Ron DeSantis doubles down on Florida property tax changes in new update

Ron DeSantis update renews push for tax overhaul

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke at the Forum Club of Southwest Florida in Naples on Monday and said Florida will have “good proposals about property taxes.”

DeSantis said he wants to “stand for taxpayers” and described plans he believes would be “very meaningful,” but he did not outline specific details.

The discussion follows DeSantis’s earlier statement that Florida should consider amending the state Constitution to abolish property taxes. Florida’s property tax system is established in the Constitution, so significant changes require a statewide amendment.

Ron DeSantis cites growth in property tax revenue

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis argued that local governments have increased property tax collections sharply during his time in office.

DeSantis told the audience that local governments took in about $32 billion in property taxes when he first took office and that he expects that figure to reach roughly $60 billion this year, although independent estimates of current collections are lower.

He said that if the original $32 billion figure is adjusted for population growth and inflation, it would equal about $44 billion today. He used that point to argue Florida can pursue significant property tax changes.

Ron DeSantis frames taxes as housing “rent”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has described property taxes as “paying rent to the government,” signaling interest in eliminating the tax.

The Newsweek report notes that no current proposal eliminates property taxes, partly because property tax revenue supports major local services. Florida’s tax on real property makes up about 18 percent of county revenue.

Also, 17 percent of municipal revenue, and 50 to 60 percent of school district revenue, according to the Florida Policy Institute. Those shares help explain why lawmakers have floated partial reductions rather than a full repeal.

Florida’s property tax rate ranks below that of many states

Florida’s average property tax rate is lower than that of many other states, according to national comparisons cited in the reporting. Using 2025 Tax Foundation data, property taxes paid as a share of owner-occupied housing value in 2023 averaged about 0.74 percent in Florida.

The same comparison lists Illinois as the highest at 1.83 percent. The rate difference matters because Florida’s debate is not just about the percentage rate. The discussion also centers on the total revenue collected and which services it supports.

HJR 201 targets non-school homestead taxes

The closest plan to what DeSantis has floated is House Joint Resolution 201, a proposal centered on homesteaded primary residences. The proposal would eliminate non-school property taxes for homestead properties, but it would not remove school-related property taxes.

A Florida real estate law firm, Barnes Walker, estimated that eliminating non-school taxes for homesteads could reduce many homeowners’ property tax bills by about 55 to 60 percent. That estimate highlights why some lawmakers are pursuing partial relief rather than total repeal.

Florida 2026 House package advances three amendments

Florida lawmakers advanced multiple constitutional property tax proposals through the House during the 2026 regular session.

House Speaker Perez created a Select Committee on Property Taxes in May 2025 to study the system over the summer between the 2025 and 2026 sessions.

That committee initially approved seven proposals to reduce property taxes. As of the fourth week of the 2026 regular session, three constitutional amendments had passed all committees of reference and were ready for consideration by the full House.

HJR 203 phases out non-school homestead taxes

HJR 203 by Miller would eliminate all non-school property taxes for homestead properties starting January 1, 2037, if voters approve. The plan uses a decade-long phase-out built around a larger homestead exemption.

The proposal would raise the current $50,000 homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027. The exemption would then grow by $100,000 each year for 10 years, such as $250,000 in 2028 and $350,000 in 2029.

HJR 209 ties tax relief to insurance coverage

HJR 209 by Busatta would create a property tax break tied to homeowners’ insurance coverage.

The proposal would add roughly a $200,000 homestead exemption against non-school property taxes for homeowners who carry a qualifying comprehensive property-insurance policy, with the fine print left to general law.

Analysts for the state’s Revenue Estimating Conference project that the measure would cut county, city, and special-district collections by about $8.6 billion a year once entirely in place.

HJR 213 changes the assessment increase limits

HJR 213 by Griffitts would restructure limits on how fast taxable property values can rise. For school taxes on homestead properties, the taxable value would still be determined annually by the property appraiser.

It would remain subject to the Save Our Homes cap of 3 percent or CPI, whichever is lower. For non-school taxes on homestead properties, the taxable value would be set every three years, with a maximum increase over those three years of 3 percent or CPI.

The proposal was amended so that if a homestead’s just value stays flat or decreases year to year, the taxable value cannot increase.

Florida amendments aim to protect first responder funding

Each of the three House proposals includes a clause that shields law enforcement and other core public safety budgets from being cut below a locked-in baseline, even if overall property tax revenue falls.

The protected baseline is tied to what local governments spend on those services in the mid-2020s, locking in funding at or above those recent levels. This requirement applies even as property tax revenue is projected to decline under the proposals.

University of Miami expert warns about tradeoffs

Andrea Heuson, who leads real-estate programs at the University of Miami, told Newsweek that high home prices and limited buildable land near Florida’s big cities are a bigger barrier for buyers than property-tax rates alone.

She noted that homesteaded properties already face a cap of inflation or 3 percent a year on taxable-value growth, and warned that deep property-tax cuts could leave schools and transportation projects with less funding.

Florida property tax repeal requires voter approval

Florida’s property tax structure is set in the state Constitution, so significant system changes require a constitutional amendment.

Any sweeping change or new tax relief would still need to clear the state’s 60-percent voter-approval threshold in a November general election. In February 2025, DeSantis publicly said Florida should consider amending the Constitution to abolish property taxes.

The debate continues because property taxes fund counties, cities, school districts, and special districts that provide services such as water management, fire protection, and mosquito control.

For the latest on where that debate is headed and what it could mean for homeowners, check out how Florida considers changes to property tax policy amid rising housing costs.

The Florida 2026 session may clarify competing plans

By early February, several House property-tax amendments had cleared the committee process and were waiting for possible floor votes. The reporting also notes that official proposals from the governor and Senate were still pending.

The Florida legislative session began January 13 and runs for 60 days, which could bring more precise alignment or sharper differences between what DeSantis signals and what lawmakers advance.

For a ground-level look at how taxes can show up in everyday purchases, check out how a Florida customer questions ‘double tax’ lines on a Little Caesars receipt.

What do you think about DeSantis doubling down on Florida property tax changes in the new update? Please share your thoughts and drop a comment.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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