Florida sends property-tax overhaul to voters, expanding homestead relief

Florida lawmakers put a sweeping property-tax overhaul on the November 2026 ballot on June 3, advancing a plan backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that would sharply expand homestead relief while shielding school taxes from the biggest blow. If voters approve the constitutional amendment by the required 60 percent, the current $50,000 homestead exemption would rise to as much as $150,000 on January 1, 2027, then to as much as $250,000 on January 1, 2028.

The final version was narrowed to apply only to non-school levies after lawmakers modified the proposal to limit the hit to school funding. A separate Senate description said the larger $250,000 super homestead exemption would be directed toward longtime Florida residents who were on the rolls on or before December 31, 2026. The package also includes implementing legislation, making the ballot question part of a broader effort to redraw how property tax relief is delivered across the state.

Supporters cast the measure as a major break for homeowners facing high housing costs, and House Speaker Daniel Perez framed the vote as a chance for Floridians to decide whether they wanted the change. Senate Appropriations Chair Ed Hooper said the issue created “heartburn” because he faced pressure from both supporters and critics. The politics are simple enough: DeSantis is selling relief to homeowners, while allies are betting voters will reward a cut they can see directly on their tax bills.

The fiscal warning is equally stark. The proposal could reduce local government revenue by more than $8.4 billion a year, according to the legislative analysis. Florida Policy Institute said a May 29 analysis found counties alone would lose an average of $4.8 billion annually under the $250,000 exemption. State economists estimated the broader plan could cost cities, counties, water management districts and other special taxing districts $14.8 billion a year.

Opponents, including many Democrats and local officials, warned that the lost revenue would not disappear. It would be pushed onto communities through leaner city and county budgets, weaker water management districts, and pressure on special districts such as Children’s Services Councils and Hospital Districts. Democrats unsuccessfully tried to amend the bill to protect water management districts and to use state dollars to cover losses tied to senior programs, law enforcement, corrections and veterans services. Sen. Lavon Bracy Davis put the argument bluntly: “When the bill comes due, it won’t be paid by Tallahassee.”

For homeowners, the measure promises a larger exemption. For renters and businesses, it could mean a greater share of the burden if local governments make up the difference elsewhere. The November vote will decide whether Florida turns that tax shift into a constitutional promise, or leaves local budgets to absorb the hit.