Republican DeSantis on sales tax cuts: “Dead on arrival”

TAMPA — It’s not every day that Florida Republicans oppose tax cuts.

But that happened at a Tampa press conference Wednesday when Ron DeSantis expressed his opposition to a Florida home plan to cut the state’s sales tax.

“This is where Florida’s first tax policy needs,” DeSantis said. “The last tax package in Florida will die upon arrival.”

The threat of denial from Desantis is because state legislative leaders are messing up Florida’s finances. The allotted 60-day legislative meetings came and went without consent as to how lawmakers would create 12-digit state budgets.

Last week, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami and R-Wauchula Senate Ben Albritton announced they had agreed to a budget framework that includes billions of new tax cuts. The governor said a 0.25% reduction in the state’s sales tax would be reduced from 6% to 5.75%.

The threat of Desantis to refuse such a cut can throw a wrench into an ongoing budget talk.

There are many reasons why governors oppose sales tax cuts. He said the cut would benefit out-of-town visitors at the expense of the state’s financial health. He said the sales tax cuts would not do enough to help families who can afford groceries to justify the costs.

Desantis prefers plans to lower property tax rates. Earlier this year, he called on lawmakers to give homeowners a property tax refund.

“This would basically kill the possibility of doing property relief for people,” DeSantis said of the potential sales tax cuts. “What are they going to say next year?” Ah, well, we don’t have the money to bail out property taxes. ”

In response, Perez said the governor was “confusing.” The House Speaker said in an emailed statement that the state can lower both state and property taxes. He then said the governor has supported numerous sales tax leave in the past.

“I’m giving the governor credit for starting this discussion, but he’s been in the middle of months to create an actual plan to lower the property tax rate, but we’re still waiting,” Perez said in a statement. “Imaginary plans can’t cut real taxes.”

Property tax changes must come from a constitutional referendum that has local level or 60% voter approval. DeSantis urged lawmakers to create such a referendum and place it in front of voters.

Last week, Perez set up a House committee to study the issue of property taxes. He plans the committee to meet throughout spring, summer and fall to weigh different policies.

At a press conference Wednesday, DeSantis shot Perez’s committee.

“When you’re trying to accomplish something, you don’t convene a committee of 37,” DeSantis said. “If you are trying to suffocate in your crib, we will convene a committee of 37.”