TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - Florida lawmakers were hard at work for a second day debating sweeping changes to the state’s property taxes, but it will all come down to the voters this fall.
Both the Florida House and Senate were debating a bill on Tuesday that would implement a tax cut with the potential to fundamentally transform the way that the state finances its governments, especially local municipalities.
At issue during this special session is whether or not to raise the state’s homestead exemption.
“Are you in favor or are you against increasing your homestead exemption, for homestead properties only, to $250,000 over two years? That’s the crux of the question,” said Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez
Perez is confident this property tax will pass both houses, that it will be on the ballot, and he’s brushing aside fears it could decimate local government.
“A year ago, we passed the largest tax cut in the history of the state of Florida, and everyone said that we were no longer going to have services for our veterans, our children and our seniors,” said Perez. “Here we are a year later, and they all still have the same services they had when we passed the largest tax cut in the history of the state of Florida a year ago.”
But critics are worried about the fallout.
“There’s no greater tragedy than knowing that you could have saved a life when the resources weren’t available, and we’d even get there fast enough,” said Michael Tucker with the Florida Fire Chiefs Association.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that eventually more than 90% of homeowners will see a big cut.
“That’s a massive amount of folks that are going to have this major lifeline where they’re not going to have to worry about doing that,” he said.
The plan that lawmakers are close to approving would raise the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027, then up to $250,000 in 2028.
It also requires lawmakers to come up with a schedule for full elimination of property taxes.
These taxes fund public safety, transportation, water and sewer, parks and libraries, and critics say the plan is less of a tax cut then a tax shift, and someone will end up paying.
“I want, when I dial 911, I want the fire trucks, the ambulance, and I want the police at my home. I want the parks in my community,” said Florida State Rep. Robin Bartleman. “You can’t get something for nothing.”
Both Broward and Miami-Dade property appraisers predict thousands of dollars in savings for the average homeowner, but with hundreds of millions of dollars lost for cities and counties.
“Back in my community, in Miami Lakes, in Hialeah, in [Palm Springs North] and Country Club, they want property tax reform. They want to increase their homestead property tax exemption, and they’ll take $150,000 or $250,000 off their property tax bill. They want that,”: said Florida State Rep. Tom Fabricio.
But critics worry something will have to give.
“I’m just concerned about the grandma that might have a house catch on fire or something, if she’s going to be hit with another bill,” said a Florida State representative.
“Well, there are states that do that, you know, and Florida is not one of those states, and I pray that we never get to that point,” said Tucker.
This is different from an average debate over a bill in that if they both pass it, it will not go to the governor for hid signature. Lawmakers will agree on the language, and then once it passes, it will go before the voters in November.
If passed, this property tax cut would be enshrined in the Florida Constitution. The voters would have to approve it by 60%.
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