TALHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – A new report from Redfin shows that rising costs and rising economic uncertainty have led to more potential home buyers receding. The governor wants to provide financial relief by eliminating or reducing property taxes, but state lawmakers and local leaders disagree with some of his proposals.
House members met for the second time at the Capitol after talking to local leaders about property taxes to their hometown districts. Lawmakers invited Gov. Ron DeSantis himself to join in the conversation at the upcoming committee meeting. However, the governor does not appear to have made that call.
“No, I’m not going to sit in front of the committee. That’s not the role of the CEO,” DeSantis said.
As the governor was urging lawmakers to go through the state and consider pitching his property tax, the House of Representatives wrote to DeSantis, inviting him to the floor and presenting his ideas to Congress as well as members.
“We dropped the letter to him, and hopefully we are here to present the Governor’s proposal to our Property Tax Commission,” said state representative Toby Overdorf (R-Palm City).
The governor publicly declined, saying he was talking about property tax ads nausea.
“I’ve just talked about getting a relief, I’ve made a series of suggestions, and I want to get something to vote, and I don’t need a committee hearing to do that.
The pitch of Desantis is divided into two options.
1.) Aiming to provide immediate relief: a rebate plan where homeowners receive a $1,000 check
2.) Complete abolition of property taxes: This should be placed in the 2026 vote for voters to decide.
The governor may have Senate members on his side, but House Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami) has declined his one-off rebate proposal.
“The only option I’ve ruled out is simply mailing a $1,000 check from the state Department of Treasury. These checks don’t actually lower the tax rate. These checks don’t solve the property tax issue. They are state taxpayers apologizing for California’s government spending.
Back in the district, some members say they are worried that local governments will lose tax revenue.
“No one explains how to compensate for the funds to cover the services lost due to these tax cuts,” state legislator Fentris Driskel (D-Tampa).
Disagreements about tax cuts have led to a deadlock in budget negotiations. Thursday’s leadership in the House and Senate said it would not return to Tallahassee next week, but this would only delay those conversations even further.
