Late Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted on X, criticizing the Florida House’s proposed constitutional amendment to cut property taxes.
- He wrote, “Placing more than one property tax measure on the ballot represents an attempt to kill anything on property taxes. It’s a political game, not a serious attempt to get it done for the people.”
History Lesson
During the infamous joint press conference when he and Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia chastised Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves for “wasting” tax dollars, DeSantis stated he had a plan to eliminate property taxes on homesteads, calling it “the best way that we can provide relief for people throughout the state of Florida.”
The governor said he would unveil a detailed plan to slash property taxes in Florida.
- “I’m not just doing this to just go around and crow about property tax,” said DeSantis. “I want to see something big enacted. That’s the whole goal. So we’re doing that. We’ve got numbers, we’ve got language. We’re doing that. So that will happen. You guys will see that in due time.”
That was three weeks ago.
11% of a PLAN – Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Tired of Waiting
On Oct. 16, House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, outlined a menu of proposals.
- “If we have faith in the voters to elect us, we should not be afraid to let them be a part of the conversation about the taxes they pay,” Perez, R-Miami, wrote in a memorandum to House members. “It is our position that the House does not need to limit itself in presenting one single plan, but instead allow the people of Florida the ability to choose some, all, or none of the proposals on the 2026 ballot.”
House Proposals
- Rep. Kevin Steele, R-Dade City, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 201) that would eliminate non-school homestead taxes.
- Rep. Monique Miller, R-Palm Bay, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 203) that would phase out non-school homestead property taxes over 10 years. The homestead tax exemption would increase by $100,000 annually.
- HJR 205, sponsored by Rep. Juan Carlos Porras, R-Miami, would exempt people ages 65 and older from paying non-school taxes on their homes.
- Rep. Shane Abbott, R-DeFuniak Springs, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 207) that would create a new non-school homestead exemption equal to 25% of the assessed value of homes after other exemptions are applied.
- Rep. Demi Busatta, R-Coral Gables, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 209) that would create an additional $100,000 homestead exemption for people with property insurance.
- Rep. Toby Overdorf, a Palm City Republican who co-chaired the House select committee, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 211) that would allow people to transfer the full value of accumulated “Save Our Homes” benefits to new homes.
- Rep. Griff Griffitts, R-Panama City Beach, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 213) that would modify the Save Our Homes caps. It would limit increases in taxable values for homestead property to 3 percent over three years, down from the current 3 percent annually. Additionally, increases in the assessed values of non-homesteaded property would be capped at 15 percent over three years, instead of the current 10 percent annually.
- Rep. Jon Albert, R-Frostproof, is sponsoring a proposal (HB 215) that would require two-thirds votes by local governments to increase tax rates. The bill would also allow newly married couples to combine their accumulated Save Our Homes benefits.
House Speaker’s Response
Speaker Perez responded to DeSantis’s 10/22 tweet.
- “The governor has not produced a plan on property taxes. Period,” Perez said. “It’s unclear what he wants to do. I’ve personally reached out to share with him the House’s proposals, and he has, so far, not wanted to engage in a conversation. So when the governor says he wants to ‘abolish’ property taxes. How? We don’t have any details.