TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers have officially fired the first shot in what’s shaping up to be a fierce property tax fight, advancing all eight House proposals Thursday despite warnings from the governor, Democrats, and local governments.
The Florida House Select Committee on Property Taxes moved forward seven constitutional amendments and one bill aimed at cutting or capping property taxes. The measures range from eliminating non-school homestead property taxes to expanding exemptions and tightening limits on how fast taxable values can rise.
Committee Chair Rep. Toby Overdorf said the House's intent is to give voters broad authority to decide what changes they want.
"We really believe in the choices that Florida voters may have," said the Palm City Republican. "These may not be the exact bills that we bring forward, we’ll have to see about that."
But local officials and advocacy groups warned the committee that the reforms could trigger a massive loss of revenue for essential services.
Lobbyist Jack Cory called the package, "the greatest attack on home rule in over 50 years."
Charles Chapman of the Florida League of Cities argued the measures threaten to destabilize municipal budgets, saying, "These proposals create instability, increase taxpayer inequities, and risk the quality of life for the residents who choose to live in cities."
Bartow Commissioner Trish Pfeiffer told lawmakers that her city would be forced to shift costs elsewhere if any of the amendments pass.
"Any of these were to pass, this is what would happen in our city," said Pfeiffer. "We would have to raise taxes or fees, which shifts the burden onto renters, possibly small businesses and working families."
DeSantis Escalates the Fight
Governor Ron DeSantis is already blasting the House’s multi-proposal approach. Speaking in Tampa last month, he argued the Legislature should put just one amendment before voters.
"You have to have one amendment," said the fellow Republican. "It's got to be very clearly written and give people a chance to vote for it."
He has described the House ideas as "milquetoast." Instead, DeSantis wants a single ballot measure that completely eliminates homesteaded property taxes. His administration hasn’t released the language yet, but Lt. Gov. Jay Collins said the plan is real — and viable.
When asked about concerns the governor would need to backfill $21 billion for schools, Collins responded:
"I’m going to say this as a guy with 10 fingers and five toes, math always wins. We're going to do the math," said Collins. "Here's what I know, the governor has already done the preliminaries. Do you think he'd be talking about this if it wasn't functionally possible?… Don't bet against DeSantis, right? The guy's been proven right so many times."
Collins said the proposal is coming soon: "I think it's coming down the pike. I know this, the governor is going to move at his pace."
House Republicans Push Back
Some House Republicans insist the governor doesn’t control the debate. Rep. Juan Porras, who is sponsoring a senior exemption, said the Legislature alone will determine what goes on the ballot.
"It's funny," said Porras. "We don't really need the governor's opinion when it comes to any of these. This is a decision that the legislature has to make. We need a super majority of both the House and the Senate. And I'm confident that my proposal is the most common sense solution for all Floridians."
Democrats Warn of Harm
Democrats unanimously opposed the measures. House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said the House is targeting the wrong issue in Florida’s affordability crisis.
"There’s something else that needs to be done— many things that need to be done, starting with the property insurance crisis," she said. "These tax cuts on ad valorem property taxes haven't been vetted enough, haven't been fully thought through, and so we had to be no votes today."
What Happens Next
The House proposals still have two more committee hearings ahead. Meanwhile, the governor’s competing single-amendment plan is still being drafted, and his allies say it’s on the way.
Whichever version passes the Legislature will need 60 percent support on the 2026 ballot.
Share Your Story with Forrest
Capitol Reporter Forrest Saunders is dedicated to sharing your voice with political leaders throughout the state. He works to hold our elected leaders accountable and amplify your concerns. Let Forrest know about the issues you want state leaders to focus on.
.
'It’s become a health hazard': Treasure Island targets overgrown lawns after Helene
No matter how much he’d like to forget about Hurricane Helene, Scott Baker still sees reminders on all sides of his Treasure Island home.
