More than 1/3 of the way through the Regular Session, Gov. Ron DeSantis still isn’t ready to offer a specific proposal to eliminate homestead property taxes via a constitutional amendment in November.
During a speech in Naples, he revealed that voters and legislators will have to wait a little longer for details.
“We’re going to have some good proposals about property taxes,” DeSantis said at the Forum Club of Southwest Florida.
After noting that property tax collections in the state have climbed from $32 billion per year when he became Governor to today’s $60 billion, he offered a promise along those lines.
“We need to stand for taxpayers, and we’re going to do that, and I’ve got different ways that I think we’re going to be able to do something very, very meaningful,” DeSantis said.
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 be given the airing he wants in the normal 60-day Session.
“You get into a Regular Session, you know, it’s 60 days. There’s things flying all over the place, and things kind of sneak through at the last minute,” DeSantis explained in January.
The House has a number of proposals working their way through the process. But DeSantis doubts the Senate will pass them, he said last month, suggesting too many potential choices would flummox voters.
“If you put multiple possible amendments on the ballot, that means none will pass. Let’s just be clear, because you may like this iteration, you may like that. So even though maybe 60% want property tax relief, your view may be different (on) how do you do it, right? And so that’s a guaranteed way to kill it,” DeSantis said in January.
