By Jim Turner | News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — As Gov. Ron DeSantis continues a push to let voters decide whether to slash property taxes, House Speaker Daniel Perez this week rolled out a series of proposed constitutional amendments for next year’s ballot.
The House’s plans seek to cut taxes on homesteaded properties without impacting funding for schools and law enforcement.
“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 on Thursday. “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.”
As examples, Rep. Kevin Steele, R-Dade City, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 201) that would eliminate non-school homestead taxes. Meanwhile, Rep. Monique Miller, R-Palm Bay, is sponsoring a proposal (HJR 203) that would phase out non-school homestead property taxes over 10 years. Under Miller’s proposal, the homestead tax exemption would increase by $100,000 annually.
Currently, homeowners can qualify for a homestead exemption from local-government and school-district taxes on the first $25,000 of the taxable values of their properties and from local-government taxes on the values between $50,000 and $75,000.
Another proposal (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.
The issue is being closely watched by cities and counties, which rely heavily on property taxes to pay for services and say say they could need other sources of money to make up for tax cuts. The House proposals include sections aimed at preventing reductions in law-enforcement funding.
DeSantis did not address the House proposals when appearing late Thursday in Bartow.
Asked Wednesday while in West Palm Beach about alternative revenue sources to replace property taxes, DeSantis reiterated a position that the “vast, vast majority of property tax revenue is not from homestead Floridians’ properties. It’s second homes, investment properties, commercial properties.”
“Nobody asks, ‘Why can’t government spend less money?’” DeSantis added.
DeSantis has also proposed the state cover lost property-tax revenues for rural “fiscally constrained” counties, which have limited tax bases.