A new property tax proposal headed to a special session in the state capitol could gut the funding that keeps Florida cities running.
The proposal would exempt the first $250,000 of homestead value from property taxes, with a path toward eliminating homestead property taxes entirely over time. It's being framed as tax relief, but what it really does is gut the funding for essential services.
The special session is June 1-3. Lawmakers need to hear from you before they vote.
Tell lawmakers:
- Reject any property tax proposal that defunds local public safety.
- Protect the Florida Formula that's worked for decades.
- Keep local services funded by local voices, not state grant programs.
Fill out this form to tell lawmakers: Protect Local Services
Dear Legislator,
I'm writing to urge you to reject the property tax constitutional amendment proposal.
Property taxes fund the services Floridians rely on every day: police, fire, emergency response, road maintenance, and stormwater infrastructure.
Using the most recent state tax rolls and public safety expenditure data available, an analysis of a $250,000 homestead exemption found that 85 Florida cities could not fund public safety at current levels, even if they cut every other service. Smaller communities would face the steepest impact.
The proposal includes a state trust fund to backfill local budgets. That alone is a warning sign: if cities need state grants to keep the lights on, the proposal is admitting that local resources won't be enough. It also reroutes local funding decisions through Tallahassee, a fundamental change that deserves more careful study than a three-day special session can provide.
Florida's property tax system already works. Please reject any proposal that defunds local public safety or shifts local decision-making to the state.
Sincerely,
Your Name