Unemployment tax talk stirs chamber breakfast

Florida legislators are hearing the cry of small business owners loud and clear.

By the first week in March, congressmen like Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, are hoping to stymie the automatic tax increase on unemployment, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2010.

The new rates are based on an annual salary up to $8,500 per employee. At minimum, businesses will be taxed .0118 or $100.30 per employee. At most, businesses will be taxed .0540 or $459 per employee.

Gaetz, president of the senate committee on the economy, along with Senate President Jeff Atwater, plan to have a bill on Gov. Charlie Crist’s desk within the first week of the spring legislative session, which starts March 2.