Fla.: DeSantis calls special session on proposal to eliminate property taxes on primary homes

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has unveiled a legislative proposal to severely cut and eventually eliminate property taxes on primary residences in Florida, calling a special legislative session to address the issue.

The move escalates a multi-year effort to reform the state’s tax structure, potentially positioning Florida as the first state in the nation to boast neither a personal income tax nor a property tax on primary, owner-occupied homes.

“Today in Tampa, I outlined the Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes plan that will eliminate taxes on homesteads. Property tax revenue collected by local governments has nearly doubled in the past seven years (from $32 billion to $60 billion) and is expected to reach an astounding $83 billion by 2032. Florida homeowners need relief. Now is the time to stand up for taxpayers, enact a historic reform, and save the home of every Floridian,” DeSantis (R-Fla.) posted on X on Wednesday.

Today in Tampa, I outlined the Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes plan that will eliminate taxes on homesteads. 

Property tax revenue collected by local governments has nearly doubled in the past seven years (from $32 billion to $60 billion) and is expected to reach an… pic.twitter.com/3ZcexD9L7X

 — Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 27, 2026

If approved by the Legislature, the proposal would be placed on the November general election ballot, where it would require 60% voter approval to amend the state constitution.

Under the newly released plan, the state’s baseline homestead exemption would immediately go from from $50,000 to $250,000 for full-time residents who register their properties as primary homes. DeSantis estimated that this initial shift would wipe out property tax bills entirely for roughly 60% of the state’s current primary homeowners.

The proposed constitutional framework instructs lawmakers to establish a subsequent multi-year “glide path” to eventually scale the exemption to $500,000 — a threshold the governor noted would leave 92% of homesteaded properties completely tax-free — before phasing out the remaining tax burden entirely.

 

The governor’s announcement triggers an immediate special session, putting more pressure on the Republican-led legislature following a fractured regular session.

While the Florida House previously passed a joint resolution to phase out non-school property taxes over a ten-year period, the measure died in the Senate over concerns from local governments regarding catastrophic revenue losses.

To bridge this executive-legislative divide, the new proposal narrows the scope of allowable expenditures for remaining property tax revenue, dictating that residual collections may only be used to fund vital local operations such as public schools, law enforcement, and fire departments.

 

The plan also establishes a state trust fund specifically designed to backfill revenue gaps in smaller, rural counties that lack a robust commercial or non-homestead tax base. Meanwhile, legislative response to the proposal has since highlighted deep ideological and geographic fault lines across the state.

Republican Senate President Ben Albritton expressed optimism, noting that the tailored approach seeks to protect local public safety, education, and water infrastructure while offering direct financial relief to families facing rising costs of living.

However, conversely, Democrat House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell strongly condemned the initiative, arguing that eliminating property taxes does not disappear the costs of municipal infrastructure and emergency response.