PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers are moving forward with eight proposals aimed at reducing property taxes for homeowners, as rising costs continue to burden residents across the state.
State Rep. Toby Overdorf, R-Stuart, chairs the Select Committee on Property Taxes and said the panel has one clear objective: cutting property taxes for Florida homeowners.
WATCH BELOW: 8 proposals aim to cut property taxes
The committee has identified eight initial proposals for potential relief, including eliminating non-school homestead taxes, improving the homestead exemption, capping tax increases and eliminating what's known as portability restrictions.
"We will not impact school taxes in any way, nor police and fire," Overdorf said.
However, other property taxes are being targeted for potential cuts. One of Overdorf's own proposals, House Joint Resolution 211, would eliminate portability restrictions, allowing homeowners to transfer their tax savings when they move to a new property located in Florida.
"People within the state, even if they downsize, would not get hit with a much higher property tax bill?" WPTV reporter Matt Sczesny asked Overdorf on Friday.
"That is correct. They could take that portability number with them, and in some cases, they may actually not even have to pay property taxes," Overdorf said.
The proposals face the challenge of reducing funding for counties and cities that rely on property tax revenue. Overdorf acknowledged this concern but believes there's room for cuts without affecting services.
"Right now, we're approaching $60 billion just in property taxes across our state. I sincerely believe there is an opportunity for pullback of that revenue within local government and still receive the same services," Overdorf said.
The timeline for these proposals is moving quickly. Overdorf's committee and other legislative committees will begin studying the proposals next month, with lawmakers potentially voting on them as early as January.
The Proposals at a Glance
Categorical Eliminations:
HJR 201 (Rep. Steele): Eliminates non-school property taxes for homesteads entirely.
HJR 203 (Rep. Miller): Phases out those same taxes over ten years, with an additional $100,000 exemption added each year.
HJR 205 (Rep. Porras): Exempts Florida residents 65 and older from paying non-school property taxes on homesteads.
Additional Exemptions:
HJR 207 (Rep. Abbott): Creates a new 25% homestead exemption on non-school taxes — aiding current and first-time homebuyers.
HJR 209 (Rep. Busatta): Offers an extra $100,000 exemption to homeowners who carry property insurance, intended to ease overall housing costs.
Reforms:
HJR 211 (Rep. Overdorf): Eliminates the cap on “portability,” allowing homeowners to transfer their entire Save Our Homes benefit to a new property, even if it’s of lesser value.
HJR 213 (Rep. Griffitts): Adjusts caps on taxable value growth — limiting increases to 3% over three years for homesteads (currently 3% annually) and 15% over three years for non-homesteads (currently 10% annually).
HB 215 ( Rep. Albert): Would require a two-thirds vote to raise local millage rates and allow newly married couples to combine their Save Our Homes benefits.
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Matt Sczesny is determined every day to help you find solutions in Florida's coverage collapse. If you have a question or comment on homeowners insurance, you can reach out to him any time.
