Posted on 06/10/2025 7:10:29 AM PDT by Jacquerie
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the state to take over some funding of government services for rural, thinly-populated fiscally constrained counties and allow them to eliminate their property taxes.
(The cost) would be about $300 million per year, a drop in the bucket of the nearly $50 billion in general fund spending.
“I’m just telling you that is budget dust, like, that’s easy for us to do,” DeSantis said. “And I’m not suggesting that, like, we have to just do that, but I’d be willing, of course, we’re going to help with that. You know, we want, we want homeowners to be able to afford to stay in their home, and if that means that we take this gigantic surplus that we’ve accumulated and help rural counties and fiscally constrained counties.
“I’d much rather do that and be able to get the property tax relief done, than try to say, ‘Oh, well, we can’t do property tax relief because the rurals aren’t going to be able to raise revenue.’ We have revenue.”
The state’s fiscally distressed counties, as listed by the Florida Secretary of State’s Office includes: Baker, Bradford, Calhoun, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Nassau, Okeechobee, Putnam, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Washington and Walton counties.
“I think everybody who looks at this does understand we do want people to actually own their homes and at some point to say that you’re 80 years old and you paid off your mortgage 30 years ago, and yet, you still gotta just stroke checks,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis also pitched his plan for a constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot. The House has convened a special committee to examine the issue.
(Excerpt) Read more at thecapitolist.com ...
Elimination of property tax is also picking up steam here in Ohio. Really hoping it continues to gain traction.
You realize that means YOU are going to make up the difference, right?
Yes, it's onerous to force these folks to pay and pay - so you never really own your property which is ridiculous.
Shift the burden - some will be from sales taxes.
The best thing to do would be to cut spending.
“The best thing to do would be to cut spending.”
How does the Governor’s Budget compare to the current year?
• The budget is $115.6 billion. This is a $3.0 billion decrease compared to the
current year $118.6 billion budget.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the state to take over some funding of government services for rural, thinly-populated fiscally constrained counties and allow them to eliminate their property taxes.
You realize that means YOU are going to make up the difference, right?
Not necessaily, If he reduces spneding by $300 million in other areas, it is a wash.
It is 6/10ths of 1 percent of the total budget.
Eliminating all of the DEI programs should cover that.
“Shift the burden - some will be from sales taxes.”
Tourists pay!
Article: “ ... this gigantic surplus that we’ve accumulated ... “
• The budget is $115.6 billion. This is a $3.0 billion decrease compared to the
current year $118.6 billion budget.
The article say the budget is $50 billion. If $116 billion, the $300 million is only .26% of the budget.
Then he can cut rates for everyone instead of picking and choosing who gets it.
Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the original Constitutional plan of treating everyone the same.
“Not necessaily, If he reduces spneding by $300 million in other areas, it is a wash.”
The new budget cuts spending by $3 billion.
Florida has a $14 billion reserve.
“You realize that means YOU are going to make up the difference, right?”
That is why people in urban areas will not vote for the measure. It won’t pass; I don’t think.
“The article say the budget is $50 billion. “
Nope. It says GENERAL FUND SPENDING is $50 billion.
Yes liz. We DO know and as a Florida native and resident, I approve. So do my neighbors, friends and associates. But thanks for pointing out the obvious.
The U.S. Constitution does not require treating everyone the same. After the disaster at Appomattox the notion of equal homosexual marriage was scabbed onto the Constitution but that was not the basis of the original founders.
“DeSantis is not doing Floridians any favor with the phony tax elimination. Sounds good, but not when the tax break is examined closely.”
You are missing the big picture!
I guess you never heard of equal protection under the law, nor not imposing direct taxes except in equal proportion.
If they are going to cut state property taxes, they can cut the rates in equal proportion for all.
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