ORLANDO, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis is pitching a plan to give property tax relief to millions of Florida homeowners.
During a visit to Orlando on Monday, DeSantis issued a proposal for state lawmakers to direct $5 billion towards property tax cuts, which he said would save the average homeowner nearly $1,000.
“Of all the taxes that are impacting Floridians, right now property taxes are the most significant,” DeSantis said.
The proposal came as the Florida Legislature has been talking about a potential reduction in state sales tax from 6% to 5.25%.
DeSantis said a reduction in sales tax would benefit people who don’t live in Florida, while a property tax cut would put Floridians first.
“There’s no property tax relief in that proposal, but it also allows relief for foreigners. It allows relief for visitors and part-time residents. I think the tax relief needs to be focused on Floridians,” DeSantis said.
Making a statewide change to property tax would require an amendment to the Florida constitution, which DeSantis said he expects to see on the ballot in 2026.
Tim Weisheyer, who is the president of Florida Realtors, said DeSantis’ proposal could give a boost to the real estate industry.
“A proposal such as this, is one that not only will open up the marketplace, but it will also protect those that are living in their homes on fixed incomes,” Weisheyer said.
Florida’s legislative session closes in May.