Jeff Ostrowski
Alexandra Clough
Home > Real Time > Archives > 2008 > May > 09 > Entry
Tooting my own horn: Doc-stamp loophole stories win award
In the shameless self-promotion department, I’ll offer this tidbit: The National Association of Real Estate Editors today awarded me first place in commercial real estate reporting in its annual journalism awards. I edged out the Baltimore Sun.
The $250 award (OK, so I won’t be retiring on it) was for stories about the loophole that lets deep-pocketed property owners avoid paying the Florida documentary stamp tax. The Florida Senate last week unanimously passed a bill to close the loophole, but the House killed the bill.
Here’s what the judges said: “Kudos to the reporter for tackling this important local topic. The article detailed how sellers exploited state tax loopholes on high-dollar property sales, costing the city [sic] treasury significant municipal tax dollars. Readers may have questioned the documentary stamp tax after this timely report.”
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Comments
By Get in the Game
May 9, 2008 8:25 PM | Link to this
Shameless just like Paul Newman…
Good Job Kid…
Now go figure out why the Fed govt. enjoys cutting interest rates (thus causing inflation) to save a few house ‘owners?’
Printing massive amounts of money to prop up prices instead of allowing the market to correct itself.
What happens next with credit card debt (BTW: which is amassing at quite an alarming rate the past couple of quarters)?
Is Barney Rubble and his crew going to save them as well?
Bring back ‘TALL PAUL’…
‘Capitalism without failure is like Christianity without hell.’ Buffett
By Jack McCabe
May 10, 2008 7:56 AM | Link to this
A first place award from the NAREE is quite a feather Jeff. Congratulations. With competition among thousands of writers and multiples of stories, you should feel very proud of this award from and by your peers.
By Curious
May 10, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this
No big surprise.
You’re smarter than you look — X10.
Cheers!
By FinkFan
May 11, 2008 6:32 PM | Link to this
Congratulations Mr. Ostrowski! You deserve it, especially since you’re responsible for adding articles to this blog and enduring the almost daily abuse. If you spend the money wisely, you might be able to buy 3 or 4 tanks of gas.
By cme4pr
May 12, 2008 12:26 AM | Link to this
Congrats, Jeff. well deserved. b.
By cme4pr
May 12, 2008 12:28 AM | Link to this
Congrats, Jeff. well deserved. b.
By ifi
May 12, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this
Congrats, dude.