles on the taxation issues.

8/24/2014 - PBA Asks Florida Senators to Support Fee Simple Legislation

2/7/2014 - Fee Simple Legislation Passes in US House

9/9/13 - Fee Simple Legislation Introduced to Congress

2/13/13 - Tax Litigation on Pensacola Beach - Still Waiting

11/2/12 - FL Supreme Court to Hear Beach Tax Arguments

9/10/12 - Tax Litigation - Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments November 6

8/29/12 - Tax Litigation - A Waiting Game

5/16/12 - Tax Litigation Update

4/9/12 - Florida Supreme Court to Hear Beach Tax Cases

2/2/12 - Tax Litigation Update

10/19/11 - PBA Tax Appeal - Good News

10/6/11 - Commissioners Act on Double Taxation

9/2/11 - Double Taxation and What to Do About It

9/2/11 - Ad Valorem Taxation on Santa Rosa Island

8/17/11 - Double Taxation on Pensacola Beach

7/29/11 - Leaseholders Lose in Appeals Court

7/29/11 - Portofino Tax Update

7/24/11 - Appeals Court Rules in Tax Lawsuit

5/15/11 - PB Tax Suit Update

5/15/11 - PBA Enourages Escambia County Commissioners to offer Fee Simple Title


More Links

History of this suit can be found at the following website: http://www.pbeachtaxsuit.com/

1108 Ariola, LLC v. Jones (Taxes on Land)

Florida First District Court of Appeal Opinion (No. 1D10-2050): http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=6413174389450369503

Florida Supreme Court Filings (No. SC11-2231): http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/pub_info/summaries/briefs/11/11-2231/index.html

Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments: http://wfsu.org/gavel2gavel/viewcase.php?eid=370

 

Accardo v. Brown (Taxes on Improvements)

Florida First District Court of Appeal Opinion (No. 1D10-4072): http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1013131377402627411

Florida Supreme Court Filings (No. SC11-1445): http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/pub_info/summaries/briefs/11/11-1445/index.html

Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments: http://wfsu.org/gavel2gavel/viewcase.php?eid=369

 

Recent Late Filed Lawsuits in Trial Courts Contesting 2013 Taxes:

http://www.escambiaclerk.com/xml/xmlBM.asp?ucase_id=2006727 http://www.escambiaclerk.com/xml/xmlBM.asp?ucase_id=2006729






























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