TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — State lawmakers returned to Tallahassee this week with affordability concerns at the forefront of their minds as they gear up for the next legislative session.
Both Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate are aiming to tackle what many here in the state are calling the affordability crisis.
Hillsboro, Florida Responds to DOGE Expenditure Claims
As the governor continues to push for property tax reform, Democrats are wondering why he should tackle property insurance first.
This year is Gov. Ron DeSantis’ final term, and as he heads into his final legislative session, passing a property tax bill on the November 2026 ballot is at the top of his wish list.
“People are on the hook for property taxes in this state,” DeSantis said.
The House Select Committee on Property Taxes is on track to submit some proposals by the first week of the session in January.
For Democrats like House Minority Leader Fentris Driskell, D-Tampa, these efforts could cause further harm to Floridians.
“My hope is that common sense prevails because the harm these proposals cause does not outweigh the potential benefits,” Driskell said. “Listen, I get it, we’re in an affordability crisis, but to me this all seems like a distraction that Republicans are creating to avoid having to address their failed record on the property and casualty insurance crisis.”
Senate Democrats agree. Assembly Minority Leader Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton, said she is concerned about having enough money for schools and first responders.
“Property insurance, on the other hand, actually goes straight into our pockets and doesn’t impact those products,” Berman said. “This is where our focus should be right now, not the property tax issue.”
Another concern for lawmakers is how this will affect local county funding.
“We’re basically going to put them in a situation where they’re living in a welfare state,” Driskel said. “You get funding from the big counties, but you basically don’t have the resources to fund your own services. This is not how Florida works. We need to focus on real solutions, and I think the real challenge is property insurance.”
But DeSantis said concerns about the impact on the state’s 32 fiscally constrained counties can be addressed.
“Don’t let anyone tell rural and financially disadvantaged people that they can’t pay their police salaries and other costs,” DeSantis said. “You can do all 32.”
The question of whether to prioritize real estate insurance or property taxes has come up in the state Capitol, with some lawmakers saying they can walk and chew gum at the same time and planning to take up both issues in the next legislative session.
