House committee backs property tax relief amendment as local governments fear the consequences

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.