(The Center Square) – Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to get rid of property taxes in Florida via a ballot initiative in the 2026.
The second-term Republican was at a news conference in Ocala when he announcing a project to widen Interstate 75 in central Florida. He said that his administration is doing analyses and study, but there’d be something on the ballot concerning property taxes.
A 60% vote of both chambers of the Legislature would be required to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
“That is going to give Floridians an opportunity to vote themselves relief from what property taxes have done to them,” DeSantis said. “So people are really getting pinched by property taxes and especially the elderly on fixed incomes. It’s like they bought land, they bought a house. Many of them paid off a mortgage because they didn’t buy their home outright.”
He compared homeowners paying property tax to renters, saying that they’re “basically paying rent to live on their own property.”
According to the non-partisan, nonprofit Tax Foundation, Florida is ranked 31st nationally for property taxes as a percentage of owner-owned housing value. The 2022 effective rate was 0.71% of a property’s value, much improved over New Jersey where the effective property tax rate is 2.08%.
The nonprofit Florida Policy Institute came out strongly against DeSantis’ proposal, saying that it would weaken local governments and require $2,015 per capita ($43 billion) in new revenue to make up the loss in property tax revenue for counties and municipalities.
According to data, property taxes represent 8% of county revenue, 17% of municipal revenue and 50% to 60% of school district revenue.
The governor, who signed an executive order creating the state’s own Department of Government Efficiency, said there are some local governments flush with increased property tax revenues that aren’t taking good care of taxpayer funds.
“People are getting taxed to high heaven, particularly on property taxes, which is another thing we’re going to give relief on because you buy a home for $250,000 and then 10 years later, someone assesses it at $800,000,” DeSantis said. “Even if you have homestead (exemption), you’re still paying more and it can’t protect you against all that.”