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.

After dying unheard last Session, a revived bill by Tallahassee Democratic Rep. Allison Tant that would give teeth to Florida’s rules on party affiliation in elections just cleared its first House hurdle.

Members of the Government Operations Subcommittee voted unanimously for the measure (HB 91), which aims to close a loophole in Florida law that today enables candidates to skirt requirements Florida has for partisan elections.

Florida law requires candidates to be registered as a member of the political party from which they seek nomination for a year before the beginning of qualifying for a given General Election.

But candidates have repeatedly skirted those rules, and courts haven’t consistently stopped them.

Tant said that today, it’s “not clear who has standing to issue a legal challenge” in cases where there is a party affiliation dispute, or where the challenge should come from.

“This bill is critically necessary to clarify Florida law so that we don’t have any confusion,” she said.

HB 91 — and its Senate analogue (SB 62) by Kissimmee Democratic Sen. Kristen Arrington, which has already cleared two of the three committees to which it was referred — would require candidates to swear an oath that they have been registered with their political party for at least 365 consecutive days before the qualifying period.

Currently, the oath requires candidates only to promise that they’ve been a member of the party for 365 days, without the “consecutive” qualifier.

HB 91 would also require no-party candidates to similarly affirm, by oath, that they have not been a member of a political party for at least a year prior.

Vitally, it would provide that challenges to eligibility must be from either qualified opponents in a given election or a state political party with a stake in the race. Challenges would have to be filed in the circuit court for the county in which the qualifying officer is headquartered.

Florida has seen repeated cases of candidates running under a party label they were not legally eligible to claim, despite the state’s requirement that candidates belong to their chosen party for at least a year before qualifying.

In 2022, Florida Politics reported that congressional candidate Curtis Calabrese filed as a Democrat in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District after only two weeks in the party. He later withdrew.

A similar situation arose in December 2024 in Florida’s 6th Congressional District.

Other candidates have remained on the ballot despite clear violations, including Wancito Francius, who stayed in the Democratic Primary for House District 107 while falling six weeks short of the 365-day requirement.

By then, Florida’s limited enforcement power was well known due to a case involving former COVID dashboard manager Rebekah Jones. A three-Judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal allowed her to stay on the 2022 Democratic Primary ballot even though she did not technically qualify.

Judge Scott Makar pointed to a “gap in the statute” and said lawmakers “may wish to consider implementing a mechanism to decide, early on, the bona fides of a political Primary candidate’s party oath (because) currently one is lacking and requires that political party candidates be taken at their word, which is not likely to be sustainable.”

Tant alluded to a perennial candidate, Beulah Farquharson, whom she did not name but described as having “bounced around” Florida in recent years, running for various offices and often switching parties just days before the qualifying date.

Most recently, Farquharson filed in 2024 to run against Madison County Clerk Billy Washington, who appeared at the committee meeting Wednesday to support HB 91. An August 2024 report by the Madison Enterprise Reporter said Farquharson, who filed to run as a Democrat, had done so the same day she switched to that party, having previously been registered as a no-party candidate in Osceola County.

Washington sued to remove Farquharson from the ballot, and while the effort eventually proved successful, Tant said, it also took months and cost Washington thousands of dollars in the process.

“Our courts were put through a ridiculous exercise on this,” she said.

Miami Democratic Rep. Wallace Aristide, who beat Francius and ultimately won the HD 107 seat last year, thanked Tant for sponsoring the bill before speaking briefly about his experience dealing with the opaqueness of the current law.

“We ran in the race, and somebody was from another party, and it was in contention,” he said. “It was in the (Miami) Herald. It was everywhere.”

Tampa Republican Rep. Susan Valdés, an ex-Democrat who switched parties shortly after winning re-election in December, described HB 91 as an “election integrity bill.”

“We must follow the rules. And if the rules are that you have to be registered for a year, then that should be it,” she said.

“And by the same token, the challenging of these (issues) should not be spiteful but more so factual, and that date should make that determination.”

HB 91 will next go to the State Affairs Committee, after which it would reach the House floor. Fort Lauderdale Democratic Rep. Daryl Campbell is co-sponsoring the measure, which Tant amended to go into effect immediately so it can apply to 2026 races.

SB 62 awaits a hearing before the Senate Rules Committee before making it to the floor. Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman and Tamarac Democratic Sen. Rosalind Osgood are co-sponsors.

Last Session’s version of the Senate bill cleared the chamber on a 38-0 vote before dying in the House, where lawmakers never took up Tant’s bill.