As Tallahassee reaches the midway point of its regular session, the Florida House has passed a bill that would repeal most property taxes.
In an 80-30 vote, the joint resolution advanced to the Florida Senate. Under the proposal, all non-school homesteaded property taxes will be abolished starting on Jan. 1, 2027.
Touting the accomplishment, House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Republican from Miami, said in a statement:
“(T)his may well be the most aggressive legislation ever passed by a legislative chamber on property taxes in the history of the United States…The House has engaged in a steady, thoughtful conversation…”
But the chances of the bill appearing on November’s ballot are slim, as the Senate has yet to propose any bill on the issue, and it’s unclear if they will take up this joint resolution.
Property taxes have been a focus of Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers for months. Supporters say it will ease the burden on homeowners across the state.
But critics worry that if the bill ultimately becomes law, it would come at a cost—property taxes fund roads, utilities, parks, and local services.
Now that the bill has passed in one chamber, local leaders in South Florida and across Tallahassee are sounding the alarm about its implications.
“What do we do about parks? What do we do about road construction and the road and bridge fund? What do we do about general administration of government? How does that get paid for?” said Pembroke Pines Mayor Angelo Castillo during a meeting Wednesday night.
Castillo joined a growing chorus of city leaders who rely on property taxes and are asking questions about what they may face starting next year.
During a January meeting, concerned residents and lawmakers also asked similar questions.
“I’m a homeowner, and we own a rental property. So I should be saying, ‘Yippee, skippy, no property taxes, right?’ said a resident. “Would I like a couple thousand extra dollars? Well, of course. But would I like what’s coming with that? No.”
“I know millions for sure that can impact Miami-Dade County. This will handicap local governments,” said State Rep. Ashley Gantt, a Democrat from Miami.
Supporters at the meeting explained the reasoning behind the bill.
“The goal here is to reduce the cost of local government and to reduce the cost to taxpayers,” said State Rep. Monique Miller, a Republican from Palm Bay.
Some estimates say the proposal could cost communities billions of dollars, although the bill would require protecting police and fire budgets.
Following the passage of the bill in the House, the nonpartisan Florida Policy Institute released a statement that reads:
“The resolution…Represents nothing more than a cost shift…Forcing local lawmakers to choose between gutting critical services, raising taxes and fees, to make up for the missing revenue, or acting on a combination of these options.”
As the proposal moves forward, it’s on the minds of many leaders.
“This is a difficult issue. Everybody wants a tax decrease,” said Castillo.
The measure that passed the House would apply only to homesteaded properties, not to Airbnb or vacation homes.
It is now headed to the Senate, then to DeSantis. Ultimately, this proposed bill, which is a change to the Florida Constitution, will require voters to make the final decision in November. The approval threshold is 60%.