TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Former House Speaker Paul Renner is urging lawmakers to approve a property tax rollback this year, saying Florida families can’t wait for a 2026 ballot fight. That’s as the governor and Florida House leaders seem poised for a high-profile clash over how best to deliver relief.
Renner, a 2026 GOP candidate for governor, said the Legislature can mandate a rollback on the counties similar to what it did in 2006–07. At the time, lawmakers were concerned incomes weren’t keeping up with rising property tax rates.
“They did that in a way that looked at how counties had responded,” said Renner. “If they had not raised their taxes for the intervening five years, they got a lower rollback.”
In an interview this week, Renner argued it was time for the state to act again because “people are actually losing their homes.”
“Give people the relief they need to stay in their homes and give them some help,” said the Republican. “Make sure property taxes don't go up again this year. That's paramount, and so that's what I'm calling for.”
Renner wasn’t opposed to some of the long-term reforms currently under consideration. Things like protecting longtime residents and first-time homebuyers from high property taxes. His concern was that ballot measures take years to enact.
“If you wanted to eliminate all homestead property taxes… all of those have to go to the ballot, get 60%,” Renner said. “Well, that's next November, and then you wouldn't see the benefit of that until November of 2027. That's 2 years from now, and that's too late.”
DeSantis Blasts House Plan as “Milquetoast”
Renner’s push comes a few weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis sharply criticized the Florida House’s package of seven constitutional amendments and one bill.
At a Tampa press conference in October, the governor blasted the House proposals, which Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami) had announced in a memo to lawmakers days earlier.
"You have to have one amendment," DeSantis said. "It's got to be very clearly written and give people a chance to vote for it. What you don't do is put five on there. … It offends me because they think you're stupid enough for them to tell you, 'Oh no, we're supportive of you. We put it up. We put stuff on the ballot. We tried.' They can't think you're that stupid, right?"
DeSantis said none of the House proposals “would get people excited” and signaled his own forthcoming plan will aim for the complete elimination of property taxes for homesteaded Florida homeowners.
“You have a home, you're homesteaded,” said DeSantis. “You should own it. You shouldn’t be taxed— it shouldn’t be an ATM for the local government.”
House Speaker Perez Fires Back
House Speaker Danny Perez unveiled the chamber’s slate of ideas back on October 16. In his memo, he called it a chance for voters to decide what to do on property taxes rather than the legislature.
“If we have faith in the voters to elect us, we should not be afraid to let them be a part of the conversation about the taxes they pay,” he wrote.
After DeSantis’ rebuke, Perez responded forcefully, saying the governor was being either “small and petty, or he had just revealed something significant today about his mysterious property tax plan.”
“The House has proposed eliminating all non-school homestead property taxes,” Perez wrote in a statement. “The Governor weirdly called that ‘milquetoast.’ That can only mean the Governor has just announced that he will be proposing to abolish all property taxes including school taxes.”
Perez challenged the governor to explain “the $21 billion for schools that he plans to cut.”
House Democrats Caution Property Tax Rollbacks
Democrats warn the plan risks deep cuts to essential services. House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell condemned major property tax rollbacks recently saying drastic cuts will have drastic impacts.
“What firehouse would he come and close in Tampa?” Driskell asked. “What police station would he close in Orlando?”
She and other Democrats in the legislature have offered their own ideas on addressing Florida’s high costs. The caucus is seeking further property insurance reforms, calling the issue “the heart of the affordability crisis.”
All 11 Democrats in the Senate have filed or plan to file bills to rein in rising premiums, which now average roughly $3,800 annually statewide. That’s among the highest in the nation. Some estimates suggest rates are even higher.
“People are struggling to stay in their homes just because of their property insurance alone,” said Senate Minority Leader Lori Berman, who took over the caucus this year. “All we’ve been told is things will get better. Things will get better. We don’t need to do anything. Well, we’re here to tell you things aren’t better.”
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