Posted on 02/20/2026 5:32:24 AM PST by CodeToad
The Florida House of Representatives approved a joint resolution on Thursday to put in motion a possible constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would completely end non-school property taxes for homesteaded properties beginning on Jan. 1, 2027.
The final vote was 80-30, with all Republicans supporting the proposal and all Democrats opposing it.
The chances of Floridians actually voting on the amendment are long, however. The Florida Senate has yet to propose any bill during this legislative session addressing property taxes. Joint resolutions can only be placed on the ballot if they are approved by a three-fifths majority in both the House and Senate. It does not need the approval of the governor.
Republican Sen. Ed Hooper, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Wednesday night that his chamber will introduce its own measure, although “it won’t be as generous.”
“We will come out with a proposal,” Hooper added, saying that it could be during this regular session or perhaps in a special session. “Whatever we send to the voters has to be agreed upon, totally, and that may be where the difficulty begins.”
The proposal introduced Thursday by Rep. Monique Miller, R-Palm Bay, was dramatically amended from her initial proposal (HJR 203), which would have gradually increased the homestead exemption for non-school-related property taxes by $100,000 each year for 10 years, beginning on Jan. 1 — if it were to actually get on the ballot this November and receive 60% support.
The state’s Revenue Estimating Conference has estimated that HJR 203 would cost local governments $13.3 billion annually. The House’s staff analysis estimates that approval of the amendment would have a negative cash impact of $4.8 billion and a negative recurring impact of $14.7 billion on local non-school property tax revenues in Fiscal Year 2027-28.
(Excerpt) Read more at floridaphoenix.com ...
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"The exact proposal is unlikely to appear on the ballot this fall, however, as a Senate leader said their proposal ‘won’t be as generous.’"
Eliminate non school property taxes? Presumably school related property taxes would still be billed?
What we don’t know, is what proportion of property taxes paid goes to support the schools.
It sounds to me like they will be looking at a big cut in property taxes, but not the elimination of them.
-—— homesteaded properties——
What is a homesteaded property?
Your primary residence.
The talk has been a small property sales tax increase plus a tourism tax increase would cover the loss. Another idea I’ve heard has been a small increase in the local sales tax, like 0.1%, would also help cover much of any income tax losses.
It just seems that property taxes are a burden but they actually do not provide much in the way of taxes.
In Florida, your primary home can be registered as a homestead and gets a property tax exemption of $50,000, meaning deduct $50,000 from your property assessed value.
OK, so is property tax due on your condominium that is one of four on the 18th floor of a 20 floor building?
OK...... thanks
In some states property tax amounts or rates depend on whether or not your home is your permanent residence or a vacation home. If you are residence of the state and declare your home as your primary residence your property taxes will be less than if your house is a vacation home.
My parents owned a lake cottage (seasonal) in Minnesota. Their permanent residence was in Fargo, ND. The property tax on cottage was twice the amount paid for similar cottages the were the primary residence of Minnesotans.
That’s the way I read it. Investment and vaca properties would still be Taxed.
“OK, so is property tax due on your condominium that is one of four on the 18th floor of a 20 floor building?”
Yes.
2. Is there also a plan to cut government spending?
I cannot recall ever seeing a reduction in government spending.
“...income tax losses.”
Sorry. Meant, “...property tax losses.”
There are two broad categories used to support taxation: 1) benefits receive (BR) and 2) ability to pay (AP). Property taxes don’t fit either model well. The classic BR example are gasoline taxes, where the tax money is used to maintain the roadway. Drive more, pay more. The AP example is something like a luxury tax, where certain luxury items have additional taxes on them.
Property taxes don’t fit the BR principle well because about 80% of the tax goes to public education. People with no kids get no direct benefit, nor do people who send their kids to private schools. Retired people are also left out of the benefit.
The AP is not good either. Example: two different families live in a $500,000 in the same neighborhood and pay the same property taxes. However, one family has a family income of $150,000 while the other makes several million a year. Their ability to pay is not the same.
As a broad sweeping rule, a flat tax on income is more fair than property taxes.
Between $600-700 is what I’m taxed for schools. How much actually ends up in schools and not just in administration of them is a whole other thing.
Considering almost 80% of homes and new construction is not ‘homestead’ or not a primary residence this will have little impact on the tax collection.
I should have stated ‘In my area or my town’
“Considering almost 80% of homes and new construction is not ‘homestead’ or not a primary residence this will have little impact on the tax collection.”
Somewhat true. About 50% of all residential properties are homesteaded.
Yet another reason to move to Florida.
“I cannot recall ever seeing a reduction in government spending.”
Oh, come on. Sure, there has been a reduction! I just saw the local government decide not to spend $100,000 on a bus stop recently.
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