Gov. Ron DeSantis is praising the House for passing a path to homestead property tax abatement, but still believes that the ultimate product will have to emerge during a Special Session after Sine Die.
Speaking in St. Augustine, DeSantis said there was never an intention from his Office to get a ballot initiative approved during the Regular Session.
“I would just say stay tuned. I would not anticipate this happening in the Regular Session. That was never our plan on this. And there’s reasons for that. But it’s going to get done. And you guys are going to be able to go to the polls and be able to vote something that’s really, really meaningful,” DeSantis said
HJR 203 would exempt homestead property from all ad valorem taxes other than School District levies beginning January 2027 over the course of 10 years. It would also prohibit local governments from reducing total funding for law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders below their 2025-26 or 2026-27 funding level — whichever amount is higher.
DeSantis said “the fact that the House has done something is a good sign” that “shows that they are listening, their constituents, and that they want to get something done.”
But he says the measure needs more time and effort in the writing, necessitating the Special Session. He discussed the need for “analysis” and “the art of these ballot initiatives.”
“Voters are going to read it. Are they going to like what they see or not?” DeSantis said. “What I’ve found is, you can’t just have a bureaucrat write that, that there’s an art to it, that you have to know how that language is going to do.”
The Governor has been working on property tax relief with the Senate, which has been more aligned with him in the last two Legislative Sessions than the House has.
The post Gov. DeSantis still sees Special Session as necessary for property tax relief appeared first on Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..