With home prices continuing to be a big flashpoint for Floridians, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that he plans to work on an overhaul of property taxes, including an increase in the state’s homestead exemption, which shields part of the value of homes.
DeSantis floated the idea when he noted that he is plans to release his budget recommendations over the weekend.
“We need to crack down on property taxes in the state,” DeSantis said at the end of an event centered primarily on illegal immigration. “We need to limit these property taxes in more ways than we do. So I think that homestead deductions need to dramatically increase for people.”
Any major change of property taxes would require a constitutional amendment and would likely not go before voters until 2026.
DeSantis said he plans to work with legislators over the next year and a half to craft his overhaul. He did not elaborate about how large of a homestead exemption he’ll push for but said he wants to offset the rising costs of homes, interest rates, and homeowners’ insurance.
In Florida, homeowners are eligible for a homestead exemption on their permanent residences of up to $50,000. The first 25,000 applies to all property taxes including school district taxes. The additional exemption of up to $25,000 applies only to non-school taxes. In November voters approved a constitutional amendment that adjusts for annual inflation.
DeSantis blamed rising insurance costs on “roofing scams,” but said the Legislature addressed that when it passed HB 837 and other bills. He said 6 million homeowners in 2024 saw no premium increases in their homeowner’s insurance.
“So, the thing we have the most control over, we obviously can’t control the overall inflation rate. We can’t control private markets. But we can control how much they can tax you” he said. “So, we’re going to be working over the next year, year and a half, to see what we can present for voters to be able to vote in the next election for some major property tax limitations and reliefs.”
DeSantis said his proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year would contain pay increases for Florida Highway Patrol troopers and suggested he would likely recommend additional payments to bring down the state’s overall debt.
House Speaker Danny Perez, a Republican from Miami, has repeatedly criticized the size of the state budget, $118.6 billion. More than 42% of that goes to health and human service-related needs, from providing access to Medicaid to caring for children in foster care. Education is the second largest spending area, at 32% of the budget.
DeSantis teased his planned budget proposal during a Destin press conference at which he spoke at length about what he called shortfalls in the recently passed immigration legislation known as the TRUMP Act.
Florida law requires the governor to submit his proposed budget to the Legislature for consideration at least 30 days before the start of the regular session. The 2025 legislative session begins March 4. Sunday is the 30-day mark.
–Christine Sexton, Florida Phoenix
Steve says
Rondon is going to get a taste of big fat orange lame Duck
Joe D says
Limits to the taxation based on the Homestead rules are helpful, but since there is no 1% -5% Florida State income taxes ( begrudgingly, thank you tourists) like there is in most other states, the cost of maintaining infrastructure (roads, lighting, water supply, storm water management, sewer systems), recreational amenities (walking trails, beach and intracoastal maintenance and protection, pickleball, tennis courts, swim club, recreation centers, golf course) and the ever increasing costs of running the government (buildings, government and emergency services, police, government salaries, equipment), has risen EXPONENTIALLY in the past 10 years.
Like the reality everywhere…you either do without service (or reductions of services) , you have to increase what your taxes pay for, or you have to find alternative sources of income (Developer fees, increasing water rates, increasing utilities rates…bring more …younger/working/ family) people into an area (Palm Coast at least) known for 2 generations as a “Retirement” area (frequently, but not always, with lower, fixed retirement incomes).
Something HAS to give! You can’t have it ALL. Sadly, Flagler County’s solution is to develop and build on every square inch of land (even in questionable flood/drainage prone areas)..which might bring in more PROPERTY taxes, but it requires improvement and expansion of our infrastructure ($$$) …a vicious cycle!
There does have to be the enticing of businesses with LIVABLE WAGE salaries , which in turn should attract skilled workers with young (working/taxpaying) families. Currently there (seems to be at least) a limited pool of middle income jobs (say: $35,000-$60,000), and limited affordable housing stock to attract young families to locate in the area.
Flagler County (it’s citizens, government, and businesses), have to work TOGETHER to find solutions acceptable to EVERYONE!
JimboXYZ says
With what home prices got up to homestead exemptions are just one problem. The mortgage rates for interest, the principal itself being paid down. down payments are all higher. That’s one relief, but officers would have to be earning significantly more than starting base pay or have generational wealth to be able to truly afford a house, same as the rest of us. This is like the 25 year living in Flagler county in the same home for an additional homestead exemption qualification. There are other requirements as well that make qualifying for the Homestead Exemption something that is pretty difficult to meet the criteria. Out of curiosity wonder who actually gets it, definitely the Good Ole Boy Network of generations of Flagler County types living out in the deep woods applies. With the criteria one would have to have lived in the same house for 25 years, that means they were here at least back to when Clinton was leaving office. There are few that do qualify, but by & large you have to be a senior pretty much to qualify for that homestead exemption. How many “unicorns” are there ? This like finding living WW2 veterans with stricter requirements that they are not earning more than $ 37.5k/year. Lived in the same house the last 25 years. Move to a new home & that disqualifies/resets the 25 year rule as a requirement.
https://flaglerpa.com/senior-exemption/
The dude says
Not to worry.
The trump economy starts today and none of us will ever have to worry about stupid little problems like home ownership again.
Not to be nitpicking or anything… but uh… weren’t we explicitly, and repeatedly promised that tariffs won’t be paid by us, the American consumers?
If you were one of the MAGA faithful morons that bought into that particular lie… the Stock Market would like to have a word with you this AM…
Robjr says
@The dude says
There is a huge sell off this morning in pre market trading.
You do know it is the fault of the brown people taking all the MAGA jobs.
And it is the fault of DEI.
Most MAGA don’t understand how tariffs work, they still believe, among other things,
that cheaper and better health care is coming.
Laurel says
Robjr: Just wait until the Trump supporters find out the upcoming cost of all that lumber coming from our once friend and ally, Canada!
Stupid, freaking move.
Right now, the market is red, mostly due to Trump’s chaos and uncertainty. I imagine Detroit is freaked right about now. Dollar Tree must be unhappy! So, how many American companies are going to be damaged, or killed off?
BTW, has anyone noticed that the Republicans, who cried “JOBS, JOBS, JOBS!” while President Biden brought us more jobs than his predecessor, have recently clammed up? Yeah, not a peep! Mass deportations. Mass firings. Mass “retribution.” Yeah, Republicans are interestingly quiet about jobs now.
Pogo says
@The dude, Robjr
Bullseye. One of the best films about the currently unfolding situation is Seabiscuit, 2003.
Duane says
Exemptions should be after the first $100k valuation of a home so everyone pays something. There are too many hones that pay $0- and use public services that the rest of us tax payers have to pay for.
Wow says
So being “pro-life” does not include supporting children in foster homes??
Planned cuts reduce money for “caring for children in foster care”.
Hmmmmm.
Bobby says
It appears that Elon Musk is running the country now thanks to the Orange Man. Musk isn’t even a government employee nor has he had a security clearance.
Our country has just been taken over by a Hitler worshiper.
For those that voted for this you all should be ashamed of yourselves.
Endless dark money says
Haha boot licking ron . The terrorist in charge are doing a great job dismembering and dismantling the nation. Gutted it! All institutions are run by incompetent political pundits. Now end social security and Medicare give people what they voted for hahahaha
Pig Farmer says
Homestead exemption doesn’t matter when homeowners insurance continues to rise…rapidly. It was stated that some homeowners insurance didn’t rise. I want names and locations! I don’t buy it for a minute.
Dennis C Rathsam says
TRUMPS few weeks in office, have become so exciting. Promises MADE Promises KEPT. Isn’t it great to see these invaders round up & deported. Its great to have a president such transparency. After 4 years of lies, cover ups & Bidens fairytail DEI & woke bullshit. No More jobs to the un qualified. Your education & brain pave your way to success. Too bad the of the followers of Pierre continue to blame TRUMP on this platform, for every little thing, which you all know he cant control.Blame him all you want, if it makes you feel good. You sore losers have 4 more years to cry. While the grin on my face gets bigger everyday.TRUMP is doing what he was ELLECTED to do. Just tink if youre all right, TRUMP scews up real bad, Ill look like the fool…. But if things are good, & we are all prospering….Youll get 8 years of JD VANCE.
Jim says
Hey, Mr. Dennis C Rathsam says,
You state “Just tink if youre all right, TRUMP scews up real bad, Ill look like the fool…” I completely understand why you love so Trump. He loves you! He said he loves the poorly educated and you definitely fit the profile! I’m guessing a Florida education…
I’m glad you’re happy that Trump pardoned all the J6 defendants and convicts. Part of that law and order platform the Republicans tout (when it’s convenient).
I’m glad you see Trump as transparent. I guess that’s why he fired all those inspector generals, right? After all, their job was to make sure the government didn’t do things in the dark that the taxpayers wouldn’t know about. And firing the FBI and DOJ people for doing their jobs and doing exactly what they were ordered to do by their bosses. More transparency. Clearly (transparently) it was retribution for investigating Trump and his cronies.
I’m fine with rounding up all these invaders as well. We don’t need them. And their crime rate is so much higher than true Americans (what, that’s not true? Well, ignore that – we don’t like facts getting in the way!). And let’s put 30k in Gitmo! That’ll say us a lot of tax dollars!
You state: “TRUMP is doing what he was ELLECTED to do. But if things are good, & we are all prospering….” Well, first, again, there’s that fact that Trump loves the poorly educated…. But let’s move past that. Private schooling will take over Florida and then everyone will know how to spell ELECTED! I’m sure things are going to be great! Why, the threat of tariffs sent the stock market soaring! I think between assuring any invaders are gotten out of this country (and they already have the fear of God in them!), threatening one of our best allies (Canada, in case you didn’t know) with tariffs for “allowing” 23 pounds of fentanyl into the US (Mexico let the other 21k pounds in) was genius! And now the Canadians are booing us at sports events. Maybe it’ll escalate from there! Why, the way things are going, how could they not want to be the 51st state?!
And Elon has gotten control of the financial safeguards at the Treasury Department. More good news. Here’s a great guy (got some money also) who doesn’t have a security clearance, is not a federal employee, has billions(?) of dollars contracts with the US government, seems to lean into far right (Nazi?) ideology, and he’s taken control of a highly secure key function of the government. What could possibly go wrong?!
And Trump is going ahead with creating a “sovereign wealth fund” that (I guess) he’ll control. And, although theoretically, funding of US government spending is approved by Congress, all I hear is crickets from them! So Trump will get a slush fund to spend on whatever he wants with no one looking over his shoulder. But he’s proven we can trust him so no worries! And, by the way, when did the Republican party decide to sidestep capitalism like this? I thought the Republicans preached capitalism over government involvement 100% of the time? But, again, there is no Republican party anymore. It’s the Trump party! MAGA baby, all the way!
I hope your grin just gets bigger and bigger. Suckers are born every minute….
Joe D says
In response to Pig Farmer:
Actually MY homeowner’s insurance didn’t go up but…
My Flagler Beach property is a townhouse set 12 feet above sea level at the ground level, then sits elevated 8 more feet off the ground on poured concrete walls ( not just concrete blocks) reinforced with cabling (not rebar), so it “gives” a bit with high wind storms. 2 parking spaces are underneath the townhouse at ground level. There isn’t anything to flood except a carport storage room.
It has concrete balconies (4 actually) 2 each facing the ocean, and 2 facing west. I have 2 concrete slab floors and a concrete slab roof.
In addition there are retractable hurricane shutters. Spending $275 for a wind mitigation and structural inspection (good for 5 years) earned me enough insurance exemption credits to keep my insurance unchanged when the INITIAL suggestion was that it would DOUBLE to $4400/ year without those storm mitigation credits.
To my knowledge no one in my development has had any SIGNIFICANT storm damage, with any of the major hurricanes in the past 45 years since they were built.
That’s what’s unfortunate…the concept of storm “proofing” construction in these townhouses was known 45 years ago, ( they even have the circuitry in place for adding solar panels, but it was never done) it has withstood the test of time and storms…yet (to my knowledge) no duplicate developments in the area have been built since then.
The cost when I purchased it for retirement was only SLIGHTLY more expensive than other nearby developments and homes that are even 20+ years newer.
I’m in Northern Flagler Beach facing the beach…so REASONABLE storm protection construction is possible ( with its lowered insurance costs through discount storm mitigation credits).