TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers wrapped up their legislative session last week without delivering one of the year’s biggest promises: a plan to cut property taxes and place it on the November ballot.
For months, leaders in Tallahassee had talked about letting voters decide whether to reduce property taxes through a constitutional amendment — a change that would require 60% approval from voters statewide. But when lawmakers adjourned, no final proposal had made it across the finish line.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Florida, said the issue could still be addressed in a special session later this year.
“It's something that I did not want to push in the regular session,” DeSantis said.
Like the still-unfinished state budget and congressional redistricting questions, the governor said property tax reform could be taken up when lawmakers return to Tallahassee. April has been mentioned as a possible timeframe, though no dates or detailed plan have been released.
“Trust me, we're working on the exact procedure, but you're going to have something that's going to be really transformative, and you're going to be something that is going to, I think, makes a difference for millions of people in this state,” DeSantis said.
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The debate has revealed sharp differences within the Republican supermajority that controls state government. DeSantis has floated one of the most sweeping ideas — eliminating homestead property taxes altogether. But that proposal has raised concerns about how cities and counties, particularly smaller and rural communities, would replace the lost revenue.
The Florida Senate has yet to advance a specific plan. The Florida House passed a narrower proposal last month that would eliminate non-school property taxes on homesteaded properties.
Rep. Juan Porras, R-Miami, argued the House has already put forward a solution.
“The House has led the way on property tax relief, unlike the Florida Senate, unlike the governor, who has not released a plan on property taxes at the moment,” Porras said.
It’s unclear what a resolution will look like. Lawmakers are mixed but sound hopeful.
“Stay tuned,” said Rep. Danny Nix, R-Port Charlotte. “Stay tuned. There's still time for that to get done.”
Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Pensacola, predicted the governor will unveil a proposal before lawmakers return and likely get what he wants.
“I think he will have a plan. He has not shared his plan, but I think we'll get the plan just in time for the special session, and— my guess— we'll pass the governor's plan,” Gaetz said.
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Rep. Danny Alvarez, R- Riverview, said property taxes remain the top issue he hears about from voters.
“We know that property tax, that's the number one thing we hear about all the time” Alvarez said. “So, we're gonna come back and make sure we do something at least on our side, and then make sure we try to get something across the line.”
Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Bartow, said the Senate is still weighing options and hasn’t committed to any specific proposal. He’s previously had concerns about rural communities suffering the most from expected revenue loss of cutting homestead taxes.
“At the end of the day, nothing's been decided, and I have not committed to anything with the governor,” Albritton said. “Getting it right is what matters most.”
Democrats, meanwhile, say lawmakers are focusing on the wrong affordability problem. House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said rising insurance costs — not property taxes — should be the priority.
“Instead, this is a session that's been marked by infighting within the Republican Party, but it just causes the people of Florida to lose out, and that's not fair,” Driskell said.
For now, the regular legislative session is over. But with leaders promising a special session later this spring and no clear plan yet on the table, Florida’s debate over property taxes is far from settled.