A House committee advanced a constitutional amendment for property tax relief despite Democrats and government advocates voicing their objections about potential devastating major budget shortfalls for local communities.

The House Ways and Means Committee passed the resolution (JR 209) with a 10-5 vote. That means it is ready to go before the full House after the House’s State Affairs Committee and Select Committee on Property Taxes already OK’d it.

HJR 209 is one of several plans prioritized by the House to tackle the property tax issue.

This particular proposed constitutional amendment for the November 2026 ballot would create an exemption from non-school property taxes for $200,000 of a homestead property’s assessed value as long as the property is insured. 

The House committee adopted an amendment Wednesday that adds firefighters and first responders to law enforcement in a class that would be protected from budget cuts. First responders’ budgets would be required to be at the 2025-2026 or 2026-2027 level, whichever was higher, when property tax revenue decreases if HJR 209 takes effect.

Some Democrats voiced concerns that 911 dispatchers might not be protected from potential budget cuts. 

Rep. Demi Busatta, the bill sponsor, said those details who would be considered first responders would be worked out later on in implementing legislation, if voters passed it.

Busatta argued some local governments are spending unwisely, pointing to one rural county of only 15,000 residents — she didn’t say which one — where the County Administrator is paid $177,000 annually.

“Some cities need to take a hard look at how they structure their budgets and what they’re spending their money on,” the Coral Gables Republican said. “It’s not fair that the governments continue to fund their political wants on the backs of hardworking Floridians.”

But critics argued property taxes are the backbone for funding local government and HJR 209’s multibillion-dollar impact would devastate services. 

“We’re the great state of Florida, we don’t want to be Mississippi,” challenged Jeff Scala, a lobbyist for the Florida Association of Counties.

For instance, Port St. Lucie would face an 80% cut from the homestead property tax base and a 41% total assessed taxable value reduction, said Charles Chapman, a lobbyist for the Florida League of Cities. Deland in Volusia County would lose 85% in the homestead property tax base and a 35% drop in total taxable value, he said.

Chapman also argued property tax relief like this wouldn’t save taxpayers money since, in return, fees would skyrocket to cover local government services.

Scala compared property tax and the general fund revenue to a bucket with water. In his metaphor, the water was the local governments’ essential services.

“These proposals take a shotgun to that bucket,” he said. “The local governments, county governments, are expected to carry that water.”

But Republicans, unmoved, said they are hearing from residents demanding for their property tax bills to get lowered. Rep. Wyman Duggan, the committee’s Chair, told opponents to talk to local constituents instead of state lawmakers.

“You should be relishing the opportunity, rubbing your hands to get in front of your voters and make the case as to why your city should continue to exist,” the Jacksonville Republican said to those “who think this is bad policy.”

“A fiscally constrained county, that if it were a private enterprise and came to us for state grant funding or other types of funding, we wouldn’t fund because you’re economically unsustainable. But you may have a compelling argument as to why a county of 7,500 people should still exist and support the superstructure of local government. Make that case.”

One lawmaker asked Busatta why her proposal should be considered out of the eight different House options.

Busatta said she couldn’t speak to the others,though she said lightly, “I’ve heard overwhelmingly from many people that they think mine is the best” since her proposal doesn’t affect taxes paying for schools.

“Our voters are capable of deciding how they want their property taxes to be assessed,” Busatta said.

Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

Following Rob Long’s landslide win in House District 90 yesterday and better-than-expected showings in other 2025 elections, Democrats say they have the momentum to break GOP supermajorities in the state Legislature.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the national party’s state legislative campaign arm, announced it is adding both chambers to its national target list, framing the cycle as a “once-in-a-generation” opening to chip away at Republican dominance.

While Long’s win in HD 90 wasn’t a flip, his 28-point thrashing of Republican lobbyist Maria Zack represents a massive swing from last year, when Democratic former Rep. Joe Casello, who died in July, defeated his Republican opponent 56%-44%.

Florida Democrats have also celebrated stronger showings in the Special Elections for Senate District 15 and House District 40 — which were also keeps, not flips — as well as a pair of congressional contests earlier this year. The Democratic nominees lost those races, but the margins narrowed significantly compared with the 2024 General Election.

Overall, DLCC says its internal data shows a 4.5-point overperformance in state legislative races nationwide. If the party can replicate that in 2026, they argue, it would notch its most significant legislative gains in two decades.

With Florida’s addition, the party’s “2026 Target Map” now includes 42 state legislative chambers that run the gamut from preserving narrow majorities to breaking GOP dominance. Florida joins statehouse chambers in Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and South Carolina, where Democrats are aiming to do the latter.

“The favorable political environment taking shape for Democrats is on a scale that only comes once in a generation, and the DLCC is poised to meet this moment through the largest target map and political budget ever. We aren’t wasting a moment to execute on our winning strategy by electing more state Democrats in Florida,” DLCC President Heather Williams said in a news release.

Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee Caucus Director Cassidy Whitaker is also projecting confidence, saying that the “Affordability Agenda” messaging from incumbents is resonating with voters and that “strong and serious challengers (are) stepping up” to run in Republican-held districts.

Florida Senate Victory’s Jena Kingery added that with DLCC in the mix, Democrats “are ready to reach every voter to turn the tide and make lasting inroads in legislative districts across the state.”

Evening Reads

—“The 53 utterly nuts lines from Donald Trump’s big Pennsylvania speech 🥜” via Chris Cillizza of So What

—”At the first stop on his affordability tour, Trump mocks affordability” via Matt Viser of The Washington Post

—“Inside the Pentagon’s scramble to deal with boat strike survivors” via Damien CaveEdward Wong and Maria Abi-Habib of The New York Times

—”The concept of a plan (to sabotage Obamacare)” via Judd Legum, Rebecca Crosby and Noel Sims of Popular Information

—“Gov. Ron DeSantis releases $117B budget, prioritizing teacher and police raises” via Gabrielle Russon of Florida Politics

—“Did immigration turn Miami blue?” via Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics

—”Older voters are gaining power. Young people are paying the price.” via Eric Levitz of Vox

—”Gov. DeSantis now says poorer counties will ‘eventually’ be on their own to deal without property taxes” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics

—”State lawmakers greenlight sweeping audit of Miami Beach after request by Fabián Basabe” via Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics

—”Scientists thought Parkinson’s was in our genes. It might be in the water” via David Ferry of WIRED

Quote of the Day

“Eventually they’re going to have to figure it out.”

— Gov. Ron DeSantis, on state funding to backfill rural counties if voters slash property taxes.

Put it on the Tab

Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.

Gov. Ron DeSantis says fiscally constrained counties could ultimately get served a Snip Snip if the property tax cuts he’s seeking are approved. Meanwhile, his 2026-27 budget proposal nets a 117.

When Rep. Fabián Basabe’s call for an audit got the green light, Miami Beach officials were handed a Red Ledger.

Sen. Alexis Calatayud, Rep. Robin Bartleman and Rep. Chase Tramont each get a Champion Spritz for working to bring early learning priorities across the finish line last Session.

Breakthrough Insights

Tune In

Panthers open 4-game road trip on winning streak

The Florida Panthers look to extend a winning streak as they travel to Utah to face the Mammoth tonight (9 p.m. ET, Scripps).

Florida (12-12-2, 30 points) is in sixth place in the NHL’s Atlantic Division, and only the Buffalo Sabres have earned fewer points in the Eastern Conference this season. It is an unusual position for the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champions to be in.

Florida has struggled on the road, losing six of 10 games away from home ice. The last two wins were at home and featured 11 goals across victories over Columbus and the New York Islanders.

The Panthers have been led this season by left winger Brad Marchand, who has scored more goals (16) and added more assists (15) than any player on the team. 

It is the third time the Panthers and Mammoth have faced each other. Last season, Florida won a pair of games, including a 4-1 win at Utah.

The Mammoth (14-14-2, 31 points) has lost consecutive games, including a 4-2 home loss to the Kings last time out. Utah ranks fourth in the Central Division and eighth in the Western Conference.

After tonight’s game, the Panthers continue on the road for three more games, including Monday at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

___

Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.

Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit against giant coffee shop retailer Starbucks, claiming the company is engaging in “race-based quotas” in hiring employees.

The civil legal action against Starbucks was filed in the 10th Judicial Circuit Court in Highlands County. The 21-page lawsuit doesn’t single out one particular incident or an individual. But it points to a series of practices Starbucks has engaged in the past five years while taking part “in a pattern or practice of discrimination.”

The filing said Starbucks established racial quotas for hiring, paid employees different wages because of their race, tied compensation to race-based mentorship programs “only to a person of certain favored races,” and excluded “people of disfavored races” from many of those programs.

While many of the Starbucks diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs were aimed at including underrepresented minorities, the lawsuit said that still excludes others. “All racial discrimination, even for supposedly benign purposes, is invidious and unlawful,” according to the court document.

In a recorded video statement, Uthmeier said the actions by Starbucks are ironically going against what the company wanted to accomplish.

“Starbucks made DEI more than a slogan. They turned it into a mandatory hiring and promotion system based upon race. The coffee empire set numerical racial targets for their workforce and they tied executive bonuses to those targets,” Uthmeier said.

“That is brazen discrimination and it is against the law. DEI can never be an excuse to violate someone’s civil rights. Every worker in our state deserves to be hired on merit, qualifications and character, not race. Florida law protects that principle and we will enforce it.”

The lawsuit is challenging the hiring practices at 934 Starbucks stores in Florida. That’s the third-most Starbucks locations in any state.

The lawsuit asks the court to implement an injunction to stop the hiring practices and seeks civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation of several Florida statutes, particularly the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 that prohibits employers from hiring based on racial criteria and other stipulations. The suit claims that “reverse discrimination” against a nonminority group is still discrimination.

Uthmeier’s Office is encouraging anyone who worked at Starbucks and believes they were discriminated against to file an online complaint.