Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been on a tear delivering tax relief to residents in the Sunshine State.
He's racked up nearly $7 billion in tax cuts since taking office.
But Ron DeSantis just hit local governments with one big surprise.
DeSantis pushes plan to completely eliminate property taxes on homesteads
Governor Ron DeSantis announced he's pushing forward with a constitutional amendment to eliminate property taxes on homesteaded primary residences in Florida.
The Governor laid out his case during an appearance on Fox & Friends, explaining how local government spending has spiraled out of control.
"Property tax is all local in Florida. We don't get any of it," DeSantis explained.¹
He pointed to numbers that should alarm every Florida taxpayer.
Local property tax collections have exploded from $32 billion in 2019 to $56 billion today.
That's nearly double in just five or six years.
"From a growth of government perspective, you can't almost double local government every five years," DeSantis stated. "That is totally unsustainable."¹
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1996941576023490822?s=20
The Governor's proposal focuses narrowly on homesteaded properties—the primary residences where Florida families actually live.
Property taxes on second homes, commercial properties, and short-term rentals like Airbnbs would remain untouched.
DeSantis estimates homesteaded properties account for about 30% of total property tax revenue, with the remaining 70% coming from visitors, part-time residents, and businesses.
Florida's unique position as a tourism magnet gives the state leverage other states don't have.
"So much of our taxes are paid by people that visit," DeSantis noted.¹
That means Florida residents could own their homes "free and clear of the government" while tourists and non-residents continue funding local services.
But here's where it gets interesting.
The proposal requires the Florida Legislature to place it on the November 2026 ballot for voter approval.
If Floridians vote yes, the elimination becomes part of the Florida Constitution and "could not be undone by a politician."
Florida's bloated local governments face a reckoning
DeSantis didn't mince words about why this matters.
He argued that eliminating property taxes would serve as a "good incentive for homeownership," particularly for young families.
Right now, new homebuyers face tax bills much higher than long-time residents protected by the Save Our Homes assessment cap.
The system punishes people who want to buy their first home or move to a new one.
DeSantis also addressed concerns from smaller counties worried about losing revenue.
He pledged to use Florida's budget surplus to "totally backfill every one of those rural counties."¹
That ensures counties won't lose funding for essential services like law enforcement and schools.
Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties are fiscally strong and can handle the transition.
But DeSantis identified 32 rural counties as "fiscally constrained" that would receive state support.
The Governor's office is still "working through the details" of the proposal.
But the message to bloated local governments is crystal clear: the gravy train is coming to an end.
Several Florida House Republicans have filed their own property tax proposals, though DeSantis has criticized them as "half-measures" that would confuse voters.²
He wants one clean, bold amendment on the ballot that voters can understand.
House Speaker Daniel Perez fired back at DeSantis, accusing the Governor of failing to produce a detailed plan.³
"So when the Governor says he wants to 'abolish' property taxes. How? We don't have any details," Perez said in a statement.³
That GOP infighting could complicate getting something on the 2026 ballot.
But DeSantis has momentum on his side.
A property tax revolt is spreading across Republican-led states nationwide.
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene recently called for making property tax elimination a national priority.
Elon Musk has argued property taxes are essentially "a de facto lease from the government" that should be abolished.⁴
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1996980517137203622?s=20
And Trump-backed Florida congressman Byron Donalds said he would "definitely be in favor" of eliminating property taxes when he runs for Governor.⁴
If Florida pulls this off, DeSantis would make the Sunshine State the first in the nation to have no state income tax AND no property tax on primary residences.
That would cement Florida's status as America's freest state and turbocharge the exodus of families fleeing high-tax blue states.
Local governments that spent years gorging themselves on rising property values are about to learn a hard lesson.
When you double your revenue in five years and blow it on bloat instead of returning it to taxpayers, eventually the taxpayers fight back.
And DeSantis is leading that fight.
¹ Michelle Vecerina, "DeSantis pushes constitutional amendment to end property taxes on Florida homesteads," Florida Voice News, December 5, 2025.
² Ward Clark, "DeSantis Now Targeting Gradual End to Florida Property Taxes," RedState, December 5, 2025.
³ Florida Phoenix, "DeSantis dismisses House proposals on property tax reduction in 2026," October 23, 2025.
⁴ Simone Pathe, "A property tax revolt is spreading – with help from key conservatives," CNN Politics, September 7, 2025.
