TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – Property tax debates are already dominating most conversations at the Florida Capitol even before the next legislative session begins, with a number of options on the table, one of which is considering sending $1,000 a year to certain homestead owners here in the state.
Gov. Ron DeSantis originally proposed the idea for a rebate program for Florida homeowners earlier this year, and the proposal is now included in the bill.
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A new bill sponsored by state Rep. Jeff Holcomb (R-Spring Hill) would send homestead owners $1,000 a year for the next five years, totaling $5,000 in tax breaks from 2026 to 2030.
“My goal is to get it to them by November when they actually start getting bills and they have to start paying,” Holcomb said.
Holcomb wants to be clear that introducing this bill doesn’t mean it can’t be changed, and that other options may gain more support in the future.
But House Democrats are still not convinced by the property tax proposal. 8 On Your Side asked state Rep. Fentris Driskell (D-Tampa) what local governments are most concerned about.
“I spoke with one local government leader, actually multiple small government leaders, who explained to me that property taxes don’t even cover the full cost of first responders,” Driskel said. “They’re going to have to find other ways to make up the money and resources to cover those costs. So if we were to take away or even lower property taxes, they’re going to be in a situation where they can’t really survive. Otherwise, they’re going to have to cut public safety and first responder services to the community, which makes our communities less safe.”
As a former county commissioner himself, Holcomb said he understands these concerns.
“My goal is to not hurt local governments because we know what the budget looks like,” Holcomb said. “We know that public safety often accounts for more than half of the budget. In Hernando County, it’s law enforcement. It’s the 911 dispatchers. It’s the jail. It’s animal services. Our No. 1 job as elected officials, whether it’s local, state or federal, has to be public safety. It’s to take care of the public.”
The property tax debate still has a long way to go, and more proposals are expected to come out of the House in the coming months.
