By David Beasley, The Center Square
In Summary:
Proposals to dramatically reduce or eliminate nonschool property taxes in Florida are raising concerns about the financial stability of local governments. County officials warn that a 40% drop in revenue could make it difficult to fund essential services like public safety, road maintenance, and utilities. While proponents argue that voters should have a say in property tax reductions, critics—including Gov. Ron DeSantis—question whether placing multiple measures on the ballot is a practical solution or a political strategy. The debate continues as organizations like Florida TaxWatch study the proposals ahead of the 2026 election.
A county association is warning that proposals to dramatically lower or even eliminate nonschool property taxes in Florida don’t add up.
Related: Florida House proposes referendum to eliminate non-school property taxes.
The proposals, which Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez has proposed placing on next year’s ballot for voter approval, would reduce county revenue by about 40%, Cragin Mosteller told The Center Square. He's the deputy executive director of the Florida Association of Counties.
Mosteller pointed out that the bills exempt school property taxes from the cut and also prohibit local governments from cutting law enforcement funding to compensate for the loss of property tax revenue.
How would this impact Apopka and Orange County?
If Florida voters approve any of the proposed measures to cut or eliminate nonschool property taxes, the financial impact could be significant for Apopka and Orange County. Local governments rely heavily on property tax revenue to fund essential services, including law enforcement, road maintenance, public utilities, and other infrastructure projects. A 40% reduction in nonschool property taxes, as estimated by county officials, could force the county and city to scale back services or seek alternative funding sources, even as population growth continues to drive demand for public safety, transportation, and community programs. Residents could see delays in road repairs, reduced funding for parks and recreation, or increased fees for certain municipal services, while city leaders would have limited flexibility to offset lost revenue without cutting critical services.
Public safety accounts for 60% of the non-school-related county spending, she added. She questioned whether there was enough "to cover things such as roads or even flushing your toilet. I think there are a lot of details that are unknown at this point.”
Second-term Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis also questioned the proposals last week.
Perez said the proposals should be placed on the ballot for voters to decide next year. There are seven different proposals for property tax reductions that have been introduced by Florida legislators.
One bill, House Joint Resolution 201, would eliminate nonschool property taxes for those with homestead exemptions, meaning they live in the house they own, if approved by voters.
Another, HJR203, would eliminate nonschool homestead property taxes over a 10-year period. A third, HJR205, would exempt anyone over the age of 65 from non-school-related homestead property taxes. HJR213 would limit increases in the assessed value of a home for a nonschool-related homestead tax to 3% over three years.
“It is my intention to move them through the process,” Pezez said of the proposed legislation. “If we have faith in the voters to elect us, we should not be afraid to let them be a part of the conversation about the taxes they pay.”
But DeSantis questioned the strategy.
“Placing more than one property tax measure on the ballot represents an attempt to kill anything on property taxes,” DeSantis said on social media. “It’s a political game, not a serious attempt to get it done for the people.”
A nonprofit group, Florida TaxWatch, is studying the various proposals and will share information with policymakers “as they consider the various options in providing much-needed property tax relief to the hardworking taxpayers of Florida,” the group’s President and CEO, Dominic M. Calabro, said in a statement.
The group will release a final assessment of the proposals closer to the 2026 election, Calabro said.
