Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in previous months that property taxes on personal homes amount to “rent to the government” and require a voter-approved constitutional amendment because local governments control millage rates. The Florida House of Representatives advanced that approach on February 19, 2026, passing CS/CS/HJR 203 on an 80–30 party-line vote to place a measure on the November 2026 ballot that would exempt homestead properties from non-school property taxes starting January 1, 2027.
DeSantis made the comments during a Sept. 2, 2025, event in Orlando. He said the Legislature lacks constitutional authority to direct counties and cities to cut millages.
“What we’re gonna do is we’re gonna place a question on the ballot that is gonna allow Floridians to be able to vote themselves relief from property tax,” DeSantis said, at the event covered by FOX 35 Orlando.
I was listening to Ron DeSantis talk about eliminating property tax in Florida, and at first I thought, “There’s no way that works.”
— Clinton Donnelly (@CryptoTaxFixer) February 2, 2026
Then I heard the details…and it actually made a lot of sense.
The idea isn’t to eliminate property tax for everyone.
It would only apply to… pic.twitter.com/JwZ09aJd4j
He described his view of homeownership. “If you own your home, to truly own it, you have to own it free and clear of the government. You shouldn’t have to pay rent to the government,” DeSantis said. He added that taxing a personal home amounts to taxing an unrealized gain, and he distinguished owner-occupied homes from investment and commercial properties.
DeSantis compared property taxes to paying sales tax at the point of purchase for a car and then being taxed again on the vehicle’s value over time. He noted that car values usually decline after purchase but rose during COVID-related shortages, when some buyers resold vehicles at a profit. He challenged critics who say such relief cannot be done and cited Broward County as an example of local government spending growth, saying the county has 1.9 million residents, no net population growth over five years, and a budget increase of about 60 percent.
The House measure, CS/CS/HJR 203, is sponsored by Rep. Monique Miller, R-Palm Bay. It passed on February 19, 2026, with Republicans voting in favor and Democrats opposed, according to the Florida House and Florida Senate bill pages.
The resolution’s original version proposed a gradual approach, increasing the homestead exemption from non-school taxes by $100,000 per year over 10 years, leading to full exemption around 2037. A floor amendment replaced that plan with an immediate, full exemption of the entire assessed value from non-school ad valorem taxes beginning January 1, 2027. School district taxes would remain in place, according to the engrossed bill text and a legislative update from the Florida Institute of CPAs.
The amended proposal includes protections for public safety funding. It bars local governments from reducing total funding for law enforcement, firefighters, and other first responders below base-year levels, according to the engrossed text and the Florida Institute of CPAs update.
Fiscal estimates vary by analysis. The Revenue Estimating Conference projected annual local government revenue losses of about $13.3 billion under earlier versions, according to Florida Phoenix. House staff analysis cited a $4.8 billion negative cash impact and a $14.7 billion recurring impact in fiscal year 2027–28, the outlet reported. State economists projected roughly $14.8 billion in annual losses for cities, counties, and special districts, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
Supporters framed the measure as homeowner relief. Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, R-Belleview, said the change would shift more of the tax burden to tourists and new residents, according to Florida Phoenix. Rep. Toby Overdorf, R-Palm City, chairman of the House Select Committee on Property Taxes, said the proposal would allow voters to lower overall tax rates and return money to constituents, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
Opponents warned of service cuts. Rep. Rita Harris, D-Orlando, said the measure would “defund the police” and “defund the fire,” according to Florida Phoenix. Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said the cut would primarily benefit higher-income homeowners and shift costs to renters and businesses, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
After House passage, DeSantis wrote on social media that the proposal could not be voted on by the public before November and that “it’s better to do it right than do it quick.”
Regarding a property tax proposal for the 2026 ballot: we’ve been working with members of the Senate who have been great partners.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) February 19, 2026
Given that it can’t be voted on by the people before November, it’s better to do it right than do it quick!
The resolution was received in the Senate on February 19, 2026, and referred to the Appropriations Committee. No further action had been reported as of February 24, 2026, according to the Florida Senate bill page. Senate Appropriations Chairman Ed Hooper, R-Trinity, said the Senate’s approach “won’t be as generous” and would account for differences among counties, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
For the amendment to appear on the November 2026 ballot, the Senate must approve identical language by a three-fifths vote. If placed on the ballot, the proposal would require approval from at least 60 percent of voters statewide to take effect, according to legislative records and the Florida Institute of CPAs update.
