Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is proposing a major property tax relief bill targeting homeowners in the state. Traveling down the ideas in the Florida Department of Revenue proposal to refund these homeowners the first $1,000 of their rebate, homeowners would be refunded under this proposal for their portion. The program is one of a host of Greater Manchester efforts to lighten the financial load on residents and, at the same time, fully fund local school districts. It comes in the wake of DeSantis’s longstanding goal of eventually scrapping property taxes through a constitutional amendment.
Details of the Tax Relief Plan
The tax relief plan proposed would help over 5.1 million homeowners in Florida, whose property taxes are being mandated for schools. If the Florida legislature passes the plan, the rebate checks are expected to be sent in December 2025. Part of the reason that the state is in such good financial shape, he said, is that because of that we can do this tax relief without hurting our essential public services.
The governor, in criticizing the current property tax system, which he says forces homeowners to act like they’re paying “rent to the government.” Floridians need relief now, and he urged lawmakers to act quickly. We should have this done this year; the sooner the Legislature acts on this plan, the better.” Legislative approval is a prerequisite to the proposal.
Comparison to Other Tax Cut Proposals
As other tax-cut measures are being debated in the Florida Legislature, this is the time for DeSantis to introduce his property tax relief proposal. One of Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez’s more recent ideas, recently up for vote, was reducing the statewide sales tax from 6 percent to 5.25 percent, which would save Floridians $5 billion a year. DeSantis has opposed this approach, saying that cutting a sales tax would also help tourists and overseas travelers while excluding Florida residents.
“I don’t want to give Canadians a tax cut,” said the governor. He prefers other tax relief plans that serve homeowners who are being hammered by rising property assessments and elevated living costs.
Support and Opposition
The backing of the proposal has also been strong from the Florida Realtors Association, with President Tim Weisheyer stating that homeownership affordability is very important. He pointed out that the rebate program is consistent with the aim to fulfill the ‘American Dream’ of owning a home.
Another side objection is that the state can’t afford such rebates without diminishing the public service, such as police and even education. DeSantis has said funding will be covered through such things as efficiency improvements in the way the government operates, but skeptics question long-term financial sustainability.
Future Plans: Eliminating Property Taxes
DeSantis, a Republican, has also voiced support for placing such a proposition on the ballot during the 2026 general election to eliminate property taxes entirely. That would require the approval of at least 60 percent of Florida voters. A move like this would offer big financial relief to homeowners, but what would essentially happen is use of property taxes to fund essential services would disappear.
DeSantis is looking to use state reserves to cover one year of local school property tax contributions in order to address these concerns. However, the proposition that property taxes can be eliminated in the long term is debated.
The plan to give Florida homeowners a $1,000 property tax rebate has the potential to deliver much-needed budgetary relief to millions of Floridians. It has received support from real estate professionals and many residents, but there are questions as to how it will work long-term at the state and local budgets. When the Florida Legislature considers this proposal, homeowners and policymakers will be closely looking to see if this is a good idea.
