Florida lawmakers weigh property tax cuts; economic study to assess potential impact
Expect an economic impact study as a first step as discussions ramp up about the future of property taxes in Florida.
Gov. Ron DeSantis in recent weeks has called for cutting property taxes, while also criticizing spending by local governments. Meanwhile, lawmakers have proposed a series of measures that would ask voters in 2026 to expand the homestead property tax exemption.
But lawmakers and DeSantis this week have indicated that a final proposal might not emerge this year. They could approve a proposal during the 2026 legislative session in time to put it on the November 2026 ballot.
Senate Finance and Tax Chairman Bryan Avila, R-Miami Springs, pointed to a need to get "feedback" from local governments and said the legislative proposals filed this year are being evaluated by staff members and state economists.
"We're really taking our time to make sure that we get it right," Avila said Wednesday after his committee received an overview from staff members about property taxes.
Concerns over local revenue and services
Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican who serves on the committee, said she is "pretty uncomfortable with some of these broad, sweeping statements about eliminating property taxes" being made in the Capitol.
"I think we should caution our members as to the outcomes," Passidomo said on the need to study the potential impacts. "The sooner we do that, the better for our members, so they don't go down a rabbit hole."
Local governments rely heavily on property taxes to pay for services and are closely watching the debate. In its legislative platform this year, for example, the Florida League of Cities said it supports levying property taxes "to provide critical services such as infrastructure, police, fire and emergency services."
"Further changes or exemptions to the property tax system and tangible personal property taxes would create inequities and unfairly shift the tax burden onto families, homeowners, renters, businesses and our most vulnerable population," the platform, posted on the organization's website, said.
Azhar Khan, staff director of the Senate Finance and Tax Committee, on Wednesday estimated local revenue totals from property taxes at about $30 billion for non-school taxes and $20 billion for school taxes.
Questions about replacing lost revenue
Committee member Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican and, like Passidomo, a former Senate president, said it would be good to know what it would take to address the revenue losses created by the homestead-exemption proposals.
Gaetz said, "Were we to eliminate property taxes, where do you get the $50 billion? One suggestion that was made a number of years ago was we should just increase the sales tax."
DeSantis said Tuesday that while he wants a "bold" proposal, it will take about a year for what he is calling a "state DOGE task force" to review local government spending.
"And then I think we're going to be at a great spot to say, 'OK, what can we get on the ballot? What can get past the Legislature to get on the ballot? And then, what can we marshal 60 percent of the electorate?'" DeSantis said, referring to a 60 percent threshold for passing constitutional amendments.
Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, has proposed a bill (SB 852) that calls for the Legislature's Office of Economic and Demographic Research to study the potential impact of eliminating property taxes on such things as education, infrastructure and emergency services.
The bill, if passed, would require the study to be completed by Oct. 1. It also would direct the office to look at how property taxes could be replaced, including "an evaluation of whether a shift to consumption-based taxes would make Florida more attractive to businesses compared to other states."
Homeowners can qualify for a homestead tax exemption from local government and school district taxes on the first $25,000 of the appraised values of their primary properties and from local government taxes on the value between $50,000 and $75,000.
Among the measures filed this year is a proposal (SJR 1016) by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, that would ask voters to raise the homestead exemption to $75,000 on all levies. Another proposal (HJR 357), filed by Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, R-Belleview, seeks to create a $100,000 exemption on all properties.
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