St. Pete-Clearwater Sun

After two legislative sessions and one special session failed to produce a property tax relief plan, Florida’s Republican leaders are signaling a summer showdown over one of the state’s most ambitious fiscal proposals in decades. The question now is not whether lawmakers will return to Tallahassee, but what plan they will bring with them — and whether the House and Senate can finally agree on one.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has made clear he intends to keep calling legislators back until they act. “There will be a special session to do the property tax, and my sense would be, we’ll get there, probably on the first try, but if not, there will be more of those sessions until they put something on the ballot,” DeSantis said.

The Deadline Looming Overhead

The urgency stems from a hard calendar constraint: the Secretary of State’s ballot certification deadline falls in late August 2026. A summer special session represents the last realistic path for any property tax reform to reach Florida voters on the November 2026 ballot. Any constitutional amendment would also require 60 percent support from members in both the House and Senate before it could go to voters, who would then need to approve it by the same supermajority threshold.

Where Things Stand

Florida lawmakers wrapped up the 2026 regular session in March without completing two of their biggest responsibilities — passing a state budget and agreeing on a plan to cut property taxes — sending the Legislature into overtime for a second consecutive year.

The Legislature subsequently convened a special session from April 28 through May 1, but property tax reform was not included on the agenda. The session focused instead on congressional redistricting, AI consumer protections, and medical freedom policies. Governor DeSantis indicated that property tax reform was deliberately pulled from the April agenda to allow more time for negotiations on the proposal’s structure.

The Governor’s Position: A Phased Elimination

DeSantis has long advocated eliminating homestead property taxes entirely, but his most recent public statements suggest a shift toward a graduated approach. DeSantis signaled the bill would call for a phase-out reduction in levies rather than an outright elimination from the start. “Our goal would be: Homestead properties would be exempt from property tax,” DeSantis said, adding he expects to work with the Legislature on a phased plan to “make it work.”

DeSantis said the special session on property taxes would not happen before June, telling an audience in Palm Beach: “We’ll be working with the Legislature, not this week, not probably May, but probably after that.”

The House Plan: Eliminate Non-School Homestead Taxes

In February 2026, the Florida House passed a joint resolution that would eliminate the non-school portion of property taxes on primary residences — taxes assessed by counties, cities, and special districts — while leaving school-related property taxes in place. Because the proposal would amend the Florida Constitution, it would require voter approval before taking effect.

The House measure also mandated that local governments maintain existing funding levels for police, firefighters, and other first responders. According to state revenue analysts, the proposal could have resulted in a $13.3 billion annual budget impact to counties and municipalities.

The Senate: Still Working on Its Own Approach

The Senate has been the principal obstacle to consensus. While the House put forward eight different plans during the regular session and passed one, the Senate did not advance any similar proposal. Senate leaders say they are still working on their own approach. “The Senate’s been working quite a bit on that issue,” said one senator. “There’s 67 totally different counties in this state, and a property tax issue that is great for one county could crush 31 poor counties.”

Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Bartow, said the chamber is still weighing options and has not committed to any specific proposal, citing longstanding concerns about rural communities that would suffer the most from lost revenue.

One senator, however, expressed confidence the governor would eventually deliver a plan with enough force to break the impasse. “I think he will have a plan. He has not shared his plan, but I think we’ll get the plan just in time for the special session, and — my guess — we’ll pass the governor’s plan,” said Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Pensacola.

What the Options Look Like

Beyond the House’s passed measure, lawmakers considered a range of joint resolutions during the regular session, including proposals to create or expand homestead exemptions, reform the property assessment process, and provide targeted relief for seniors and long-term residents.

State leaders are now also discussing a “glide path” or phased approach, with a six-year phase-out framework under consideration as an alternative to an immediate elimination.

Critically, none of the proposals seriously debated would eliminate property taxes entirely. All have focused on the non-school portion of ad valorem taxes on primary residences.

The Revenue Question

The core tension in every proposal is how local governments would replace what they lose. Eliminating non-school property taxes for homesteads would cost localities between $6.7 billion and $18.3 billion annually, depending on the specific proposal. Critics argue the proposals would force local governments to cut other public services or increase fees to compensate, shifting costs rather than delivering real savings.

DeSantis has floated the idea of the state stepping in to subsidize some of those losses, particularly for smaller counties, though incoming House Speaker Sam Garrison has said he opposes that approach, suggesting whatever special session is called will involve significant negotiation.

What Comes Next

Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Riverview, said property taxes remain the top issue he hears from constituents. “We know that property tax — that’s the number one thing we hear about all the time,” Alvarez said. “So, we’re gonna come back and make sure we do something.”

For now, Floridians should not expect any immediate change to their tax bills. As of May 2026, Florida property taxes remain unchanged. Any future reform will require further legislative action and voter approval before it affects homeowners.

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