TALLAHASSEE—In the latest dig at Gov. Ron DeSantis, House Speaker Danny Perez announced a special committee on Tuesday to plan how to cut property taxes.
Perez's surprise announcement, delivered minutes before the Floor Session began, is the latest addition to the growing pile of dueling tax cut proposals suggested by DeSantis, the Senate, and the House. Perez said the new committee will work through the summer to contemplate five property tax cut ideas.
Why?
Because DeSantis's plan to dole out $1,000 rebates to homeowners lacks specifics, Perez said.
"Several months ago, DeSantis introduced the exciting and provocative idea of abolishing property taxes in Florida," the Miami Republican began, noting that many wondered how that would be done without hamstringing local governments and defunding schools and police departments.
"Unfortunately, as the weeks have gone by, the governor has yet to come forward with any specific answer to those questions or with any actual bill language," Perez added.
Perez's tax cut reveal was dropped in the closing weeks of a tense and unusual Session, with no hard end date in sight. The newly elected Speaker has clashed with the governor all year, helping to close out DeSantis's call for a special session in January and more recently combing through the First Lady's charity for its behind-the-scenes handling of money that wound up in an anti-marijuana political committee.
Perez, DeSantis, and Senate President Ben Albritton have all put forth various tax cut proposals to combat Florida's sky-high property costs, though the lack of agreement seems to have hampered the conservative politicos' abilities to agree on next year's budget—a coalescence unlikely to happen before the scheduled final day of May 2.
What are the Tax Cut Proposals?
A special House committee, headed by Republican Reps. Toby Overdorf and Vicki Lopez, will work through the summer to determine how to cut property taxes without overburdening local governments.
Perez said they will consider five proposals, all of which he considers to be a "starting point" and not an "end goal."
These include:
- Requiring every city, county, and special district to hold referendums on eliminating homestead property taxes,
- Creating a new $500,000 homestead property tax exemption that would be increased to $1 million for homeowners over 65 years old or who have had a homestead for over 30 years.
- Allowing the state legislature to raise the homestead exemption by state statute, instead of requiring a ballot amendment,
- Enhancing Florida's assessment limitation caps for homesteaded properties
- Banning government from foreclosing a homesteaded property for unpaid taxes
This follows the House advancing a permanent sales tax cut—a proposal DeSantis has lambasted for extending tax cuts to tourists as well as Florida residents. Albritton, meanwhile, has suggested a temporary cut on clothing items under $75, while DeSantis wants a $1,000 rebate to homeowners.
