Legislature seeks to cut property taxes

Cities and counties raise concerns about budgeting funds TALLAHASSEE—Republicans in the Florida House are quickly moving forward on a smorgasbord of ballot initiatives that would ask voters to dramatically overhaul the state’s property taxes—deepening the anxiety for local officials who rely on those funds for their budgets. When the Legislature convenes January 13 for its regular 60-day session, House lawmakers will have seven tax proposals they want to pass and then present to voters in November of 2026. It is far from the first time the Florida Legislature has tackled property tax reform, but the latest proposals may be the most dramatic, especially one resolution calling for the elimination of taxes on homesteaded property. An estimated 5.1 million taxpayers have homestead exemptions on their primary residence that give them a break on their taxes and limit future increases, according to the state Department of Revenue. “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 Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said in October when the resolutions were first unveiled by a specially appointed committee on property taxes.

All the proposals worry local governments, which use property tax money to fund police, fire and other municipal services. By state estimates, the most far-reaching proposal could mean Florida’s cities and counties lose$18 billion a year. But legislators say they have to do something. “Local government property tax is increasing at an unsustainable rate and is causing undue financial burden on Florida’s citizens, homeowners and businesses,”Rep.Toby Overdorf, R-Palm City, co-chair of the House Select Committee on Property Taxes, said in November.“It is time to put money back in the hands of Floridians.”

The Legislature, however, cannot simply enact these plans but must put them to voters.

Senate President Ben Albritten, a Republican citrus farmer from rural Wauchula, predicted the Senate will take a more deliberative approach, cautioning that before you tear down a fence, you need to know why it was put up. “We’ve looked at the House proposals, and every one of those has a certain amount of cost to it and a certain amount of impact to Floridians, ”Albritton told a group of reporters earlier this month, saying he is especially concerned about the potential impact on rural communities.

None of the current legislative proposals contemplate wiping out all property taxes, as Gov. Ron DeSantis first proposed in February when he kicked off the current discussion. Instead, most focus on reducing taxes or increasing the exemptions on property that owners claim as their primary or “homesteaded” residence. Some of them spare schools from the tax cuts. All the proposals would prohibit local governments from reducing law enforcement budgets.

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