Ron DeSantis Pushes Again to Eliminate Property Taxes in Florida
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is once again pushing for a major change to the state’s tax system—this time, by calling for the complete elimination of property taxes. During a recent roundtable in Tampa, DeSantis suggested that a constitutional amendment could be on the ballot as soon as 2026, giving Florida voters the power to decide.
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“If we eliminate property taxes, it means Floridians can truly own their homes without paying rent to the government,” DeSantis said. He believes local government budgets have grown too large, especially in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, and argues that their spending needs to be reeled in.
But not everyone is on board. DeSantis is currently at odds with Republican leadership in the Florida House of Representatives, particularly House Speaker Daniel Perez. The Speaker recently proposed reducing the state’s sales tax from 6% to 5.25%. DeSantis warned that he would veto any tax package that he believes prioritizes tourists over Florida residents. “We’re not going to sacrifice property tax relief just to give a break to Canadian tourists,” he said.
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A key point of contention is a bipartisan House Select Committee that was recently formed to explore property tax reform. The committee includes 37 lawmakers from both parties, including Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani of Orange County. DeSantis has criticized the committee as a political move designed to stall progress. “You create a 37-person committee when you want to bury something. They’re trying to kill property tax relief before it even gets going,” he said.
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Eskamani, however, sees the issue differently. She says that eliminating property taxes altogether could have serious consequences for essential public services like schools, police, and fire departments. “Property tax revenue in Florida totals about $50 billion,” she explained. “If you ask voters whether they’d be okay with defunding their public schools or police departments, I think most would say no.”
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Eskamani also pushed back against the idea that tax issues are political. “Taxes affect everyone, no matter your party. It’s about how we fund the things that make our communities work,” she said.
While the debate continues, lawmakers in Tallahassee are still working to pass a balanced state budget by July 1. Eskamani believes that if DeSantis follows through on his veto threats, there may be enough votes in the legislature to override him.
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Ron DeSantis Pushes Again to Eliminate Property Taxes in Florida was originally published on ronerickeysmileymorningshow.staging.go.ione.nyc
