With the Legislative Session well underway, a former House Speaker and current candidate for Governor wants lawmakers to follow Gov. Ron DeSantis’ lead in getting rid of homestead property taxes.
“The House has proposed conflicting plans that give only marginal relief. The Senate has not taken up anything,” Paul Renner said.
“Local governments are lobbying heavily to stop property tax reform. The legislature needs to stop dragging their feet and do their job — deliver real affordability reforms with property tax cuts now! And if this does not happen, every legislator and local elected official that lobbied against property tax cuts should be recalled or voted out of office. This is dereliction of duty of the worst kind.”
Renner, who would like DeSantis’ endorsement in the race to succeed him, has spoken out for months about how the Legislature should roll back property taxes and effectuate DeSantis’ desire to have a ballot measure in November allowing voters to phase out homestead property taxes.
Taxes had been rolled back in 2006 and 2007, Renner said last year, establishing precedent for the proposal as a stopgap while the executive and legislative branch figure out a unified way forward.
Renner believes that if action isn’t taken, it will hurt Floridians.
“Florida’s economy cannot survive if only the wealthy can afford to live here. Teachers, first responders, service workers, retirees, and young families are being forced out by inaction. The Legislature must choose: protect Floridians or protect a broken system that rewards runaway taxation,” he said.
For his part, DeSantis has said he’s been workshopping language for a ballot proposal for months, but nothing has emerged yet.
Last month, DeSantis said a Special Session may be in the works to develop a ballot initiative on eliminating property taxes that can actually pass muster with voters, getting at least 60% support, given his pessimism the issue could get the airing he wants in the normal 60-day Session.
