TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers seem more likely than ever to be headed toward a third special session this summer. This time it’s over Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to put property tax cuts on the November ballot.
DeSantis, who has made property tax relief one of his top priorities, said lawmakers must reach a deal in time for voters to consider a constitutional amendment in November. To get there, the legislature would need to approve ballot language by August with 60% support in both the House and Senate.
WATCH: Property tax fight could trigger third special session in Tallahassee
The governor is now warning that if lawmakers cannot agree during a special session, he will call them back again.
“There will be a special session to do the property tax, and my sense would be, we’ll get there, probably on the first try, but if not, there will be more of those sessions until they put something on the ballot,” DeSantis said Thursday in Kissimmee.
The pressure comes after property tax reform stalled during the regular legislative session.
The House passed a proposal that would have eliminated non-school property taxes on homestead properties. The Senate did not take it up, and DeSantis did not support the plan.
House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said this week in a TV interview that his chamber remains willing to act, but he put the responsibility back on the governor to offer a specific proposal.
“For the last 18 months or so, he’s been stating to the public and on Fox News and on anyone that’s willing to listen, that he’s going to abolish property taxes,” Perez said Sunday on WPLG’s “This Week in South Florida.” “I’m still waiting for a proposal that has anything to do with property taxes, even if it’s an increase of the Homestead Exemption by $5,000. I’m open to having a conversation on anything.”
In the Senate, leaders have been more cautious. Senate Appropriations Chair Ed Hooper, R-Palm Harbor, said lawmakers are still studying how a major property tax change would affect counties differently across the state.
“There’s 67 totally different counties in this state, and a property tax issue that is great for one county could crush 31 poor counties,” Hooper said last Friday.
That concern could make state funding for fiscally constrained local governments a major sticking point. Senate President Ben Albritton has argued the state may need to help backfill lost revenue in smaller or poorer counties. The House has resisted that approach.
Without agreement between the chambers, the proposal would not make the ballot.
Democrats, meanwhile, are criticizing Republicans for focusing on property taxes and special sessions while other affordability issues remain unresolved. Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said Republicans should be focused on costs such as insurance, rent and utilities.
“The number one issue on Floridians’ minds is the unaffordability crisis of our state, and yet the Republican Party at the state level and the national level are not paying attention and prioritizing the people,” Fried said.
Democrats have also warned that eliminating or dramatically reducing property taxes could force local governments to cut services or raise other taxes and fees. Recent polling from a Democratic-aligned survey found a major property tax cut would fall short of the 60% threshold required to pass. Support dropped further when voters were told local services could be affected.
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.
.
Homeowner loses decade-long legal battle against St. Pete over unrecorded water pipelines
An Odessa man lost his legal battle against the city of St. Petersburg today after a jury ruled that two massive water mains buried under his property can remain.
