Lori Berman

Florida lawmakers passed a plan to place property tax cuts on the November ballot, increasing homestead exemptions from $50,000 to $250,000. The bill protects school funding and removes provisions for a trust fund for struggling counties and voter outreach funding, with critics questioning the rushed timeline and potential government service shortfalls.

The Florida Legislature approved a property tax cut proposal during a special session, which will appear on the November ballot requiring 60% voter approval. The plan increases homestead exemptions to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, excludes school district levies, and lowers annual assessment caps for non-homestead properties. Lawmakers added protections for public school funding and removed a trust fund for rural areas, while Democrats criticized the measure as a threat to local governments.

Lawmakers modified Gov. Ron DeSantis' property tax cut proposal to exclude school districts, reducing potential annual revenue loss for local governments from $8.4 billion. The amended bill, HJR 3F/SJR 4F, would increase the property tax exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, requiring voter approval with 60% support to take effect.