TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - Florida lawmakers are set to finalize the details on what Gov. Ron DeSantis calls a major tax relief plan, but critics of the plan said it may actually have the opposite effect.
The governor said the plan aims to eventually phase out all the numbers on notices like the proposed property tax forms that the state’s homeowners receive every year. How to implement this and the fallout are the subject of the special session that gets underway on Monday.
“Nothing we can do, though, would be more significant than this property tax,” said DeSanris suring a recent news conference.
Florida taxpayers took to social media last week to provide nearly instant feedback on the governor’s plan to cut, then eventually eliminate most property taxes.
“Nothing is truly ‘free.’ If one tax disappeats, another cost usually replaces it,” said one Facebook user.
“How about a special session tackling homeowners insurance,” said another Facebook user.
Lawmakers are gathering Monday to finalize the details of what will end up on the November ballot.
DeSantis is proposing to raise the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027. The value of a property beyond that is taxable.
The governor’s plan then intends to raise the exemption to $250,000 in 2028, something that would require lawmakers to come up with a schedule for full elimination.
Homeowners must have residency of five years after Jan. 1, 2027 to get the savings.
Lawmakers have bounced around several plans for months. Their big concern: What to do about local governments that depend on that money for police, fire, transportation, water and sewer, roads, parks and libraries.
When asked how localk government would handle this change, replied, “Well, just raising all their fees, raising all their permits. They can figure it out,” said Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Tomas Regalado
“It’s paradoxical how little people actually know about what their taxes buy them,” said Pembroke Pines Mayor Angelo Castillo.
Counties and cities are starting to crunch the numbers.
According to the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office, in 2027, the average savings for a Broward property owner would be about $2,100, lowering money coming into the county by about 10%. Public schools would lose 13% of their budget. In the second year, with an increased homestead exemption, the average savings would be $4,129. County revenue would decrease 18%, and money for schools would be down 20%.
And with eventual full elimination of property taxes, average savings would be about $5,278. County revenue would be down 34%, and schools would lose 35%.
Where taxpayers live would make a difference.
“Pembroke Park has very few homesteaded properties. It’s mostly a mobile home and a commercial community. They would only lose about 1.2% of the money that they collect; that’s negligible,” said Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar. “Cooper City is a bedroom community. They’re pretty much all homesteaded properties. They would lose maybe 34%, 35% of the money they collect in property taxes, because that’s the majority of their revenue, and that only goes up.”
But the governor said the state will establish a trust fund to help cover the costs.
“That revenue can only be used for schools, for police, for fire first, and the core services that we all agree on,” said DeSantis.
Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell voiced her concerns about the governor’s plans on Wednesday.
“It leaves the door open for the state to choose who gets help and who does not,” she said.
Lawmakers are hammering out the details, but voters will ultimately decide in November.
“I think this is the most consequential vote they’re ever going to have,” said Kiar.
It is certain that something is going to get on the ballot. People need help,” said Regalado.
Miami-Dade County officials told 7News they’re still working on their numbers and their estimates.
The special session gets underway Monday morning. Lawmakers expect it to be fast, and what exactly what will be on the ballot in Novermber, if anything, should be made clear by Wednesday.
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