FL Gov DeSantis pushes for property tax reform at Tampa roundtable

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continued to make his case to Floridians about the need for property tax reform at a roundtable in Tampa on Wednesday.

He blasted House leaders again, this time over House Speaker Daniel Perez's Select Committee on Property Taxes, which the second-term GOP governor says is loaded with "liberal Democrats." He also said the number of committee members, 37, is intended to prevent any substantive reform proposal for property taxes from making it to the ballot.

DeSantis also said a proposed sales tax decrease would benefit Canadian tourists and snowbirds over Floridians.

The House voted for the sales tax rate to be cut from 6% to 5.25% and the final amount will be determined next week as the House and Senate try to reach a budget compromise.

"Obviously, this is a political ploy," DeSantis said. "It is not something that is real. But then what are they trying to do? Well, because we want to do property tax, they've come up with an idea that I don't think I've heard a single voter endorse as being something that would be good. Their idea, instead of giving you property tax relief, they want to do an across the board one quarter of one-penny reduction in the state sales tax.

"Now, what would that mean for you? The average Floridian would save a whopping $47. We had 142 million visitors. I want them to pay more and you as Floridians to pay less."

Perez says the goal of the 37-member committee is to get something on the ballot for the November 2026 election. The committee will analyze five proposals that include caps on assessment increases, giving lawmakers the ability to increase the homestead exemption and an increased exemption, among others.

DeSantis also sent a warning shot across the bow of legislative leaders when it comes to a tax cut package. Both chambers will return on Monday to try to find an accord on the budget, tax relief and a rural relief package that could cost as much as $200 million.

"We need to have a Florida-first tax policy here, and that means standing up for our own people before we're standing up for the tourists and the foreigners," DeSantis said. "And I look forward to working with the Senate and relevant House members to have a good Florida first tax package, but I can tell you any Florida last tax package is going to be dead on arrival."

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, is a key DeSantis ally. He said the state is headed to a property tax revolt due to skyrocketing assessments that are hitting Florida homeowners in the form of ever-increasing ad valorem levies.

He said property tax reform would help cut local government budgets, which he says have "skyrocketed" with 60% up to 120% spending increases in the past five years.

"We are seeing property taxes skyrocket at sort of the levels that we saw in the mid 2000s," Ingoglia said. "You've seen a rise in property values, a corresponding rise in property taxes, and then governments have expanded beyond their wildest dreams over the last five years. Now, if somebody is going to say that government can't cut. They're lying to you. They're not going to cut by themselves. They're going to have to be forced to cut. And this is why, giving property tax relief is so important."

Two measures that would've put a initiative on the November 2026 ballot died on Saturday.

House Joint Resolution 1257 and Senate Joint Resolution 1510 are similar bills that would accomplish one of Gov. Ron DeSantis' policy priorities of property tax relief via ballot initiative.

Both bills would've allowed voters to decide whether lawmakers can provide two $25,000 ad valorem tax exemptions and limit the increase in annual assessments to the lesser of 3% of the assessment for the prior year or the percent change in the consumer price index.

House Joint Resolution 1257 and Senate Joint Resolution 1510 are similar bills that would accomplish one of Gov. Ron DeSantis' policy priorities of property tax relief via ballot initiative.

Both bills would allow voters to decide whether lawmakers can provide two $25,000 ad valorem tax exemptions and limit the increase in annual assessments to the lesser of 3% of the assessment for the prior year or the percent change in the consumer price index.