Florida Senate President Ben Albritton told a hometown audience Monday to “breathe” when it comes to potential property-tax cuts, assuring residents that lawmakers won’t move hastily.

“Everybody breathe. Nobody’s going to do anything crazy,” said Albritton, R-Wauchula, during a Hardee County legislative delegation meeting. “Measure three times, cut once. We’re going to take a measured approach to this and figure out what we can do.”

The remarks come as Gov. Ron DeSantis pushes for a property-tax cut that could go before voters in 2026, requiring legislative approval of a proposed constitutional amendment. Local governments, especially those in rural areas that heavily depend on property tax revenue, are watching closely.

Albritton, a citrus grower representing a largely rural district, said he believes lawmakers can provide tax relief while protecting core local services. He also said DeSantis supports helping rural counties offset lost revenue, noting that the governor suggested “backfilling” the budgets of the state’s 31 fiscally constrained counties.

Lawmakers will have to decide how deep cuts should be, how they’d be applied, and how to fund local services. Some House leaders have even raised the possibility of eliminating property taxes entirely. County legislative delegations are beginning to gather public input ahead of the 2026 session, where the debate is expected to intensify.

“Nearly all of our property-tax revenue growth comes from new development, not higher bills for existing residents,” Winter Haven City Manager Michael Stavres told the Polk County delegation Tuesday. “But each new resident brings greater demand for public safety, parks, utilities, and infrastructure.”

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(Image credit: Colin Hackley)

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