DeSantis Targets Property Taxes While Blue States Keep Gouging Homeowners [WATCH]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he plans to work with the Florida Legislature to phase out property taxes for residents’ primary homes, arguing that rising property tax bills have undercut affordability across the state.

During an interview, Joe Kernen raised the issue directly.

“He’s talking property taxes. Now, if you can’t get some other tax increase from from the Governor, what are you doing with property taxes? You’re going to phase them out completely.”

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DeSantis responded by questioning the premise of raising property taxes in the first place.

“Well, first of all, didn’t he run on affordability?” DeSantis said.

“How is it more affordable to raise property taxes on working class people. I just don’t understand that.”

DeSantis said the administration is working with lawmakers on a plan focused on primary residences.

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“So, so what we’re working through, and we got to work with the Florida Legislature, is phasing out the property tax for Florida residents and their primary what we call a homesteaded property,” he said.

He explained that homesteaded properties account for roughly one-third of property tax revenue in Florida.

“And the way it works in Florida is that’s about a third of all the property tax revenue,” DeSantis said.

“Because, you know, these local governments are taxing investment properties, snow birds, second, third, homes, businesses, all those other things.”

DeSantis placed the proposal in the context of recent revenue growth.

“And so the context of this is in 2019 local governments in Florida brought in 32 billion in property tax revenue,” he said.

“Now they’re bringing in $60 billion.”

He argued that revenue growth has outpaced normal budgetary needs.

“So if you go back to that 2019, level of spending,” DeSantis said.

“You give them population growth, you give them the inflation, even at a couple percent a year. On top of that, you’re not even close to 60 billion.”

He attributed much of the increase to rising property values and in-migration.

“So they’re obviously getting a lot of this because property values have gone up,” DeSantis said.

“A lot of people moved to Florida, particularly during the covid era, but people need relief.”

DeSantis also described how current tax structures affect homeowners who have lived in their homes for decades.

“And what’s happening, Joe is you’ve got older people that have been in their home for a long time,” he said.

“They’ve had protection against valuation increases for 30 years.”

He said many are reluctant to move because of how taxes are calculated.

“They’re not downsizing, because if they go from a three or four bedroom home to a condo, the tax basis is going to be so much higher that they can’t afford it,” DeSantis said.

According to the governor, that dynamic has ripple effects. “So that hurts young people having access to be able to do it,” he said.

DeSantis noted that any change would require voter approval. “So it needs to go on the ballot,” he said.

“It needs to get 60% of the vote, and we’ll be working on that through the balance of the year.”

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