The end of property taxes?

If you have any interest in knowing what the Legislature is going to do to you in its current year session, a good preview can always be found in the Legislature’s opening day — in the governor’s State of the State address and the Senate president and House speaker’s opening day addresses.

For Gov. Ron DeSantis, it’s quite clear he is aiming to go down in history as one of Florida’s most accomplished governors. Accomplished in the sense of landmark and the boldest legislative achievements.

It’s accurate to say he is shooting for the best for last. DeSantis wants to eliminate and replace Florida’s onerous and increasingly onerous property tax system.

In his recounting of his and the Legislature’s successes in previous years — of being “a friend to the taxpayer,” he tossed this grenade to legislators in his opening speech:

“Escalating assessments have created a gusher of revenue for local governments — and many in Florida have seen their budgets increase far beyond the growth in population.

“Taxpayers need relief.

“You buy a home, pay off a mortgage — and yet you still have to write a check to the government every year just to live on your own property?

“Is the property yours, or are you just renting from the government?

“I know members of the Legislature are studying the issue in anticipation of formulating a proposal to place on the 2026 ballot to provide constitutional protections for Florida property owners.

“Please know you have my support.”

This would be a legislative, public-policy and political earthquake if it happened. And it would indeed enshrine DeSantis as perhaps Florida’s highest achieving governor.

He is right. All of you who allegedly own your homes, you don’t. It’s like the shop owner in New York or Boston paying the Mafia ransom each year for what the mobsters call protection.

Now, you can imagine how all of the county, municipal and school board elected officials will scream at the thought of losing their property-tax money spigots.

And the obvious question will become: What tax or taxes will replace the property tax? The most likely approach would be to adopt a singular consumption tax, or sales tax.

The thought of that, too, will be alarming to many because you logically could think that would mean a ridiculously high, double-digit sales tax rate. To be sure, the state’s sales tax rate would climb, but much of the rate would be offset by including most of the existing sales-tax exemptions.

Don’t fret about this yet. The most that is likely to happen on this proposal is the passage of Senate Bill 852, which would require the Office of Economic and Demographic Research to study the elimination and replacement of property taxes.

Meantime, there are more than 70 bills pending dealing with property-tax exemptions — all illustrating Floridians’ increasing frustration with rising property taxes.

But wait, there’s more. 

DeSantis, of course, has much more on his agenda, as seen in his speech and budget. But in almost a footnote in his speech, he cited three other top issues: 

• Petition-amendment fraud: Three bills propose to add a myriad of new requirements, restrictions, regulations and costs to the state’s constitutional petition initiatives (SB 1414, SPB 7016 and HB 1205).

This is such a paradox. Republicans often wave the flag of liberty, and yet they just as frequently push liberty-limiting legislation — couched in the veil of protecting us. 

The argument for this legislation is cast as protecting Florida’s constitution from out-of-state influencers and nefarious funders like George Soros and preventing petition-signature gatherers from signing up people fraudulently. 

The proposed legislation, for instance, would prohibit petition gatherers who are not Florida residents. In addition, the political committees seeking to get their proposed amendment on the ballot would be required to post a $1 million bond to cover any fines that could be levied for petition violations.

And there is this: Any voter who signs a petition would be required not only to give his/her home address, but also his/her driver license number or the last four digits of his/her social security number. Think about that: If you’re asked by a stranger at a public event to sign a petition to place a proposed constitutional amendment on the state ballot, how willing will you be to share those numbers?

Floridians don’t want out-of-state scoundrels buying their special interest ways into our constitution, but at the same time Floridians do want the petition initiative process to be available for the average state citizen to redress his/her government.

The three bills cited above don’t do the latter. Read the bills; give your feedback to your legislator.     

• Condos: DeSantis is counting on the Legislature to continue to address the financial stress on condominiums whose residents faced huge assessments as a result of complying with the Legislature’s demand in 2024 to address structural deficiencies.
• Second Amendment: DeSantis is supporting four bills — Senate Bill 94, 920 and 1716 and House Bill 759, each of which, among other provisions,  would lower the age for young adults to acquire firearms from 21 to 18.