Schools and Public Services
TALLAHASSEE, FL — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has voiced support for eliminating property taxes in the state, a move that would require a constitutional amendment and at least 60% voter approval. While the proposal appeals to homeowners burdened by rising taxes, experts warn that the loss of property tax revenue could have severe consequences for education, public safety, and local government services.
DeSantis: Property Taxes Are “Oppressive and Ineffective”
DeSantis addressed the issue on social media, stating that since property taxes are levied at the local level, any effort to eliminate them would necessitate constitutional changes.
“Property taxes are local, not state. So we’d need to do a constitutional amendment (requires 60% of voters to approve) to eliminate them (which I would support) or even to reform/lower them… We should put the boldest amendment on the ballot that has a chance of getting that 60%… I agree that taxing land/property is the more oppressive and ineffective form of taxation,” the governor posted on X.
Homeowners Express Relief, But Experts Warn of Consequences
For homeowners struggling with increasing property tax bills, the idea of elimination is attractive.
“Made me crazy, now I can’t sleep,” said Jessy Chardam, a South Florida homeowner who is considering selling due to high taxes.
However, policy experts caution that eliminating property taxes would create a massive budget gap, particularly for essential public services.
“Property taxes fund critical services such as schools, fire and police departments, libraries, and public parks,” said Dr. Esteban Santis, a policy analyst at the Florida Policy Institute. “Technically speaking, you can do it, but the questions are, what are going to be the repercussions?”
Legislators Push for Study on Tax Revenue Replacement
State Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers) has introduced a bill (SB 852) that calls for a legislative study on how Florida could replace lost property tax revenue. The study would examine alternatives, including increasing sales-based consumption taxes and budget cuts at both the state and local levels.
“In the Florida Legislature, there was this conversation last year about passing a study to eliminate [property taxes] and replace them with a consumption tax, essentially a sales tax,” Santis said.
“Doing grocery shopping would be a nightmare. Everybody else will be paying more at the cash register if we were to do it,” he added.
Local Officials and Law Enforcement Remain Silent
Despite the potential implications, local government officials and school boards have remained largely silent on the proposal. Requests for comment from the Miami-Dade and Broward school boards, as well as the Miami-Dade police union, went unanswered.
With Florida’s legislative session set to begin on March 4, the debate over property tax elimination is expected to take center stage, with significant implications for homeowners, businesses, and public service funding.
