Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that he will convene a special session of the Florida Legislature the week of June 1 to consider a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at providing widespread property tax relief to homeowners across the state.
The proposal, titled “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes,” would immediately increase Florida’s homestead exemption, while establishing a framework to eventually eliminate property taxes on homestead properties through future state legislation.
Speaking in Tampa, Mr. DeSantis said increased local government property tax collections are increasing the burden on Florida homeowners and argued the state should push for fundamental reforms.
“Property tax revenue collected by local governments has nearly doubled over the past seven years and is expected to reach a staggering $83 billion by 2032,” DeSantis said. “Florida homeowners need relief. Now is the time to stand up for taxpayers, enact historic reforms and save homes for all Floridians.”
Florida’s local property tax collections have increased from about $32 billion to $60 billion over the past seven years, according to numbers released by the governor’s office. The administration projects that these revenues could reach $83 billion by 2032.
The proposal includes five key elements designed to provide both immediate and long-term tax relief.
The plan would make the first $250,000 of homestead property value tax-free and direct the Legislature to develop a schedule to eliminate homestead property taxes entirely in the future.
The proposal would also require local governments to spend any remaining property tax revenue only on what the administration calls core public services, such as public safety, education, infrastructure and natural resource protection.
Additionally, this measure aims to limit future property tax assessment increases for businesses, with the Governor’s Office aiming to create a more stable tax environment for small businesses.
The proposal also includes residency requirements for future Florida residents seeking to expand the homestead exemption. Under the plan, individuals who established residency in Florida after January 1, 2027 would be required to maintain residency in Florida for up to five years before becoming eligible for increased exemption amounts.
To offset the potential impact on local governments, the proposal would establish a state trust fund intended to provide grants to support core local government services.
The governor’s office said the goal of the special session is to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot for Florida voters this fall.
