On Monday, Florida lawmakers return to Tallahassee for a three-day special session to consider Governor Ron DeSantis' "Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes" proposal, which aims to eliminate homestead property taxes for Florida homeowners.
DeSantis' plan involves a constitutional amendment that would immediately raise the homestead exemption to $150,000, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and then to $250,000 one year later, while mandating a schedule for an eventual full elimination. A 60% supermajority in both the House and Senate would be required for the measure to be put before voters on the November 2026 ballot, where it would also require a 60% vote to pass.
I've already written extensively on why this is a very bad idea. What's worse, however, is that DeSantis now wants to use $5.5 million in taxpayer dollars to promote it. Property appraisers would send mailers to property owners, directing them to a state-run website that would show how much they could save if voters approved the amendment. I doubt it would inform them as to where the money to fund the services their property taxes currently pay for would come from, as the governor has not offered any sort of coherent answer to that question.
DeSantis diverted over $36 million in taxpayer funds to defeat 2024 ballot Amendments 3 (marijuana legalization) and 4 (abortion rights). As a result of the fallout, the legislature passed a statute in 2025 prohibiting the use of public funds for political advertising or "any other communication sent to electors" regarding a proposed amendment. DeSantis claims this isn't that. He's merely putting "factual information" on a website. The mailer simply makes people aware that they can find that information on that site.
If that doesn't make sense to you, don't worry, it shouldn't. This particular effort to put a thumb on the scales of a ballot referendum for a constitutional amendment that our governor sees as part of some grand legacy he envisions for himself is unprecedented and, at the very least, subverts the spirit of the law passed to prevent DeSantis or another governor from doing exactly this, if it doesn't outright break it.
All we can do now is hope that the Florida House and Senate have enough sense to reject this irresponsible measure, which would decimate local governments' budgets while allowing Tallahassee to exert even more control over cities and counties. Neither chamber has a good record when it comes to demonstrating such wisdom, so email your representatives, cross your fingers, and hope that the friction between DeSantis and a certain wing of the RPOF in the legislature is enough for this hamfisted plan to fail.
Sen. Jim Boyd: boyd.jim.web@flsenate.gov
Rep. Will Robinson: Will.Robinson@flhouse.gov
Dennis "Mitch" Maley is an editor and columnist for The Bradenton Times and the host of our weekly podcast. With over two decades of experience as a journalist, he has covered Manatee County government since 2010. He is a graduate of Shippensburg University and later served as a Captain in the U.S. Army. Click here for his bio. Mitch's new novel, Fish Kill, is currently available and can be found, along with his previous books, here. He can be reached at editor@thebradentontimes.com.
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lib224
The beatings will continue until morale improves.
Sunday, May 31 Report this
Cat L
Considering the push to privatize education, I'm sure this is a way to force that by defunding public education. It's disgusting.
Sunday, May 31 Report this
Kneeds2Know+
This is a great article, and I get why some are cheering for lower property taxes—we all want to save money. But everyone needs to look at the bigger picture before celebrating.
Florida has no state property tax, and right now 100% of that money is funding county schools, sheriff's, deputies, fire rescue, road repairs, neighborhood parks, recreation centers, and public library systems. If that local revenue is slashed, our fast-growing infrastructure will suffer along with our local independence.
If the county loses this revenue, we will have to then rely on "state bailouts". That means politicians in Tallahassee will get to decide exactly how much money each county will be 'allowed' to have for basic safety and infrastructure. And didn't they decide to spend Florida's emergency fund for Alligator Alcatraz, a huge money maker operating "as a legal cycle of campaign donations, no-bid state contracts, and massive corporate payouts." Who could trust them?
Do residents really want to trade local control for a state-managed allowance where each county will have to beg for their share? Imagine the political games that will have to be played.
And isn’t this tax plan just a way for DeSantis to use Florida as a steppingstone for his national ambitions and Project 2025. We need to focus on what’s best for regular people, not wealthy politicians.
Sunday, May 31 Report this
rayfusco68
Kneeds2Know, hit the nail on the head. There is no free lunch for taxation. All that DeSantis is doing is a slight of hand and moving the revenue collection to Tallahassee where you will lose local control on the spending. If we raise the homestead exemption the money will have to be collected through other taxes, some may be obvious and others covert. If this doesn't happen there will be a drastic decline in infrastructure services. This is a flimflam to simply move the power of the purse to Tallahassee and out of local control.
Sunday, May 31 Report this
GoldenGopher
This amendment is ill-conceived without reasoned disclosure of how the negative effects on local governments will be addressed. It would give the state even more control over local issues and local quality of life.
It panders to the self-interest of homestead owners.
It ignores the effects on renters.
Owners of multi-million dollar homes do not need a tax break and avoid paying property taxes to support quality of life for everyone in their community. Like other ill-conceived tax breaks it strongly favors the richest. The tax break for Vern Buchanan is obscene compared to the tax break for the seniors living in a house they bought 30 years ago and currently living on social security.
There are many other ways to reduce costs for and support homestead property owners:
Eliminate sales tax on all home repairs and improvements for homestead property.
Subsidies for home improvements that promote energy cost reductions, water usage reductions, storm hardening of property, increase the effectiveness of the FL Insurance Department, especially unfair claim handling.
Sunday, May 31 Report this
san.gander
Our education systems must improve on good citizenship education...tThe whys and wherefores of taxes... especially why they are necessary. What taxes pay for and and how that benefits everyone in society. Seems that is not being taught much these days.
Sunday, May 31 Report this
Lktinsanfran
Well, there's an oxymoron for you - DeSantis is merely putting "factual information" on a website (and not really using public funds to promote his no property tax agenda). I don't think DeSantis would know a fact if it slapped him in the face. He is using OUR money to promote his agenda AGAIN. Isn't that what elections are for? To let the people decide? I am still miffed about the $10 million Medicare refund he gave to his wife, Casey. This blatant corruption has to end. Why do all these elected officials ALWAYS do the wrong thing? I am so sick of it.
Sunday, May 31 Report this