Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has rejected a proposal for a comprehensive study on property tax reform, arguing it is time to act, not analyze. Despite legislative efforts to examine the issue, the governor insists that the matter should be directly addressed in the 2026 ballot.
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Study Vetoed
DeSantis decided against funding a property tax study led by the Office of Economic and Demographic Research, which aimed to evaluate how local governments utilize property tax revenues and the potential effects of reducing or eliminating taxes.
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Governor’s Position: Act Now
“I’ve been very nonplussed by their analysis. So, I vetoed that because we don’t need to give a bureaucracy money to study this. We know what needs to be done. So, let’s just do it,” said DeSantis during the 2025 budget signing. He emphasized the urgency of bypassing bureaucracy to address the issue directly.
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Tax Relief Discussion Continues
Florida lawmakers have long discussed property tax relief. However, the veto puts pressure on legislators to act quickly without the benefit of the proposed study, which would have provided detailed data to guide reform decisions.
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Senate’s Reaction
Senate President Ben Albritton expressed that further discussions on property tax reform would continue in the Senate’s finance and tax committee over the summer. Albritton suggested that the committee would review both House proposals and those from the governor’s office to create a balanced tax reform strategy.
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House Members Take Action
House members have launched a select committee to further explore property tax reform. Their task includes consulting local governments to gain insight into the best routes to pursue tax reform in their regions.
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Looking Ahead: 2026 Ballot
Governor DeSantis aims to present the property tax issue directly to voters in 2026. This requires 60% voter approval to pass any proposed changes. Without the study, lawmakers face uncertainty about how various reforms might impact different countries.