Florida lawmakers have yet to pass a bill that would ask voters in November whether to end all homestead property taxes, a policy Gov. Ron DeSantis has pushed over the past year.
On Monday, he drew applause when he said the measure could still become a reality.
“This is something that could be really meaningful,” DeSantis told the crowd of more than 120 during a roundtable discussion Monday at Space Coast Association of Realtors in Melbourne.” A lot of people, they just want the relief,” he added. “Not every local government’s going to like it, but given the numbers, it’s doable … Don’t let anybody tell you can’t do this.”
Legislature fails to pass bill to put property tax measure on ballot
Lawmakers failed to pass a bill by May. In the meantime, DeSantis has said his team is studying the issue and is considering a “phased” approach.
Palm Bay Republican State Rep. Monique Miller, a major proponent of the measure, grew frustrated when the Senate failed earlier this year to take action on her bill, House Joint Resolution 203.
Her legislation proposed amending the Florida Constitution to gradually increase the homestead exemption from all ad valorem taxes — except school district levies — by $100,000 each year for 10 years, beginning in 2027, according to the House’s website. “By 2037, all homestead property will be exempt from non-school ad valorem taxes,” Miller states on the bill’s webpage. “This gradual approach ensures that homeowners see consistent tax relief while giving local governments time to plan and adjust for revenue changes.”
After Monday’s event, Miller said: “Hearing from the governor, finally, about what he wants was helpful,” Miller said. It aligns with the proposal we had in the House.” Miller anticipates a special legislative session in July, in order for the Legislature to take action in time to get the measure on the Nov. 3 ballot.
If the measure ultimately goes to voters, it will need a 60% supermajority to make it into the Florida constitution.
Local elected officials in Brevard County have signaled uneasiness around how government services and infrastructure would be funded if such a referendum were to pass.
Republican legislators have said local governments would have to adjust and make cuts as needed.
“We have our needs, and we have our wants,” said Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, one of Monday’s panelists. “The way I look at them differently is ‘I need a watch, I want a Rolex,’ so we have to be good shepherds of taxpayer’s dollars.”
One of Monday’s panelists, Leanne Yehnert, a new mother, told DeSantis about the litany of her costs of living as she and her husband struggle to build a life in their new Port St. John home.
“I appreciate you taking a look at this, and coming from our perspective,” Yehnert told DeSantis.
Contact Waymer at (321) 261-5903 or jwaymer@floridatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: DeSantis says ending homestead property taxes is ‘doable’
Reporting by Jim Waymer, Florida Today / Florida Today
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