Ron DeSantis has spent months promising Floridians relief from crushing property taxes.
Now he's taking fire from an unexpected source.
And Ron DeSantis just declared war on his own party over one tax that's destroying Florida families.
House Republicans try to kill property tax reform with bureaucratic sleight of hand
DeSantis has been crisscrossing Florida alongside Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia exposing how local governments gorge themselves on property tax revenue while crying poor.
Florida DOGE audits uncovered nearly $1 billion in wasted taxpayer dollars across just five local governments — everything from $75,000 for a hologram of Jacksonville's mayor to $189,000 for Gainesville's Director of Equity and Inclusion.
The waste shocked even seasoned political observers.
But House Republicans just pulled a stunt that has DeSantis fuming.
House Speaker Daniel Perez rolled out seven different constitutional amendments supposedly aimed at cutting property taxes.
DeSantis dismissed every single one as "milquetoast" half-measures designed to kill any real reform.
"Placing more than one property tax measure on the ballot represents an attempt to kill anything on property taxes," DeSantis fired back. "It's a political game, not a serious attempt to get it done for the people."
https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/1981194783013167322?s=20
The governor's not wrong to be suspicious.
Washington politicians have played this game for decades — drown voters in confusing ballot measures so nothing passes.
DeSantis called the House proposals "total half measures" that wouldn't "get people excited" and accused Perez of deliberately sabotaging reform by flooding the ballot.
Here's the thing — a University of North Florida poll showed 49% of Floridians support eliminating property taxes for homeowners, with 43% against.
That's a plurality, but it's nowhere near the 60% threshold needed for a constitutional amendment.
Multiple competing amendments would split the vote and guarantee failure.
Which appears to be exactly what House Republicans want.
DeSantis isn't backing down from this fight
The governor made clear he's done negotiating with Perez and House Republicans.
DeSantis confirmed he hasn't spoken with Perez about property taxes "and didn't sound like he intended to anytime soon".
When Perez proposed a $5 billion sales tax cut as an alternative earlier this year, DeSantis slammed it as "a tax cut for tourists and Canadians."
That's retreat mode — trading meaningful property tax relief for a gimmick that helps out-of-state visitors more than struggling Florida families.
DeSantis wants one clean constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot that gives homeowners true relief.
His vision is simple: "If you own your home, to truly own it, you have to own it free and clear. You shouldn't have to pay rent to the government".
https://twitter.com/itscarterhughes/status/1989526069112971773?s=20
Think about that for a second.
You scrimp and save for decades to pay off your mortgage, and the government still demands tribute every year or they'll seize your house.
That's not ownership — that's perpetual serfdom dressed up in legal language.
Property taxes bring in roughly $43 billion annually in Florida, which explains why local governments and their Republican allies in Tallahassee are fighting this tooth and nail.
They've gotten addicted to the revenue gusher from skyrocketing home values.
DeSantis pointed out that local government tax revenue ballooned from $32 billion in 2019 to $56 billion in 2025 — a 75% increase that has nothing to do with better services.
Jacksonville spent $75,000 on a hologram.
Pensacola pays $150,000 annually to bring drag shows to a city theater.
Gainesville pays its Director of Equity and Inclusion $189,000.
This is where your property tax dollars go while local officials cry they can't afford to cut taxes.
Florida DOGE exposes the real scandal behind property tax increases
Ingoglia's DOGE teams have been conducting surprise audits across Florida, and what they're finding would make any taxpayer's blood boil.
Miami-Dade County's wasteful spending topped $302 million — the highest amount across nine local governments reviewed.
https://twitter.com/GovGoneWild/status/1983990487116869998?s=20
The county exploded its bureaucracy by hiring more than 2,800 employees over just five years while homeowners got crushed by rising tax bills.
Orange County's situation got so bad that DeSantis and Ingoglia issued subpoenas to county employees suspected of altering public records to hide reckless spending.
Orange County increased property tax collections by $330 million over five years — a 52% increase since fiscal year 2019-2020.
That's not inflation or population growth.
That's pure greed.
And House Republicans are protecting this racket by sabotaging DeSantis's property tax reform with their seven-amendment shell game.
This should make every conservative furious — watching Republicans side with bloated local bureaucracies over struggling homeowners.
DeSantis has the right approach: one clear amendment, 60 days of campaigning to educate voters, and let Floridians decide if they want to truly own their homes or keep paying rent to the government forever.
The 2026 ballot will tell us which side wins — property owners or the property tax industrial complex that feeds off them.
¹ Governor Ron DeSantis and CFO Blaise Ingoglia, "Highlight Excessive Local Government Spending Uncovered by Florida DOGE Audits," Florida Executive Office of the Governor Press Release.
² Ibid.
³ Mitch Perry, "DeSantis dismisses House proposals on property tax reduction in 2026," Florida Phoenix, October 23, 2025.
⁴ Mitch Perry, "DeSantis says he wants just one constitutional amendment on property taxes in 2026," Florida Phoenix, October 30, 2025.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ "DeSantis Promises 2026 Ballot Question to End Property Taxes on Personal Homes," The Floridian, September 9, 2025.
⁷ "The Future of Property Taxes in Florida: Legislative Hurdles and Funding Alternatives," Greenspoon Marder LLP, July 21, 2025.
⁸ Michael Costeines, "DeSantis Touts Accomplishments, Boosted Economy to Corral Affordability Concerns," The Floridan, December 2, 2025.
⁹ Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, "Announces Over $302 Million in Miami-Dade County Budget as 'Excessive, Wasteful Spending,'" Florida CFO Press Release, October 30, 2025.
¹⁰ Ibid.
¹¹ Governor Ron DeSantis and CFO Blaise Ingoglia, "Announce Subpoena of Orange County Employees Linked to Obstructing State DOGE Audit," Florida Executive Office of the Governor Press Release.
¹² Ibid.
