MIAMI – Gov. Ron DeSantis has expressed support for eliminating property taxes in Florida, a move that would require a constitutional amendment and at least 60% voter approval.
While the idea may appeal to homeowners frustrated by rising taxes, experts warn that the loss of property tax revenue could have significant consequences for schools, public safety and local governments.
DeSantis addressed the issue on social media, stating that since property taxes are levied at the local level, eliminating them would require a constitutional amendment.
Homeowners react as concerns over funding loom
For homeowners like Jessy Chardam, the prospect of eliminating property taxes is enticing, at least at first. “Made me crazy, now I can’t sleep,” Chardam said about her current tax burden in South Florida. “I got to sell my house.”
But policy experts caution that eliminating property taxes would come at a cost.
Dr. Esteban Santis, a policy analyst at the Florida Policy Institute, warned that property taxes fund critical services such as schools, fire and police departments, libraries and public parks.
“Technically speaking, you can do it, but the questions are, what are going to be the repercussions?” Santis said.
Lawmakers push for study on tax shift
Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, has introduced a bill (SB 852) calling for a legislative study on how Florida could replace property tax revenue.
The study would explore alternatives, including increased sales-based consumption taxes and budget cuts at the state and local levels.
“In the Florida Legislature, there was this conversation last year about passing a study to eliminate them 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.”
The proposal has drawn mixed reactions, with local government officials and school boards staying largely silent on the matter.
Requests for comment from Miami-Dade and Broward school boards, as well as the Miami-Dade police union, went unanswered.
Florida’s legislative session begins March 4, when the debate over property tax elimination is expected to take center stage.
