Florida property tax proposal could cut millions from Bay Area city and county budgets

TAMPA, Fla. - Gov. Ron DeSantis' proposal for a sweeping property tax cut is roiling local governments, who are beginning to discuss how much revenue they would lose.

Possible homestead exemption changes

By the numbers:

A special session will begin Monday where lawmakers will consider raising the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $250,000 over the course of two years.

In 2027, the exemption would rise to $150,000, and in 2028, it would rise to $250,000.

The legislature would have to build a plan to increase it to $500,000.

DeSantis says the moves would bring relief to pocketbooks, to the point where 60% of Floridians would see their property tax bills disappear.

Major budget impacts

What they're saying:

St. Petersburg City Council member Lisette Hanewicz threw her hands up – metaphorically — when she heard the city could lose $74 million.

"This is literally going and destroying a budget," Hanewicz said during a meeting on Thursday.

In the context of St. Pete, their police and fire budget is about $200 million.

In Tampa, the city could lose $55 million, which amounts to just more than 10% of their public safety spending.

"They see 'tax cut,' of course, everybody wants that," Mayor Jane Castor said. "But think about the services that you're going to lose if you do vote."

Long-term fiscal impact debate

Dig deeper:

DeSantis, who is furious that property tax revenue has doubled since 2020, admitted full elimination wouldn't get support, so he's hoping this is a middle ground.

"It's a way to be able to make this a smooth transition to where people aren't going to say, ‘Oh, you're not going to be able to have money for services,’" DeSantis said on Wednesday. "You're going to be able [to] do it."

In Hillsborough County, there are 13 taxing authorities that would stand to lose a total of $725 million.

The losses include $21 million from libraries, $19 million from transit, $18 million from the Children's Board and $7 million from water.

Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez says $247 million would come from schools.

"The problem is once it goes into place, it's going to be very difficult to unwind this if, five years down the line, we realize that we cannot run local government sufficiently," Henriquez said.

Funding public services

The other side:

DeSantis and some legislative Republicans insist that their proposal could protect public safety and schools.

Plus, DeSantis is promising a trust fund that would help governments in need to cover shortfalls.

Online property tax calculators

What's next:

The Florida League of Cities says 85 cities in Florida would not be able to fund public safety at the same level, even if they eliminated every other service funded by property taxes.

"If you have a plan to cut property tax that has to include a trust fund for those counties that this property tax cut will literally cripple, that's a bad plan," Castor said.

Henriquez reiterates that there will be numerous factors that will determine local government revenue and the impact on an individual's property taxes.

Henriquez’s office plans to have a calculator on their website that will show the exact impact on homeowners, at least from a tax perspective.

The special session will begin Monday.

FloridaHillsborough CountyPinellas CountyPoliticsEconomyRon DeSantis