DeSantis Renews Call for Florida Property Tax Cuts at Brevard Roundtable
Governor outlines property tax relief proposals at Brevard County roundtable, plans summer special session despite lacking formal plan.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday intensified his campaign to reduce Florida’s property taxes during an afternoon roundtable, announcing plans for a summer special session despite still lacking a formal proposal.
The governor’s renewed constitutional amendment push came hours after former Gov. Rick Scott questioned the wisdom of cutting property taxes without predetermined revenue replacements, according to the Florida Phoenix.
“[Cutting property taxes] does mean you’re going to have less room for extraneous expenses, but … would you rather have the homestead relief and not have extraneous [services], or would you rather have the extraneous [services] and keep pay intact?” DeSantis asked his audience.
Multiple Tax Relief Proposals
DeSantis outlined several property tax-related suggestions during the roundtable, though none have appeared in a formal plan. His proposals include expanding homestead exemptions, banning local governments from raising costs on small businesses, and preventing out-of-state transplants from immediately qualifying for homestead exemptions.
“I don’t want every Tom, Dick, and Harry from out of state moving and rushing to buy home here because they get a tax benefit,” DeSantis said, promising Florida residents would receive priority under his plan. “I think if you move here after this is enacted, you got to pay tax for a certain period of time before you qualify for this.”
Summer Special Session Planned
The governor plans to call a special session over the summer to address property tax cuts, scheduling it after the state’s current budget special session but before mid-August. The August deadline marks when proposals must be printed for the November ballot.
DeSantis first pushed lawmakers nearly two years ago to eliminate all property taxes entirely. Republican House Speaker Danny Perez, who has long feuded with the governor, responded during the 2026 legislative session with a proposal DeSantis called “milquetoast.”
Perez’s initiative would have fully ended non-school property taxes for homesteaded properties beginning January 1, 2027. The Senate never considered the property tax measure.
Republican Opposition Emerges
Not all Republicans support slashing the tax that funds essential services including schools, law enforcement, and public parks. Scott, now a U.S. senator with a strained relationship with DeSantis, cast doubt on the proposal’s feasibility Monday morning.
The former governor’s criticism highlights growing divisions within the Republican Party over the tax cut strategy, particularly regarding how to replace the lost revenue that local governments depend on for core services.
Property taxes represent a significant revenue source for Florida’s counties, cities, and school districts, funding everything from police and fire departments to road maintenance and educational programs.
