Florida Lawmakers Propose Study to Eliminate Property Taxes

FLORIDA - A new legislative proposal aims to explore the feasibility of abolishing property taxes in Florida.

Senator Jonathan Martin, a Republican from Fort Myers, has introduced Senate Bill 852 (SB 852) for the upcoming legislative session starting March 4th.

The bill mandates the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to conduct a comprehensive study on eliminating property taxes and replacing the lost revenue through budget cuts, sales-based consumption taxes, and locally determined consumption taxes authorized by the Legislature. 

The proposed study will assess the potential impact of removing property taxes on public services such as education, infrastructure, and emergency services.

It will also evaluate whether shifting to consumption-based taxes would enhance Florida's attractiveness to businesses compared to other states.

Governor Ron DeSantis has expressed support for the idea of abolishing property taxes.

In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on February 13th, DeSantis responded to users advocating for the elimination of property taxes.

He acknowledged that property taxes are managed at the local level and suggested that a constitutional amendment, requiring 60% voter approval, would be necessary to eliminate or reform them.

DeSantis stated, "We should put the boldest amendment on the ballot that has a chance of getting that 60%... I agree that taxing land/property is the more oppressive and ineffective form of taxation." 

Property taxes are a significant source of funding for Florida's schools, law enforcement, fire protection, road maintenance, and other public services.

The governor did not specify how the state would compensate for the potential loss of these funds. 

Florida House Speaker Danny Perez commented on the proposal, emphasizing the importance of understanding how the state would address the funding gap that property taxes currently fill.

He noted that property taxes fund a substantial portion of the K-12 education system and local government budgets. 

Florida is known for its tax-friendly environment, being one of nine U.S. states without a state income tax.

The state relies on sales taxes, corporate income taxes, and other revenue streams to fund its budget.