Property Tax

It was a rollercoaster of a ride for the Florida economy in 2025. Governor Ron DeSantis looked to alleviate homeowners’ pocketbooks by proposing to eliminate property taxes for primary residences.

A proposed constitutional amendment that would increase the homestead property-tax exemption for residents who have property insurance is ready to go to the Florida House after the 2026 legislative session starts in January. The Republican-controlled House Ways & Means Committee voted 10-5 along party lines Wednesday to approve the measure (HJR 209), which was part of eight property-tax proposals that the House released in October.

Florida’s state and local tax structure makes Florida an excellent place to be an affluent retiree or a wealthy investor, but not so great for working families or young couples starting out.

Local government officials statewide are wary of plans by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Legislature to slash or abolish homestead property taxes, but one group of counties is particularly worried. They are Florida’s “fiscally constrained” counties: 29 mostly rural counties with small populations, few industries and lots of agricultural or conservation land — and therefore small tax bases.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says homestead property taxes are a severe burden on Florida homeowners and wants to abolish them, regardless of the potentially devastating effects on local government budgets.The Florida Legislature has been working to accommodate him.

There is talk in Tallahassee of giving new help to homestead property owners, more than 30 years after Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment to restrict increases in real estate tax assessments on owner-occupied residences.

The House Select Committee on Property Taxes is tentatively scheduled to meet Nov. 20 as lawmakers consider proposals to cut homeowners’ taxes.

Ahead of Florida’s 2026 lawmaking session, which begins in January, members of the Lee County Legislative Delegation met, Tuesday, at Florida Southwestern State College. Over the course of the nearly three-hour long meeting, lawmakers heard from 58 local officials and members of the public on a broad range of issues including local appropriation requests, property tax reform, vaccines, water quality and home rule.

Local-government officials Tuesday offered some pushback against state efforts to cut property taxes and question city and county spending.With a Florida House panel finishing a two-day review of property-tax issues, city and county officials defended their financial management amid Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to ask voters next year to slash taxes on homesteaded properties.