House Expects Single Tax Proposal

By The News Service of Florida

House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said Tuesday he expects the House to put forward a single proposed constitutional amendment on cutting property taxes, an issue that is a priority of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“I fully expect us to have something on the ballot for our constituents to eventually vote on,” Perez told reporters. “I do expect it to be one proposal for them to vote on.”

In October, the House introduced a slate of seven proposed constitutional amendments and one bill to cut property taxes. DeSantis called for a single proposal and criticized the House approach as a “political game” and “half measures.”

Perez said Tuesday it is “somewhat still up in the air” what final proposal will emerge. “We don’t have a position from our friends across the hall (in the Senate) or the executive branch on what details they are proposing for our constituents to eventually vote on. We’ve taken the initiative,” Perez said.

Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, told reporters Tuesday the Senate is “absolutely committed” to getting something on the ballot.

The House proposals released in October included such things as a straight elimination of non-school homestead property taxes (HJR 201); elimination of non-school homestead taxes for homeowners 65 years and older (HJR 205); and creation of an additional $100,000 homestead exemption on non-school taxes for insured properties (HJR 209). Local governments have raised concerns about potentially reduced funding for schools, infrastructure, recreation programs, water management and emergency services, such as fire-rescue services.