This State Is Ready to Abolish Property Taxes

PJ Media ^ | 02/24/2025 | Sarah Anderson

[SeekAndFind]

I hesitate to write about anything that is going to encourage people to move to the Southeast. As we like to say here in Atlanta, "we full." But it's not just that. Yankees and West Coasters love to move to our little slice of the country because we have a cheaper cost of living and bring their liberal big government and high-tax policies with them, and it kind of ruins things for the rest of us. 

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Well, I'm going to make an exception here because I like what's happening in Florida, and I hope my home state of Georgia — and the rest of the country — follows suit. The state wants to abolish property taxes, and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) is behind the idea 100%. 

During a press conference on Monday, DeSantis first announced that he's pushing for an agency similar to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to audit the Sunshine State's government spending. The agency would only operate for a single year.

[SeekAndFind]

The biggest news from the press conference, however, is that the DOGE-like agency will help find ways to abolish the property tax in Florida. He argued that it isn't fair for homeowners to pay inflated property taxes to fund reckless government spending habits.

"Okay, you've paid off the mortgage, you bought the land, you've been taxed many times — it's like is it your property or not? Just for being on your property, you've got to write a check to the government every year. So, you're basically paying rent to the government to live on your own property. And our homestead exemption isn't strong enough to help these folks because the property gets assessed so high," he said, adding, "A lot of people can't afford that... It's something that's been pinching a lot of homeowners, particularly seniors on a fixed income... The reality is you don't know how much your home is worth until someone offers you money and is willing to pull the trigger on a sale. That's how the market works."

[vivenne]

I thought RDS said he is not eliminating the tax?

[adorno]

Wont happen. Counties depend on property taxes to run things, like schools and libraries and parks. They're hooked on the money that property taxes brings.

The thinking is to use sales or consumption taxes as the replacement to make up for the 'lost' revenue. So, even people with no properties will be making up the difference.

So, great idea, but wont happen. Once a tax is implemented, it's there forever. But, it should be eliminated because the property taxes go up every year, and with higher property values, insurance rates go up too. Double-whammy. I moved to Florida almost 38 years ago because of the low cost of living (no income taxes) and low cost housing, but, it's gotten almost as expensive as living in NY City. In fact, people have been moving out of Florida for less expensive destinations, such as N. Carolina and S. Carolina and Georgia and Texas and Tennessee. I hate the cold, so I'm stuck here in Florida.

[kvanbrunt2]

PA has been trying to end property taxes for school funding. current plan is to use sales tax to replace it. Not going anywhere.

[sneakers]

They’ve been trying for years, here in Pennsylvania, to get rid of the school/property tax. Almost did it in 2015. Vote was tied until the DEMOCRAT lieutenant gov came in and voted NO and then walked away snickering. I worked in local government until last year. I still remember the lists of homes up for auction because the owners could not afford the taxes - many were retirees on fixed incomes. Angers me to no end. >:-(

[hillarys cankles]

I wish I was stuck in Florida.
I’m stuck here in northern CA. At least just for the time being.

[dadfly]

yeah. i think a one time property tax on purchase is all they have a legit right to ask. the rest is like the IRS, coerced leagalized gov’t theft. that would also help free up the market. it’s ridiculous: no average person can afford to move or buy.

[Jonty30]

While I appreciate the no property taxes idea, it facilitates Bill Gates and Blackrock buying up the entire country over time.

[dadfly]

i find lately that they are also trying to steal your house by loading utility like bills like water service into your property tax. these people are just evil.

[TexasGator]

“yeah. i think a one time property tax on purchase is all they have a legit right to ask. the rest is like the IRS, coerced leagalized gov’t theft.”

County

Sheriff
Hospital
Streets
Ambulance
Flood Control
Courthouse
Elections
Jails
Parks
Animal Control
Fire Department
Schools
Libraries
Transportation

[curious7]

Private property simply doesn’t exist when you have to periodically pay tribute to the government to continue to have use of it.

[TexasGator]

Private property simply doesn’t exist when you have to periodically pay tribute to the government to continue to have use of it the government services.

[dadfly]

no sale buddy. there are plenty of ways to fund gov’t services fairly without stealing property: sales taxes, bond measures, propositions, fees for real utility services.

taking property is tantamount to taking your life. because you earned that property with the work of your hands over many years. taking that property is taking the time you spent earning that property.

God says ‘Thou shalt not steal.’ is that clear enough for you?

[minnesota_bound]

My aunt & uncle in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey paid about $43,000 in 1959 for their typical rambler home.
1 story with basement that opened in back and a view of a clean pond that was connected out of sight to several lakes.
Paid for long ago.
My uncle told me in 2003 that they were paying over $9,000 for property tax!
I do not know what it could be now but I guess way more!

[NorthMountain]

bond measures

A government bond is a promise/threat to impose taxes in the future.

[dadfly]

yeah i don’t like taxes either. however, the legitimate functions of gov’t (like national defense) are a necessary evil and do require democratically authorized taxation (direct or indirect).

what i’m against is ‘taxation’ without representation (like for instance the 16th amendment). that’s what we fought the Revolution over.

[lastchance]

I don’t mind property tax to a point. I get that public services should be a shared cost. What I do mind is when a person’s home receives a huge tax increase because more expensive homes are going up in the same area. This lets the county put all the homes in a new category raising the taxable value. What makes it more galling is that these older smaller homes are usually owned by the elderly often on fixed incomes.

[lastchance]

Some of those may be paid by special assessments. But I agree with your point. There are necessary services which are a legitimated function of government to provide for the public health, safety, and welfare. These are usually funded through property taxes.

Now here is what most here will not admit. The amount paid in taxes on a single family residence does not cover the cost of providing the services most residents demand a county or town make available. That is why commercial and multifamily development is seen as a good thing by many local governments.

It is also why you have towns which gained notoriety for very aggressive code enforcement and traffic citations. It was their only source of revenue stream because housing was worth squat and no businesses wanted to build there.

[SPDSHDW]

This is another Tax on the middle class gimmick so the loser welfare druggies don’t have to put in. Same as income tax.

Replace property taxes with a Consumption tax of 1-2% and be done with it. Each county has a set sales tax rate, tack it on there. This can be gotten from online purchases too.

Home owners shouldn’t be funding the EMS services and schools with no financial input from renters who live in the area. Just like the crack whores shouldn’t be getting tax refunds for taxes they didn’t pay.

Of all taxes, Property is the one that should never have been allowed. Stop paying the tax and see how quickly the government steals your property away, sells it and keeps the difference from taxes due.

[cherry]

I wish there is at least a formula for not paying anymore prop.tax...say your age plus how many yrs you have lived
in your home and throw in the number of yrs you have been paying in..