TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — State lawmakers have yet to begin the next legislative session, but Governor Ron DeSantis is already warning about a summer special session. That’s if the House and Senate are unable to pass his preferred property tax proposal.
There’s already a long list of property tax ideas floating around the state capitol. Anywhere from prioritizing seniors, first-time homebuyers, or eliminating taxes for homestead Floridians all together. But there is still a long way to go before anyone starts to see any relief.
“I’m not just doing this to like go around and crow about property tax, I want to see something big enacted,” DeSantis said.
Over the last year, DeSantis has been touting the idea of property tax relief for Floridians. Lawmakers gaveled out of the 2025 session without a final proposal. Instead, they plan to craft ideas to consider putting on the 2026 ballot next session.
“There’s several ideas right now on the books, everything from a complete elimination to a very generous homestead exemption,” said State Representative Berny Jacques (R-Seminole).
Jacques, who sits on the house select committee on property taxes, believes lawmakers are on the right track.
“This has been the fact-finding phase. We’ve been out in our communities talking to the stakeholders, talking to elected officials, talking to our constituents, and of course, as you saw in the committee last week’s hearing, from stakeholders as well,” Jacques said.
One of the biggest takeaways and concerns coming out of the last two House committee hearings has been the realization that there is not a one-size-fits-all proposal to the issue.
But even with that challenge of finding something that works for all cities and counties, DeSantis is eager to get something done before next August.
“I’m not saying we’re going to wait that long, but you know we could potentially have a special session on property tax right in the middle of the Republican primary season in July or August. Imagine that,” DeSantis said.
Another concern is making sure the final product that ends up on the ballot is something voters will not only support but understand.
“I think one of the reasons why a lot of the amendments that the legislature has drafted over the years have failed is because you read it and you don’t know what the hell it means. It’s like written in legislative bureaucratic speak that normal people don’t talk or write like that,” DeSantis said.
House members are in the middle of crafting property tax proposals to have ready week one of next session, but the Senate has remained tight lipped on the issue in recent months.
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