Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam wants to cut in half the sales tax businesses pay on electricity over the next three years. Putnam outlined legislative goals Monday at a statewide energy summit in Orlando.
Putnam says homeowners and large manufacturers already are exempt from an electricity sales tax.
"And so we see it as a competitiveness issue, a fairness issue, and the fact that we're really kind of aligning it with where other states are that we compete with for jobs", Putnam said.His suggestion is part of Governor Rick Scott's proposal to cut taxes and fees by a half-billion dollars in the next fiscal year. Putnam also wants a long-range study of Florida's natural gas. He says the state relies on natural gas for 60% of its power.
The third-annual Florida Energy Summit is expected to draw about 400 entrepreneurs, academics and utility and municipality workers.